Hyper-V and SystemCenter prep

MS is offering a free course (Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center) and
exam for Hyper-V and SystemCenter management (74-409). This blog contains my notes for the exam prep.

Course Instructors | Symon Perriman – Senior Technical Evangelist, Microsoft; Corey Hynes – Lead Architect and President, HOLSystems Related

Some resources

Download and explore

Other courses

My blogs on Installation, Win server and Virtualization

Create a bootable USB: https://rasor.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/creating-an-usb-os-installation-drive/
Enable WLAN and Hyper-V on a WinServer: https://rasor.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/virtualization-running-windows-server-2008-r2-as-hosthypervisor-on-a-laptop/
Use Winserver on a laptop: https://rasor.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/win2012-sharepoint-2013-setup/
https://rasor.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/xen-hypervisor/
https://rasor.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/virtualization-running-virtualbox-on-a-windows-7-laptop-windows-2008-r2-server-guest/

Overview of virtualization stacks

This is notes from Module 1 – Evaluating the Environment for Virtualization

Compare	Microsoft System Center	VMWare vCenter	Citrix XenServer (6.2)	RedHat EV
Automation	SC Orchestrator	vCenter Orchestrator	Workflow studio	CloudForms
Svc. Mgmt	SC Service Manager – Help Desk	vCloud Automation Center
Protection	SC Data Protection Manager	vSphere Data Protection
Monitoring	SC Operations Manager	vCenter Ops Mgmt. Suite		CloudForms
Self-Service	SC App Controller Browser portal for VMMs Azure IaaS Service Provider Foundation	vCloud Director	Web Self Service (Retired)	User Portal
VM Mgmt	SC Virtual Machine Manager Bare-Metal deployment of hosts Hosts and cluster creation Hosts groups Cross-platform mgmt (MS, VMW, Citrix) Storage cfg / network cfg Intelligent placement / dynamic optimiz. Power optimiz. PRO Phys-to-virt (P2V)	vCenter Server	XenCenter	RHEV-M
Hypervisor	Hyper-V (2012 R2) Storage DAS SAN NAS (SMB 3.0) Storage for VHD Cfg Checkpoints (Snapshot Disk) – Don’t put on default c: Saved State (Hibernate Mem) NIC’s 1 for Hyper-V mgmt 1+ for VM networks 2 for shared storage x for failover clustering 1+ for live migration Do’s NIC teaming for redundancy Bandwidth mgmt 10 G is getting std on CAT6 or fiber SMB Direct or RDMA creates a channel to avoid TCP/IP CPU overhead. Must be supported by NIC’s and switches. HA Host cluster gives VM failover VM cluster giver cluster roles failover VM NLB gives webapp scale out App clustering gives app scale	vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 5.5)	XenServer (6.2) incl. Xen Project Hypervisor	Enterprise Virtualization (3.2) KVM + RHEV-H or RHEL
Documentation	Solution Accelerators SW: MS Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) Infra. planning and design guides (IPD) MS Deployment Toolkit (MDT) MS Operations Framework (MOF) Security Compliance Manager (SCM)		XenServer vs Xen Project My Xen Hypervisor blog

Other virtual managers

Zabbix
Virt-manager – VM’s: KVM, Xen, Lxc

Hyper-V Component Architecture Poster

Installation

For a test lab I used 2 laptops with 4 core I7 processor.

Laptop 1
- Host: HyperV-Host – OS: WS12R2 – Role: Hyper-V Host (Hypervisor)
  - Ext vSwitch: vEthernet (Realtek) – VLAN ID: 5
    - Vm: VmN1Ad – OS: WS12R2 – Role: DNS and AD
  - Ext vSwitch: vEthernet (Dell Wireless) – VLAN ID: 6
  - Private vSwitch: (Priv1)
    - VM: VmSrv1 – OS: WS12R2
Laptop 2
- Host: W8-Host – OS: W8 -> W8Pro -> W8.1Pro – Role: Also a Hyper-V Host after upgrade to W8Pro :-), Remote PC

To use live migration of VMs you need to have the PC’s connected to AD.

It appeared that W8.1 Hyper-V does not support live migration, so I’ll install another server instead – later.

