Host Scalability

Module 10

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You Are Here
1. Course Introduction
2. Software-Defined Data Center
3. Creating Virtual Machines
4. vCenter Server
5. Configuring and Managing
Virtual Networks
6. Configuring and Managing
Virtual Storage
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7. Virtual Machine Management
8. Resource Management and
Monitoring
9. vSphere HA and vSphere Fault
Tolerance
10. Host Scalability
11. vSphere Update Manager and
Host Maintenance
12. Installing vSphere Components
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-2
Importance
As you scale your VMware vSphere environment, you must be aware
of the vSphere features and functions that will help you manage the
hosts in your environment.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-3

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Learner Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to meet the following
objectives:
Describe the functions of a VMware vSphere Distributed Resource
Scheduler cluster
Create a vSphere DRS cluster
View information about a vSphere DRS cluster
Remove a host from a vSphere DRS cluster

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-4

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vSphere DRS Cluster Prerequisites
vSphere DRS works best when the virtual machines meet VMware
vSphere vMotion migration requirements.
To use vSphere DRS for load balancing, the hosts in the cluster must be
part of a vSphere vMotion migration network.
If not, vSphere DRS can still make initial placement recommendations.

To use shared storage, configure all hosts in the cluster:

Volumes must be accessible by all hosts.
Volumes must be large enough to store all virtual disks for your virtual
machine.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-5

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vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Automation Level
Configure the automation level for the initial placement of virtual
machines and dynamic balancing while virtual machines are running.

Automation Level Settings

Migration threshold guides selection

of virtual machines for migration.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-6

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Other Cluster Settings: Swap File Location for vSphere DRS
Store the virtual machines swap file with the virtual machine or in a
specified datastore.
VMware recommends that you store the swap file in the same directory
as the virtual machine.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-7

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vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Virtual Machine Affinity
vSphere DRS affinity rules
specify that selected virtual
machines be placed either
on
the same host (affinity) or on
separate hosts (anti-affinity).
Affinity rules:
Use for multi-virtual machine
systems where virtual
machines communicate Options:
heavily with one another. Keep Virtual Machines Together
Separate Virtual Machines
Anti-affinity rules: Virtual Machines to Hosts

Use for multi-virtual machine

systems where load balance
or high availability is desired.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-8

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vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: DRS Groups
DRS groups are used in
defining VM-Host affinity
rules.
Types of DRS groups:
A group of virtual machines
A group of hosts

A virtual machine can belong

to multiple virtual machine
DRS groups.
A host can belong to multiple
host DRS groups.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-9

2015 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.
vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: VM-Host Affinity Rules
A VM-Host affinity rule:
Specifies an affinity
relationship between a virtual
machine DRS group and a
host DRS group
Is either a required rule or a
preferential rule

Other options:
Must run on hosts in group,
Must Not run on hosts in group,
Should Not run on hosts in group

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-10

2015 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.
VM-Host Affinity Rule: Preferential
A preferential rule is softly enforced and can be violated if necessary.
Example: Separate virtual machines on different blade systems.

vSphere DRS Cluster

Group A Group B

X X
Blade Chassis A Blade Chassis B

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-11

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VM-Host Affinity Rule: Required
A required rule is strictly enforced and can never be violated.
Example: Enforce host-based ISV licensing.

vSphere DRS Cluster

Group A

X X
ISV-Licensed

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-12

2015 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.
vSphere DRS Cluster Settings: Automation at the Virtual Machine
Level
You can customize the automation level for individual virtual machines in
a cluster to override the automation level set on the entire cluster.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-13

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Adding a Host to a Cluster
When adding a host or moving a host into a vSphere DRS cluster, you
can keep the resource pool hierarchy of the existing host.
If vSphere DRS is not enabled, host resources pools are lost.

For example, add sc-quail04 to Lab Cluster.

When adding the host, choose to create a

resource pool for this hosts virtual
machines and resource pools.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-14

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Viewing vSphere DRS Cluster Information
The cluster Summary tab provides information specific to vSphere DRS.
Clicking the vSphere DRS link on the Monitor tab displays CPU and
memory utilization per host.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-15

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Viewing vSphere DRS Recommendations
The DRS tab displays information about the vSphere DRS
recommendations made for the cluster, the faults that occurred in
applying such recommendations, and the history of vSphere DRS
actions.

Refresh recommendations.

Apply a subset of
recommendations.
Apply all
recommendations.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-16

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Monitoring Cluster Status
View the inventory hierarchy for the cluster state.
You can view the clusters Tasks and Events tabs for more information.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-17

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Maintenance Mode and Standby Mode
To service a host in a cluster, for example, to install more memory, or
remove a host from a cluster, you must place the host in maintenance
mode:
Virtual machines on the host should be migrated to another host or shut down.
You cannot power on virtual machines or migrate virtual machines to a host
entering maintenance mode.
While in maintenance mode, the host does not allow you to deploy or power on
a virtual machine.
When a host is placed in standby mode, it is powered off:
This mode is used by VMware vSphere Distributed Power Management to
optimize power usage.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-18

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Removing a Host from the vSphere DRS Cluster
Before removing a host
from a vSphere DRS
cluster, consider the
following issues:
The resource pool
hierarchy remains with the
cluster.
Because a host must be in
maintenance mode, all
virtual machines running on
that host are powered off.
The resources available for
the cluster decrease.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-19

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Improving Virtual Machine Performance Methods

Fine
Use network
traffic shaping.

Modify the virtual

machines CPU and memory
reservations.
Modify the resource pools CPU and
memory limits and reservations.

Broad Use NIC teaming.

Use storage multipathing.

Use a vSphere DRS cluster.

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-20

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Lab 22: Implementing a vSphere DRS Cluster
Implement a vSphere DRS cluster
1. Create a Load Imbalance
2. Create a vSphere DRS Cluster
3. Verify Proper vSphere DRS Cluster Functionality
4. Create, Test, and Disable a VM-VM Affinity Rule
5. Create, Test, and Disable an Anti-Affinity Rule
6. Create, Test, and Disable a VM-Host Affinity Rule

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-22

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Review of Learner Objectives
You should be able to meet the following objectives:
Describe the functions of a VMware vSphere Distributed Resource
Scheduler cluster
Create a vSphere DRS cluster
View information about a vSphere DRS cluster
Remove a host from a vSphere DRS cluster

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-23

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Key Points
vSphere DRS clusters provide automated resource management for multiple
VMware ESXi hosts.
vSphere DRS works best if the virtual machines meet vSphere vMotion
migration requirements.
Questions?

VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage 10-24

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