Archive for August, 2011

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
As with all scripted installations – there is a potential to clobber LUNs on your FC-SAN. Please engage brain first before using the UDA (or any scripted installer for that matter!)

MANY THANKS TO CARL THIJSSEN FOR ALL HIS HARDWORK!

MANY PEOPLE THINK ITS ME THAT’S THE BRAINS BEHIND THE UDA. THEY ARE WRONG. I’M JUST AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER OF HIS WORK!

With the release of vSphere5 today it my pleasure to announce that Carl Thijssen has once again come up trumps. He’s worked on a upgrade package to the UDA 2.0 that support ESX5i. It shouldn’t take long to download the patch as Carl was able to add ESX5i with just 225KB with of changes to the core build…

At some stage I think Carl might make a new build of the UDA which includes this patch for new users – but remember ESXi is only ONE of Carl’s supported OSes, so for him the decision to create a new build (a UDA 3.0) is based on much bigger factors than just one vendor alone….

To be honest I’ve not done much work with deploying ESXi to disk with PXE. But it was a pleasant surprise to find that Carl’s upgrade package worked right away without a problem. Of course I had to make some changes to my old kickstart “Service Console” templates – because not everything the ESX “Classic” supported, is achieved in the same way…. I guess the real question facing early adopters of ESXi is how they are going to deploy the new edition of ESX. There’s plethora of choices:

• Don’t use UDA, but use VMware’s new “Auto Deploy” feature which allows for a stateless/diskless PXE boot of the VMKernel itself. Great. But auto deploy is an Enterprize+ feature, and is recommended to be used with Host Profiles (another Enterprize+ feature)
• Use something like the UDA or EDA to get the software on a disk… and then:

• Do the “post-configuration” phase with the UDA template/sub-template feature OR
• Use PowerCLI to configure the host.

In my new book (Hotel California) my character Maverick does all three – so he can evaluate the pros/cons of all the methods to his boss at Corp, Inc.

Anyway, to download the upgrade build bundle click the link below:

http://www.ultimatedeployment.org/uda-2.0.20.tgz

If your new to the UDA you will need the core virtual appliance also: http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/downloads/uda20-build17.ova.zip

That’s the edition that is an OVA format, suitable for importing into vSphere – the “Workstation” edition is over on Carl’s site here: http://www.ultimatedeployment.org/download.html

Folks coming to my webpage for the “ESX” version (in a OVA format designed for importing into vSphere) will find the same .tgz bundle on my site under the UDA page.

Additionally I have some sample “Advanced Templates” and a sample “Sub-Templates” that I’ve tested against ESX5i throughout the beta and RC and now the GA. In case you don’t know the “template” stores the instructions used to install ESX5i, and the “sub-template” holds all your variables (IP, hostnames etc)

Template Bundle

The Uber vSwitch example creates a single vSwitch0, uplinks all the VMNICs, and then adds portgroups. It then uses NIC standby orders to make sure that stuff like IP storage traffic prefers not to be on your vMotion network. Whereas the Standard vSwitch creates a series of vSwitchs (vSwitch0, vSwitch1) and so on for each type of traffic.

These scripts aren’t perfect. There’s three problems I have:

• Management traffic is NOT being an able on the HA-Heartbeat portgroup
• SSH is not starting
• NTP is configured but the service is not starting.
• There’s a prize for someone who can tell me how to fix all 3…

These are SAMPLES. They contain IP address and NFS exports that will simple NOT work in your environment. The idea is to use them as the starting point…

MANY THANKS TO CARL FOR ALL HIS HARDWORK!

PLEASE REPORT BUGS AND SLUGS TO THE VMWARE FORUM. NEITHER I OR CARL ARE VMWARE SUPPORT. OK?

VMworld beckons and I’m now counting the hours till I pack my bag, and head off to London’s Heathrow Airport. I’ve had time to write down my thoughts about the challenges facing VMware this week. In nutshell they are:

1. Sunset any lingering concerns about vRAM licensing… And get vSphere features being the main talking point

2. Reassure hard core, long-term users of ESX “classic” that ESX5i is ready for their environments and it is safe to move…

3. Simultaneously both stress the value-add of VMware’s virtualization layer whilst not loosing sight the future is cloud…

Read on MacDuff…

If your heading off to VMworld soon, you might be interested in my review of breakout sessions. As ever there is plenty to choose from and no need be bored by endless powerpoint from vendors – there’s plenty of hard core tech content there as well.