The installation more or less like this:

HyperV-Host

# Create installation USB flash:
Created and booted USB flash drive with Rufus. Burned Windows Server 2012 R2 onto it from an iso image.
# Shrinked a disk:
Made space for 100 GB for WinServer as Hyper-V hypervisor. Made space for 150 GB for VMs (D:\).
# Installed WinServer on the disk from the bootable USB.
- Selected DataCenter version to be able to install lots of VM’s. I wonder if STD version just is limited on licenced guest OS’s – meaning if you own OS licences, then STD version is not limited?
# Enabled WLAN feature. This is equivalent with the 2008 procedure. You might need to boot twice before you can enable the WLAN network card.
Above procedure also included enabling of Hyper-V role. Did that too.
- Set VHD folder to D:\Hyper-V\VirtualHardDisks
- Set VM cfg file folder to D:\Hyper-V
- Selected both LAN and WLAN as Virtual Network Switches through which the VM’s reach physical network.
- After boot you can start virtmgmt.msc and manage your VMs.
# Make WinServer a little more workstation-like:
- Disable shutdown tracker
- Rename your server name to something you like.
# Enable Private Network Discovery:
- > Services.msc
  - DNS Client, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, UPnP Device Host: Set Automatic startup and start
- Search and open “Network and Sharing Center” – Click on Advanced Sharing Settings – Expand Private
  - Turn on network discovery
  - Turn on file- and printer sharing
- On W8-Host:
  - Make sure you can ping the server
  - Search and open “Network” – refresh
    - You should be able to see the server, if you are on the same (WIFI) network.
# Enable Remote Desktop in the workgroup:
- Add Server Role “Remote Desktop Services” – Add Role Services “Remote Desktop Licencing” and “Remote Desktop Session Host”. Accept the Tools added as features. Reboot.
- In Server Manager – Local Server – Properties
  - Enable Remote Management
  - Enable Remote Desktop
- On W8-Host: Search and Open “Remote Desktop Connection”.
- Remote Screen Resolution 1440 * 900 fits nice into 1920 * 1080 Local resolution
- Logon with credentials of the target server.

# Enable copy-paste to VM’s:
- > virtmgmt.msc
- Hyper-V settings – Server – Enhanced Session Mode Policy – Select “Allow…”

W8-Host

# Get Hyper-V on Win8
Upgrade W8-Host from Win8 to Win8 Pro
- Search and open “Add features to Windows 8” – Enter Licence key.
# Enable remote VM management
- Open “Control Panel\Programs” – Click “Turn Windows features on”
# Get new Hyper-V features
Upgrade W8 to W8.1

VM/Guest – Info from module 3 – Creating and Managing Virtual Hard Disks, Virtual Machines, and Checkpoints

Several options for installation

Convert .iso or .wim to. vhd(x) using Convert-WindowsImage.ps1
Install from .iso, DVD, network.
Copy VHD w. OS //Clone
Differenting VHD’s. Parent must not change.
Import by copy VHD and then register.
Virtualizing a physical PC (P2V) using Disk2Vhd – Need to do driver change.

Connect with

VM Connection – included w. Hyper-V role or RSAT feature. Does RDP via port 2179. Can use EnhancedSessionMode without network.

HyperV-Host

# Create a switch for a new VM:
- virtmgmt.msc – VirtSwitchMgr – new – Private – Create Virtual Switch
  - Name: Priv1, Type: Private, OK //No net access to physical HW including host.
# Create a new VM from iso file:
- virtmgmt.msc –
  - New -VM
    - Name: VmDellBase, (D:\Hyper-V), Next – Generation 2 – Next – 1024 GB, Use DynMem: Y, Next
    - Connection: Realtek (ethernet) – Virtual Switch, Next – (Create: D:\Hyper-V\VirtualHardDisks\VmDellBase.vhdx), Size: 20 GB – Next
    - Install an OS, Img: D:\iso\en_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707946.iso //From MSDN subscription
    - => VM is now created in state = Off

VmDellBase – RightClick – Settings
- Mgmt – Integration services – select “Guest services” – OK

