ptg6432687 270 8 System Center Virtual Machine Manager Technology Primer potential host in an easy-to-understand five-star rating. As resources change on these hosts, the rating changes. VMM 2008 for Highly Leveraged Virtual Environments Enterprises with a need for rapid deployment and virtualization can take full advantage of the tremendous cost savings that virtualization provides. For companies beginning to incorporate Hyper-V servers into their VMware environment, VMM 2008 provides the perfect management platform for managing both environments. For companies entering into the virtual network environment, VMM 2008 provides the advanced management capabilities that ensure rapid, controlled deployment of VMs into the physical environ- ment. VMM 2008 for VM Conversion Requirements IT environments that require physical or virtual server conversions will enjoy VMM 2008’s conversion capabilities. VMM 2008 can convert physical servers to virtual servers (P2V) and VMware ESX virtual servers to Microsoft Hyper-V virtual servers (V2V). P2V conver- sions allow organizations to get rid of old hardware running on legacy systems and provides a way to rapidly convert a physical network to a virtual one. V2V conversions allow organizations to rapidly convert expensive VMware ESX VMs to Hyper-V VMs. VMM 2008 for Heterogeneous Environments Current VMware ESX and VirtualCenter customers who want to use Hyper-V can use VMM 2008 to manage both environments. This heterogeneous management solution reduces administrative overhead and complexity. VMM 2008 provides the same function- ality as VMware VirtualCenter and VMotion for both VMware and Hyper-V environments, all in the same VM management solution. Self-service users spend less time worrying about the host platform and more time developing. Summary Microsoft VMM is new to the Microsoft virtualization platform, with the first version coming out in 2007 and quickly revised to the current VMM 2008 product. VMM 2008 provides the ability for organizations to manage VMs across multiple hosts and to delegate the administration and management of the VMs on the same host or on other virtual hosts in the organization. VMM 2008 not only supports the management of Microsoft-based virtual images, but it also provides connectivity and support for management of VMs running on other plat- forms such as VMware. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 271 Best Practices 8 Best Practices The following are best practices from this chapter: . Organizations using Hyper-V should use the Virtual Machine Manager 2008 product, not VMM 2007. . Install VMM 2008 on a Windows 2008 server or a Windows 2003 server with at least SP1 applied. . Ensure the system that VMM 2008 is being installed on is attached to a Windows domain. . For most organizations, VMM 2008 can be installed on the same system as the SQL database that stores the virtual server management information. . View, copy, and save the commands that will be run by the VMM 2008 console when performing a task. . Build a collection of PowerShell cmdlets for common administrative tasks. . Use the self-service portal to allow end users or developers to create their own VMs. . Use the VMM Administrative console to manage Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware ESX, and Microsoft Virtual Server hosts. . Browse the VMM Administrative console to understand its capabilities and functions. . Add Hyper-V, VMware, and Virtual Server physical hosts to the Administrative console to manage them with VMM 2008. . Examine the Details pane of each VM in the Administrative console to ensure the VM settings are correct. . For organizations where the VMM components are installed on separate servers, VMM libraries should be on separate servers, too. . VMM libraries should be placed on clustered file servers where fault tolerance of the library is required. . Multiple VMM library servers should be configured for organizations with multiple VM hosts in different sites. . Create hardware profiles to define the hardware used in common VMs (for example, a dual processor server with 2GB of RAM and a DVD ROM). . Create guest OS profiles to define the operating system profile used in common VMs (for example, Windows Server 2008 Standard x64). . Review the Jobs pane to examine running, successful, or failed jobs. . Configure user roles for VMM administrators, delegated administrators, and self- service users. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 272 8 System Center Virtual Machine Manager Technology Primer . Use the Filters section of the Navigation pane to reduce the number of results displayed in the Details pane. . Use VMM 2008 to reduce the complexity of managing multiple virtualization plat- forms. . Import host computers into VMM 2008 that are already running Hyper-V or VMware virtualization. . Learn the new and improved VMM 2008 command console cmdlets for command- line management of the virtual environment. . Use host clusters to host mission-critical virtual servers and provide a high level of fault tolerance. . Store common CD images (ISOs) in the VMM library for easy access from the VMM Administrative console. . Ensure that only highly available VMs are marked as such in the VM’s settings. Doing so will configure the VM to be placed only on host clusters. . The VMM administrator cannot be limited. Therefore, create Delegated Administrator roles for this purpose. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 9 Installing and Getting Familiar with Virtual Machine Manager 2008 IN THIS CHAPTER . Understanding the Components of VMM 2008 . Preparing the Server for VMM 2008 . VMM 2008 Installation . Understanding the VMM Administrator Console This chapter covers the installation and setup of the Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2008 program. It includes the preparation of the server that will host the VMM server components, and the installation of the VMM server, the VMM server Administrator console, the self-service portal, and the VMM local agent. This chapter covers the installation of the VMM 2008 Administrator console on a separate server for centralized management, and examines this basic administrative inter- face and the various configuration components available. Understanding the Components of VMM 2008 Four basic components make up VMM 2008, as shown in Figure 9.1: . The VMM 2008 server . The Administrator console . The self-service portal . The local agent The VMM 2008 Server The VMM 2008 server component consists of the VMM management service, the VMM database, and VMM library. The Virtual Machine Manager service, or VMMService, provides the services necessary to run VMM. It communicates Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 274 9 Installing and Getting Familiar with Virtual Machine Manager 2008 FIGURE 9.1 The basic components of VMM 2008. with and stores its configuration in the SQL database. The VMM library share is a simple NTFS share that houses the objects that make up a virtual machine (VM)—hardware profiles, guest OS profiles, templates, virtual hard disks (VHDs), CD-ROM images (ISOs), and so on. Among other things, the VMM server monitors VM and host health and moves VMs, if necessary, between host servers. The Administrator Console The Administrator console is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that provides an administrative interface to the VMM 2008 server. VMM administrators can manage all VMs and the VMM organizational settings using this console, whereas VMM delegated administrators can manage only the VMs that have been delegated to them. Even though the administrator console is very easy to use, it offers complete management of the virtual environment, including creating, managing, and deploying VMs and VLANs; managing host servers; configuring user roles; and so forth. It is built upon Windows PowerShell. The Self-Service Portal The VMM 2008 self-service portal provides a web-based interface that allows self-service users to provision VMs from the library. It also allows self-service users to store VMs in the library if they have sufficient rights. The most common use of the self-service portal is to provide an environment for developers and testers to use. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 275 Preparing the Server for VMM 2008 9 Multiple types of self-service user roles can be provisioned by the VMM administrator to facilitate the deployment of VMs in the virtual environment. The Local Agent The local agent is the agent software that allows VMM 2008 to monitor and manage Windows 2008 Hyper-V host servers. It can be installed remotely using the VMM Administrator console or manually via the VMM 2008 CD. Administrators of host servers in the perimeter (demilitarized zone, DMZ) network must install the local agent manually using the VMM 2008 CD, so that VMM 2008 can manage the host servers. Preparing the Server for VMM 2008 Decisions should be made about how VMM 2008 will be deployed. Will VMM be installed on a single server or across multiple servers in the enterprise? Will VMM use SQL Server Express, an existing SQL server, or a new one for its configuration database? In addition, several software and hardware prerequisites must be met before VMM 2008 can be installed on the VMM server. Single- or Multiple-Server Deployments VMM 2008 can be deployed on a single server that hosts the VMM server, SQL database, and Administrator console, or these components can be deployed across separate single- purpose servers. The decision about how to deploy VMM 2008 in the enterprise depends on the physical and virtual environment and, to a lesser degree, the administration of these environments. NOTE The computer where VMM 2008 is installed must be joined to an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain. All host servers must also be joined to domains in AD DS. A host can be in a different domain from the VMM server’s domain and can be in a trusted or a nontrusted domain. For hosts in perimeter (DMZ) networks, a VMM agent must be installed locally on that host, the firewalls must be configured, and then the host is added to VMM. Single-Server Deployment A single-server deployment is often used in small environments where physical resources are tight and the virtual environment is small. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 276 Hyper- V Role VMM Server Admin Console Self-Service Library Portal Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V x64 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X Windows Server 2008 without Hyper-V x64 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X Windows Server 2008 32-bit Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition with SP2 X X X Windows Vista X In this type of deployment, a single server hosts the VMM server, SQL database (usually using SQL Express), the Administrator console, and possibly even the self-service portal. It works well when the VM environment (both the VMM server and host servers) doesn’t span a wide area network (WAN). Multiple-Server Deployment A multiple-server deployment is usually used in larger, high-performance VMM environ- ments or where the virtual environment spans WANs. VMM performance is improved by installing the different components on separate servers and placing these servers closest to the resources they access the most. Typically, this involves using a dedicated (or at least separate) SQL database server and placing VMM libraries close to the host servers where the VMs will be deployed. Often, the Administrator console is installed on separate servers or workstations to facili- tate administration. The self-service console may also be deployed on its own server or on another underutilized server. It may even be virtualized itself. Supported Operating Systems for VMM Components Each VMM component is supported to run on different operating systems. The informa- tion in Table 9.1 will help the administrator select the proper operating system, depending on the organization’s needs. 