Its my belief that vSphere5 will be regarded as the “storage” release, given thats there’s so much in the way of new features at this level including:

vSphere Replication
vsphere Storage Appliance
Storage “DRS”
Datastore Clusters
Storage Profiles
VMFSv5

So you won’t be surprised by my selection. If storage is not you bag, Ive identified a key VDI futures, SRM futures and some interesting sessions regarding long-distance vMotion and Stretched HA clusters…

Read on MacDuff…

Well, at last the wait is over. vSphere5 is now available to download and evaluate from VMware.com website. I was actually expecting the bits to drop on Wednesday, that’s what my (no so) reliable sources were telling me. Who knows perhaps they were released at 23.59 on Wednesday!

I wouldn’t know – I was tucked up in bed by 10pm. I’m not one of those people who sleep in a tent outside an Apple store, if you catch my drift.

Of course I went to download vSphere5 I wasn’t able to. You see I’m neither a customer or partner, and therefore my account is NOT “activated” for customer downloads.

That’s a webpage I’ve been looking at for some years. So at the moment I’m downloading the eval, which looks ALMOST fully functional (Update: I’m not seeing the “Depot” version of ESX5i that’s used with Auto Deploy…). That will last for 60 days. After that I don’t really know what I will do. I will probably sign up for a mailinator account, and just keep on evaluating vSphere5. I’m not really sure where I’m heading on licensing with VMware. I’m no longer a VMware Certified Instructor so I’m not on the email list for education licenses, and I don’t know how long it will take for my vExpert licenses to come through.

My task for today once ESX5i installable has downloaded is to test the GA build of the VMware Hypervisor against the Ultimate Deployment Appliance. Yes, that’s right the UDA has a new build number (Build 20) which adds support for ESX5i. But I need to validate it against the GA, before Carl and I make it publicly available. Not that I expect anyone to deploying ESX5i in anger today – except hard-core fanbios like me of course!

The other thing I’m trying to do is get a preview of chapter 1/2 of my “Hotel California” book out on RTFM. Why? Well, chapter 2 has lots of vSphere5 good stuff, and don’t want to sit on it until next year – because well, by then it will be common knowledge….

I don’t know why it took me so long to get round to doing this – but I’ve got a copy of the old SRM 4.0 Book (which is free – donations to Unicef are requested)… on to the iPAD… I’ve recently been looking at using my iPAD as ebook reader.

To read my book on your iPAD you will need the iBooks App from the Apple AppStore…

And you will have to add the .EPUB file to your iToons library to get sunk to the AyePad..

I used Calibre to do the covert from PDF to .EPUB format. It’s not perfect (which says more about how I formatted the original manuscript!) but its readable.

http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/downloads/SRM4.0-Guide-v1.4-English-eBook – Mike Laverick.epub

Well, my bags are packed and I’m ready to go…

Sorry, I was channeling John Denver there.  Actually, my bags aren’t packed yet that would be somewhat anal. I have printed all my travel documents. The next thing I need to do is create a crib sheet with all my appointments. One at the top of the list is SP03975: Expert Panel Discussion: Virtualization Benefits and Challenges in the SMB

Here’s the brief:

“There are many benefits of virtualization including cost savings, business agility, and more efficient data protection. However, small and medium size businesses don’t always have the resources or expertise available to reach these benefits with their limited IT staff. Learn from a panel of industry experts who’ve helped thousands of SMB’s design and implement a very efficient virtualization infrastructure, including Dell, VMware, and Acronis and get the inside track on best practices and tips and tricks used by their customers. In addition, an SMB customer will share their first hand experience and be ready to answer questions on Virtualizing their infrastructure and what they’re looking at next when it comes to Cloud.”

Session starts at Wed 2:30 PM…

More details on the Acronis VMworld Blog: http://vmworld.acronis.com

If you want a laugh you can look at the session and my description. I was able to register for the event as “Elvis Impersonator”.