VmDellBase – RightClick – Start
VmDellBase – RightClick – Connect…
- Press any key to boot… //Go through a normal WS install procedure
- Disable Shutdown tracker – see above
- Enable Private Network Discovery – see above
- Control Panel\Appearance\Display\Screen Resolution – 1024 * 768
- In “Virtual Machine Connection” – Action – Insert Integration Services Setup disk – choose resolution 1024 * 768
- Shut down img and make a copy from VmDellBase.vhdx to VmDellBase0.vhdx
  This enables you to have an image, that does not yet have been reset with SysPrep (generation 0).
  Note: You can Reset Windows Product Activation clock up to three times with SysPrep /generalize, but the copies from a sysprep’ed image you can make as many as you like.
- A: Prepare master image:
  - ReStart and ReConnect to VmDellBase
  - > %systemroot%\SYSTEM32\SYSPREP\sysprep /oobe /generalize
    This removes the VMs name and Shuts down the VM.
  - virtmgmt.msc – VmDellBase – Settings – HW – SCSI Ctrl – Select the HD and remove it.
    This avoids starting the VM by mistake.

# Create a new VM from SysPrep’ed vhdx file:
- B: Deploy Master image:
  - Copy D:\Hyper-V\VirtualHardDisks\VmDellBase.vhdx to VmN1Ad.vhdx
  - virtmgmt.msc –
    - New – VM
    - Name: VmN1Ad, (D:\Hyper-V), Next – Generation 2 – Next – 1024 GB, Use DynMem: Y, Next
    - Connection: Realtek (ethernet) – Virtual Switch, Next
    - Use an existing VHD: D:\Hyper-V\VirtualHardDisks\VmN1Ad.vhdx – Next – Finish
  - virtmgmt.msc – VmN1Ad
    - Settings – Mgmt – Integration Services – select “Guest services” – OK
    - Start
    - Connect… => wait for OS to finish install
- On HyperV-Host: > ping VmN1Ad
# Make VmN1Ad a DNS server
- # Assign static IP:
  - > ipconfig // read current IPv4 address
  - Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center – Click on connection: Ethernet – Properties – Select item TCP/IPv4 – properties
  - Use following IP Address: Enter IP, Subnet and GW from above print
  - Use the following DNS: Enter same IP as GW – OK
  - In Router assing static IP to VmN1Ad
- Server Mgr – Local Server – Manage – Add Roles&Features – Role-based – Next * – Roles: DNS Server – Press Add Features – Next * – Install
- > dnsmgmt.msc – DNS – VmN1Ad – Forward lookup zones – Action – New zone – Next – Primary – Next – mycom.local
- # Use self as DNS:
  - Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center – Click on connection: Ethernet – Properties – Select item TCP/IPv4 – properties
  - Use the following DNS: Enter same IP as IP address – OK
- x
# Make VmN1Ad a domain controller

Hyper-V

This is notes from Module 2 – Installing and Configuring the Hyper-V Server Role.

Licencing

WS: per processor.
- Std: 2 VM’s
- Enterprise: unlimited VM’s
Hyper-V: 0 VM’s

Limits

Server: CPU: 320, RAM: 4TB, V-CPU: 2048
VM: VM’s/Server: 1024, V-CPU: 64, RAM: 1TB, VHD: 64TB, 256 SCSI devices
Failover Cluster: Nodes/Cluster: 64, VM’s/Cluster: 8000

Install hypervisor

> Get-WindowsFeature *hyper*
> Install-WindowsFeature ...
> ICM server1, server2 {Install-.... }

If you can’t connect to hypervisor:

1) > bcdedit /enum
=> hypervisorlaunchtype: Auto

2) Check BIOS

3) Reboot and sometimes power off

Tools

ServerMgr – Tools – Hyper-V mgr (virtmgmt.msc)
– Can be run from Win8 via SrvMgr after Winfeat Hyper-V mgmt tools are turned on.
Use HVRemote for simpler cfg. What it does
- Enable remote mgmt in workgroup:
  - Enable Hyper-V firewall rules
  - Create local user with same name and psw
  - Add user to Hyper-V admins group
  - Grant admin rights remotely to local users
ServerMgr – Hyper-V – Best Practice analyser

CFG

Host – Server
- VHD’s, VM’s, Phys GPU’s, Storage Migrations, Replication
- NUMA spanning: CPU and mem scaling. Enter max value of no of CPU’s and RAM.
- Enhanced Session Mode Policies: RDP over VMBus. Enables copy/paste without network to VM. Also use of HW devices.
  Activate 2 places in host an one in VM: Integration svc’s – Guest svc’s.
- Resource pools: When moving VM’s, then NIC names must match, unless mapped through pool
Host – User