9 Installing and Getting Familiar with Virtual Machine Manager 2008 Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 277 TABLE 9.1 SQL Server Express SP2 System Requirements Operating System Hyper- V Role VMM Server Admin Console Self- Service Portal Library Server Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V x64 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X X Windows Server 2008 without Hyper-V x64 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X Windows Server 2008 32-bit Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X X Windows Server 2008 Server Core installation Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions X X X Windows Server 2003 Edition with SP2 x64 X X X Windows Vista X Preparing the Server for VMM 2008 9 Prerequisite Software VMM 2008 requires the following software to be installed before installing the VMM server component: . Windows Server 2008 x64—Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter editions. . Windows PowerShell 1.0—This software is included in Windows Server 2008 as an optional feature. If this software has not been installed or removed, the Setup Wizard automatically adds it. . Windows Remote Management (WinRM)—This software is included in Windows Server 2008. The WinRM service is configured to start automatically, by default. If the WinRM service is stopped, the Setup Wizard starts the service. . Microsoft .Net Framework 3.0—This software is included in Windows Server 2008 as an optional feature. If this software has not been installed or removed, the Setup Wizard automatically adds it. . Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) 1.1—If this software has not been installed previously, the Setup Wizard automatically installs it. Windows Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 components must be installed before installing the self-service portal. For Windows Server 2003, the Windows Server IIS 6.0 component must be added too. Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 278 To install the self-service portal on Windows Server 2008, the administrator must add the Web Server (IIS) role and then install the following server role services: . IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility . IIS 6 WMI Compatibility VMM Database Considerations The VMM 2008 server component uses a SQL database to store and read VMM host server and guest VM configuration. VMM uses the database to correlate the individual VM objects (hardware profiles, guest OS profiles, VHDs, and so forth) into a complete VM management solution. The SQL database can be configured on SQL Express, an existing SQL server, or on a dedi- cated SQL server. SQL Server Express Installation VMM 2008 includes an optional SQL Express installation on the VMM 2008 setup CD. SQL Express is a free version of SQL 2005 that is targeted for smaller deployments of 150 VMs or fewer. Some technical restrictions make it unsuitable for large deployments: . It has a 4GB database limit (excluding log files). . It can use only one processor, even in multiple processor configurations. . It can use only up to 1GB of RAM. . VMM reporting is not available. . The SQL Server agent service is excluded. Table 9.2 identifies the minimum and recommended hardware requirements for a SQL Express SP2 server. 9 Installing and Getting Familiar with Virtual Machine Manager 2008 NOTE SQL Server Express is SQL Express installation included on the VMM 2008 instal- lation CD and will be installed automatically during setup if the administrator chooses to use it. TABLE 9.2 SQL Server Express SP2 System Requirements Hardware Minimum Recommended Processor Pentium 4, 2.8GHz Dual core, 64 bit, 3.2GHz RAM 2GB 4GB Hard disk space 4GB 4GB Download at www.wowebook.com ptg6432687 279 Preparing the Server for VMM 2008 9 Using an Existing SQL Server 2005 Installation VMM 2008 can create a new database on an existing SQL 2005 SP2 database server. This can save additional hardware costs if the server is currently underutilized. Make sure that the SQL 2005 server has adequate capacity and resources to host the VMM database. It should be at least dual core with 4GB RAM and 150GB free space for the new VMM database. Using a New SQL Server 2005 Installation VMM 2008 will operate best with a dedicated SQL 2005 SP2 database server. VMM stores and reads a great deal of data in its operational database and will perform at its peak on a suitable SQL server without resource contention. By appropriately sizing the SQL 2005 server, the organization can count on smooth and quick database operations. Table 9.3 identifies the minimum and recommended hardware requirements for the SQL 2005 SP2 server. NOTE If the decision is made to use SQL Server 2005 SP2, the server should be installed, running, and available before you install VMM 2008. SQL Reporting Considerations The administrator should be careful to install the correct version of SQL 2005, depending on the organization’s reporting needs. Table 9.4 shows the reporting capabilities of each version of SQL 2005. TABLE 9.3 SQL 2005 SP2 System Requirements Hardware Minimum Recommended Processor Dual core, 64 bit, 3.2GHz Dual core, 64 bit, 3.2GHz RAM 4GB 8GB Hard disk space 150GB 200GB TABLE 9.4 SQL 2005 Reporting Capabilities Supported SQL Server Versions Supports Reporting in VMM 2008 SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP2 No SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition SP2 Yes SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition SP2 Ye s Download at www.wowebook.com . environments that require physical or virtual server conversions will enjoy VMM 2008 s conversion capabilities. VMM 2008 can convert physical servers to virtual servers (P 2V) and VMware ESX virtual. hardware prerequisites must be met before VMM 2008 can be installed on the VMM server. Single- or Multiple -Server Deployments VMM 2008 can be deployed on a single server that hosts the VMM server, SQL. Server Express SP2 System Requirements Operating System Hyper- V Role VMM Server Admin Console Self- Service Portal Library Server Windows Server 2008 with Hyper -V x64 Standard, Enterprise,