I will be appearing along side such industry luminaries as

Ismail Azeri, Acronis
Ismail (“Izzy”) Azeri was named Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Americas in December, 2010. He is responsible for the Americas business broadly, including sales, channels and marketing to help drive Acronis as the leading Backup and Disaster Recovery software vendor in the Americas region. Izzy joined Acronis in July 2009 and served as Vice President of Business and Corporate Development, responsible for technology partnerships and overall product strategy through December 2010. Prior to joining Acronis, Izzy was at VMware, where he led the Corporate Business Development team which was responsible for acquisitions, investments, and strategic partnerships. Prior to VMware, Izzy was at EMC in several roles within Corporate Development and Finance. In addition to his General Manager responsibilities at Acronis, Izzy is also responsible for Corporate Partnerships, Acquisitions, the OEM business as well as playing an integral role in driving corporate strategy. Izzy holds a Bachelors degree in Finance from Bentley College where he graduated with honors in 3 years.

Kurtis Berger, Provider Advantage NW, Inc.
Kurtis Berger has been in the Information Technology field for 15 years. He’s currently I.T. Manager at Provider Advantage NW, Inc., a software and services company focused on Revenue Cycle Management for the Healthcare industry, where he’s been for the last 7 years. Kurtis has a small I.T. staff, so he has a broad range of responsibilities. Aside from managing the department, he also takes care of planning network improvements, server maintenance, security, customer connectivity, and even some end-user support. Being a 24×7 shop, ensuring High Availability of our services is critical – and a large component to his present position. Previously, he’s done QA, and was Senior System Administrator at an Internet Service Provider.
and (drum roll)

Todd Barton, Dell Inc.

Today I got news from my publisher (VMware Press aka Pearson Press), that a “rough cut” of my book on SRM 5.0 is now available on Safari for subscribers. The rough cut was one of the 1st drafts of the book based on the Beta2 of the product – that was back when VMware were using the product name “host-based replication” for what is now called “vSphere Replication”.

The link is here: http://my.safaribooksonline.com/9780132842280?portal=informit

In case you don’t know – previous SRM books were sold directly by me for profit or in the case of SRM 4.0 for charity. This is the first time I’ve written about SRM through an official publisher. It’s one of the first books to be printed through the newly founded VMware Press, which really pleases me. We should have digital copies of the book available at VMworld, and one purchasing a digital copy of the rough cut will qualify for a free digital copy once the final book is released.

Quite when that will be is unclear to even me, but I’m thinking that end of Oct/Nov is likely, depends on how the review process goes and how many substantial changes I see between the release candidate I have, and the final cut. At the moment I’m still is the first big round of reviews – or which they will be three rounds in total. As you might expect the 1st round of reviews is a biggy, because that’s the first time anyone has seen the manuscript. The 2/3rd round of review work is more a polishing up phase.

[Click at the graphic above to register!]

No, that isn’t me trying my best to practice my alliterative skills. I will be attending the Atlanta VMUG this year, and hope to pop along and see some folks from NetApp in North Carolina at the same time.

It will come hard upon the VMworld Europe event, but I should get a weekend home, before setting of to the states once more…

Monday, October 24, 2011
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Georgia World Congress Center
285 Andrew Young International Blvd., NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

Coming to London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt this October, independent expert and desktop virtualisation guru Brian Madden will update you on where the desktop virtualisation market is in 2011, focusing on what’s real and what’s not. Brian will cover an array of topics including user virtualisation, client hypervisors, remoting protocols, disk layering, cloud-based desktops, the consumerisation of IT and much more. Spend just a few hours out of the office to take advantage of a live Q&A, peer networking opportunities and tons of valuable information. Register today!
http://events.techtarget.com/desktopvirtualization/?Offer=VDI2011rtfm

[If you want to read the lyrics - go off to the youtube page, and the lyrics are there as well.]

Sorry, I know that’s a less than classy blogpost title. This all about VMUG’s in Oz, and I’m not think of Dorothy and Munkins by the way…

I’m hoping to attend/speak at both the Melbourne and Brisbane VMUG.

The Brisbane event is at:
Monday, December 5, 2011
Novotel Brisbane
200 Creek Street
Brisbane 4000

and then later that week, The Melbourne Event is at:

Thursday, December 8, 2011
Melbourne Park Function Centre
Batman Ave
Melbourne

I’m hoping to stop along the way in Sydney to see from friends of mine on the Tue/Wed…