Notes from Module 3 – Creating and Managing Virtual Hard Disks, Virtual Machines, and Checkpoints

CFG – Settings

VM – HW
- BIOS / Firmware
- MEM //Set min ,max and startup (boot) RAM for dynamic distribution
- Procs //No and % reserve and limit
  - Compability
  - NUMA //Max CPU, Mem and nodes on a socket
- IDE Ctrl-0, 1
  - HD
  - DVD
- SCSI Ctrl
  - HD
  - DVD
- Network Adapter //Legacy, Normal and FC. Connect to switch and limit bandwidth
  - Virt FC SAN adapters. Max 4. Access via Host FC HBA (HostBusAdapter) through VirtSAN’s. Use VirtSanMgr to create VirtSAN’s.
    Can: VM LiveMigration, VM Failover, MPIO – Multiple paths to SAN.
    Can’t: SAN Data LiveMigration, Boot, Checkpoints, Host backup.
- COM 1, 2
- Diskette Drive
VM – Guest – Mgmt
- Integration Svc’s (VM Tools – are drivers) – Below svc’s will start as Win Svc’s. Integration Svc’s also comes ootb w. Linux. Gives you LiveMigration, Backup w. DataProtectMgr, Dynamic Mem
  - OS shutdown
  - Time Sync //Turn off if TimeSource is external opposed to Host
  - Data Exch
  - HeartBeat
  - Backup (vol checpoint)
  - Guest svc’s //Enhanced Session Mode
- Checkpoint File location
- Smart Paging File //Allow VM with mem lower than startup RAM to boot via paging file.
- Auto Start / Stop

Running VM’s

Checkpoint/Snapshots.
- Do Checkpoint to create. Do Apply to rollback (= delete changes). Do Delete to remove a checkpoint (accept changes). The changes are saved using differencing disks, cfg files and saved mem.
- Use only checkpoints in dev/test.
- Do Checkpoint, Apply for the whole group/envir to avoid them getting out of sync.
- Never checkpoint DC (in past). Now OS’s aware of Generation ID can survive getting out of sync with its replicate server by declaring itself invalid and request updates from its replicates.
Both VM’s and checkpoints can be exported.

Performance Monitoring – use both on host and guest

Tools
- Task Mgr
  - CPU
    - Change Graph to
      - Logical Procs
      - Numa nodes (sockets)
- Resource Monitor
  - CPU
  - DISK
    - Storage – Disk Queue Length – should be low value
  - MEM
  - Network
- Reliability monitor (time scaled event log – when were patches installed?)
- Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc)
  - Option: View – Show Analytic & Debug Logs //Give much more data
  - For Exam: Know which log is used for what.
  - On Host:
    - Custom Views – Server Roles – Hyper-V
    - Windows Logs – Apps & Svc’s – Microsoft – Windows – Hyper-V-…: -VMMS
- Powershell – Resource Meetering //Resource usage (Procs, disk, mem, netw) by VM for charging customers. Feed it into svc manager

Virtual Hard Disk Sharing – Using Cluster Shared Volume

Virtual Hard Disk Sharing – Using Scale-Out File Server with SMB 3.0

Notes from Module 4 – Creating and Configuring Virtual Machine Networks

Virtual Switch = VMWare vSwitch

Practically – use one switch for one physical network adapter or for one teamed network adapter pair.
In prod you would have not many: One representing the physical switch connecting VM’s
On host – when you create switches they appear as network adapters called vEthernet.
On host: Add one network adapters representing connection to one switch using Hyper-V Mgr – Virtual Switch Mgr or by Powershell.
#Create vEthernet (Management):
ps> Add-VMNetworkAdapter -ManagementOS -Name:Management
Types
- External – connects to physical adapter
- Internal – connects host with guests – good for sandbox or using host as NAT
- Private – connects guests with guests
#Create External switch called vEthernet (Public) connecting to physical network adapter called Ethernet:
ps> New-VMSwitch -Name:Public -NetworkAdapterName:Ehternet -AllowManagementOS:$true
#Create Internal switch called vEthernet (Host)
ps> New-VMSwitch -Name:Host -SwitchType:Internal
#Create Private switch called vEthernet (Private)
ps> New-VMSwitch -Name:Private -SwitchType:Private
In Virtual Swith Manager you configure the MAC adr range given to VM’s. 3 first sets is Hyper-V “Manufaturer”. 3 last sets are calculated from the host IP adr. Assure that you don’t use all addresses and you don’t give same addr to two VM’s adapters. SC VMM helps distributing those on a larger network. Or you can expand range yourself from 00 00 00 to FF FF FF.

