Monday, December 12, 2011

Data Center Interconnect: Layer 2 Extension Between Remote Data Centers

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/white_paper_c11_493718.html

This document is intended to help network managers and systems managers understand the various solutions and recommendations that Cisco offers to geographically extend Layer 2 networks over multiple distant data centers. These offerings address the requirements of high performance and fast convergence.
This document also introduces the capabilities of the Cisco® Data Center Interconnect (DCI) solution. Please note that it does not address the requirements for SANs.
Initially, this document describes the types of connectivity (Layer 2, Layer 3, and storage) that can be established between remote data center locations, together with the services that a given enterprise can obtain from a service provider.
The discussion then focuses on LAN extension designs, analyzing some of the most relevant business factors requiring the deployment of a LAN extension, and providing a list of solution requirements.
The document concludes by describing some technical alternatives to provide LAN extension functions, including:

• Point-to-point or point-to-multipoint interconnection, using virtual switching system (VSS), virtual PortChannel (vPC), and optical technologies

• Point-to-point interconnection using Ethernet over Multiprotocol Label Switching (EoMPLS) natively (over an MPLS core) and over a Layer 3 IP core

• Point-to-multipoint interconnections, using virtual private LAN services (VPLS) or advanced VPLS (A-VPLS) natively (over an MPLS core) or over a Layer 3 IP core

For each technical alternative, specific platform support and positioning information is provided.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

VMware vSphere Health Check Report v5.0.0

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-9842

This script generates a health check report for the new vSphere release of VMware ESX(i) 4.x/5.x and VMware vCenter 4.x/5.x and it's managed entities. User's can now fully customize the report based on the categories that are of importance to their operating environment, including selecting specific set of ESX(i) hosts and/or Virtual Machines.

Monday, November 07, 2011

UBERAlign - disk partition alignment

UBERAlign is vSphere tool automating disk partition alignment and disk space reclamation.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

VCP 5.0 exam

Test 1: Post

http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eclassmarker%2Ecom%2Fonline-test%2Fstart%2F%3Fquiz%3Dkmh4e272723524e2&urlhash=t-rM&_t=tracking_anet

Test 2:

Adding a VM as an unmanaged desktop in VMware View

Copy of article at
http://virtualisedreality.com/2011/01/29/adding-a-vm-as-an-unmanaged-desktop-in-view-4-5/

I have just come across a situation where I wished to add a VM from one environment (completely separated test and dev environment) to VMware View in another enviorment as an unmanaged desktop. To do this with a physical server you simply install the agent and enter the connection server details during the installation. When trying to do this on a VM the final screen where you are able to enter the connection server address doesn’t appear.

It turns out this is by design and if you wish to add a VM in this manner to View you need to start the View Agent install with the following switch

VMware-viewagent-4.5.0-xxxxxx.exe /v”VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=0″

This will cause it to act as if it is a physical machine and give you the oppertunity to add the View connection server.