vSwitch types:

VLAN tagging isolate VM nodes

On Internal and External vSwitches
Limits to a physical subnet
Limits to VM’s on same host
VLAN ID’s has 12 bits – 4096 networks can be created
Physical switches can have VLAN ID assigned to each port

VMQ

Notes from Module 5 – Virtual Machine Movement and Hyper-V Replica

Moving virtual hard disks

Replicate VMs from one Hyper-V host at a Primary site to another Hyper-V host at the Replica site.

Notes from Module 6 – Implementing Failover Clustering with Hyper-V

Guest Failover Cluster protects the application services running inside your virtual machines. This is now possible using the shared VHDX.

System Center 2012 R2 (SC)

Notes from Module 7 – Installing and Configuring SC Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)

Use Powershell Deployment Toolkit (PDT) to build a SystemCenter environment – in prep edit config xml to local prefernces. It includes downloads, accounts, SQL installation (std edition – license included).

Use datacenter or standard edition to get VMM.

System Center includes:

Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) // Extended Hyper-V manager
App Controller //Web version of VMM – without infra mgmt – using VMM to provision to private cloud or Azure to provision to public cloud
Operations Manager // Montoring
Data Protection Manager (DPM) // Backup/Restore
Service Manager // Help Desk – Work Items: Activity, Change, Incident, Problems, Release mgmt and Service Request using cfg db – Implements ITIL build with MOF
Orchestrator // Workflow designer – Graphical scripting – pass parameters from a set of activities to another set

Extra:

Windows Azure Pack: Deploy Azure services (public cloud) on-premise. Access from Azure (website, VM) to private cloud. App communication via service bus
SC Advisor runs as an add-on to OperationMgr. It is a proactive tool to tells about best practices to follow based on facts from OperationMgr.

VMM

1 VMM server supports 1000 hosts ans 25.000 VMs.

HostGroups based on whatever your needs are e.g.

Public/Private
Location e.g. primary/recovery
Old HW for test, new for prod
Function
Can be nested

WorkSpaces

VMs and Services // Mobility, Replica, Failover
Fabric // Infra: Servers, Hosts & Clusters, Storage, Network, NLB
Library // Templates
Jobs
Settings

Create Jobs:

BareMetal deployment (Hyper-V Host server): Choose Fabric – Add server – physical server. OEM has installed Baseboard Mgmt Ctrl (BMC) – kind of pre OS (e.g. HP iLO, Dell iDRAC) – to require e.g. IP. Choose a domain admin account.
VM provisioning: Choose Fabric – Add server – windows server. Choose local admin account

Tip: The wizard generate powershell scripts that can be easily modified for repeating work.

Jobs consists of a set of tasks (the powershell cmds).

Jobs can be restarted (= rerun the powershell cmdlets)

Notes from Module 8 – Managing the Networking and Storage Infrastructure in SC Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)

VMM Fabric continued: Clusters, Storage, Network

VMM – Fabric – Networking:

Logical Networks // naming physical subnets – like DNS for IP. Use separate subnet for storage
MAC adr pools // build in ranges – see hyper-V above. You can define own ranges.
NLBs // WinSrv feature (SW LB) – or HW LBs like F5, BigIP. Tip: You can scale SW LBs in VMs
Virtual IP templates // LB uses VIP as entry point that will fork to each clustered node
Logical switches // naming and configuring physical switch
Port profiles // E.g. Host mgmt, High bandwidth adapter, Cluster, Live migration. Needs to be tied to network – just starting point/sample names exists – for assigning to ports on hosts
Port classifications // as above – for tagging network adapters and switch ports
Network service // 3rd party extension e.g. Network manager (Xen server), gateway, virtual switch extension

Add network for VM outbound traffic: Logical Networks – Add – Enter a name “Contoso-corp”- Select “One connected..” – Select “Allow new…” – Add Network site: (associate VLANs to host groups and IP subnets) Select all host groups – Press Insert Row – IP subnet: 10.0.0.1/24 – next

Add network for VM storage: Logical Networks – Add – Enter a name “Contoso-storage” – Select “One connected..” – Add Network site: (associate VLANs to host groups and IP subnets) Select all host groups – Press Insert Row – IP subnet: 20.0.0.1/24 – next

Connect network to server: Servers – Select a VM – props – HW – Network Adapters – Ethernet – Select Contoso-corp

Connect network to server: Servers – Select a VM – props – HW – Network Adapters – Ethernet2 – Select Contoso-storage

Create IP pool to get IPs from, when using the network: Logical Networks – Select “Contoso-corp” – Create IP pool – Name: “Corp-IPpool” – Next – limit the range a bit – next – Enter 10.0.0.1 for default GW – next – Enter 10.0.0.1 for DNS – Suffix: contoso.com

Create IP pool to get IPs from, when using the network: Logical Networks – Select “Contoso-storage” – Create IP pool – Name: “Storage-IPpool” – Next – limit the range a bit – next – Enter 10.0.0.1 for default GW – next – Enter 10.0.0.1 for DNS – Suffix: contoso.com

Logical switch – Create – Name: ContosovSwtich – next

VMM – VMs and Service:

Tenants // Admin roles
Clouds
VM Networks
Storage
All Hosts

Tenants – Add – Name: EndUser – Role: App Admin – Next

VM Networks – Create – Name: ContosoVMnet – Logical net: Contoso-Corp – next – Add subnet – Name: Net2, Subnet: 10.0.0.1/24 – next

Storage

Block Storage types
- Fibre Channel (FC) + Virtual FC
- iSCSI
File Storage types
- SMB3.0 // for (clustered) scale-out file server (SOFS)
- NFS // for VMWare

VMM – Fabric – Storage:

Classifications & Pools // Generic classes: iSCSI, SSD. Or specific classes – as you like.
Providers
Arrays
File Servers
Fibre Channel Fabrics

Storage – Classification – Create – Name: Gold (tier). Create also Bronze //tie to array iSCSI (SMI-S WMI)

Storage – Providers – Create – Windows based – IP or FQDN: DC01 – Select share: ClusterShare. Appoint Gold

Storage – Arrays – view – displays iSCSI drives

Ribbon – Create Logical Unit (LUN) – select iSCSI drive: F – Name: LUN1 – Size: 20 (GB)

Ribbon – Create File Share – select srv – Name: VMShare1 – Select class Gold – Create new path: C:\Shares\VMShare1

Fabric – All Hosts – props – Host Reserves – View

Fabric – All Hosts – props – Storage – Allocate LUN – select LUN1 – add

Patching

WSUS for collect baseline

Going to do same procedure as Cluster Aware Update: Drain node (host) – patch – checks: startup?, OK patch?, (rejoin cluster?) – Unpause – (fail back if set so)

If bad patch then procedure stops to let admin fix.

Config Mgr can be used with WSUS as intermedeary.

Failover Clustering

64 servers, 8000 VMs

Share Storage using SMB, iSCSI, FC, SAS

Dynamic Optimization: LiveMigrates VMs to distribute load on CPU, Mem, disk and network IO when going above treshold

Power Optimization (dependent on dynamic opt): LiveMigrat VMs to let node go to sleep, when going below treshold e.g. over night

Create cluster1

Fabric – cluster1 – props – Available storage – add – select LUN1 – Label: CSV1 – select format – Convert to CSV

Fabric – cluster1 – props – (Cluster) Shared Volumes – add – select VirtualDiskIndex:xxxx – Label: CSV3

Fabric – cluster1 – props – File Share Storage – add – select \\DC01.contoso.com\ClusterShare

Cluster Mgr – Storage – Disks – view

Notes from Module 9 – Configuring and Managing the SC Virtual Machine Library (VML)

VMM Library – Deploy one to each branch office (much data)

VMM – Library:

Templates // Collection of profiles
- Service Deployment cfg
- Service templates
- VM templates
Profiles // Building blocks
- App: SQL, Web
- Capability: Hyper-V, Esx, Xen – for host
- Guest OS: SQL, Web – for VM. ID: Use ## or * for names
- HW: SQL, Web – for VM
- Physical computer: For host
- SQL server: SQL
Equivalent objs
Cloud libs
Self service user content
Library servers //Add server – then add a share
Update catalogue and baselines

Library – templates – VM templates – add – Browse – select vhdx – Name it

Notes from Module 10 – Creating and Managing Virtual Machines (VMs) by Using SC Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)

Notes from Module 11 – Managing Clouds in SC Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)

Cloud Tenants does not have to be different companies – it can be departments or other groups.
Tenants enables allocate logical capacity from resource pools.
Host groups are for infra groups
Clouds are for end-user groups through self service – e.g. SQL DBA needing resources

From Virtual to Cloud:

Automated mgmt (SC VMM)
pools of compute resources (SC VMM) + mem, storage, network.
self-service provisioning (SC App Ctrl)
usage-based chargeback (SC Service Mgr) – used for showback

Groups and individuals can be assigned capacity (cloud shaping)

Managing cloud:

chargeback (SC Service Mgr)
app performance monitoring (SC Operations Mgr)
always up and on – monitor your app in the public cloud by uploading own testcases from different places in the world (SC Global Service Monitor (GSM))
SLA based

VMM – VMs & services – Clouds – Create – Name: Contoso-cloud – select resources as host group(s) (or VMWare resource pools) – select various resources – don’t give access to local storage – select VMM library closest to location of users – for capacity set max (for this main cloud) except for mem

VMM User Roles based on AD creds contains:

Profiles/Templates, Members, Scope, Network,
Cloud Quotas, Resoources, Permissions, RunAs accounts

Many User Roles in one cloud

Limit:

access to objects (resources)
Actions to perform on resources e.g. checkpoints

User Role Profiles:

(Main)Admin
Fabric admin (= delegated admin) // HW – scoped to host group(s)
Read-Only admin // monitor/firefighters/1st line support
App admin (= self service user) // SW – touching VMs & services
Tenant admin // mng app admins

VMM – Settings – Security – User Roles – Create – Developers – select various resources

Notes from Module 12 – Managing Services in SC Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) and App Controller

A group of VMs like webappp and SQL can give a service that can be deployed and managed as single entity.

A service model allows you to cfg relation and build out.

Service Template updates:

In-place
Image
Template

VMM – Library – Templates – Service Templates – Create – Name: MyAppService, Release: 1.0, Patterns: Two Tier => Service Template Designer

– Drag´n´drop VM templates (left) to large “+” on tier (right)

– Ribbon – Add VM Network – Browse – Select “Contoso-VMNet” //this is the switch

– Ribbon – Connector – Drag´n´drop from NIC1 to Contoso-VMNet. Do for all NICs

Could also add NLB

– Save

– Select a tier to change props like deployment order, scale out limits, upgrade domains, availability sets (for SQL cluster)

– Ribbon – Configure Deployment – Name MyAppService1 – select cloud => Deploy service wizard

– Ribbon – Deploy Service

App Controller

Services – Deploy – Configure – Select a cloud – Select a template – VM Configure – Add name – Deploy

Notes from Module 13 – Protecting and Monitoring Virtualization Infrastructure

SC Data Protection Mgr

Backup – can even restore a SP file through SiteCollection and folder = Item Level Recovery (ILR) – by using SP level backup by VM DPM Agent (opposed to Host DPM Agent)
- Backup during LiveMigration
Replicate
- Consistent snapshot: VSS takes volume shadow copy with committed changes, since each app has its own app specific VSS writer and knows how to make the app consistent.

Components:

Put DPM protection agents on VMs and hosts
- Install agents – automatic via console or manually on target – open in FW
- Cfg protection groups – containing data sources groups with common schedule etc.
DPM has srvs + SQLs + console

SC Operations Mgr

Using HW and SW specific Mgmt Pack for monitoring apps or devices

On VMM srv it can use PRO Tips – reads alerts and take action on alerts. Like Dynamic Optimization it has limits for CPU, Mem, disk and network IO, but it can read on everything else before it triggers LiveMigration or other action. It is the most extensible.

Fabric Health Dashboard and Fabric Monitoring Diagram is yet some monitoring of VMM by OPs Mgr.

Events in Ops Mgr can trigger actions in e.g. Service Mgr or Orchestrator

Other

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The End.

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