Mastering VMware vSphere® 5

Book description

A new and updated edition of bestselling Mastering VMware vSphere 4

Written by leading VMware expert, this book covers all the features and capabilities of VMware vSphere. You'll learn how to install, configure, operate, manage, and secure the latest release.

  • Covers all the new features and capabilities of the much-anticipated new release of VMware vSphere

  • Discusses the planning, installation, operation, and management for the latest release

  • Reviews migration to the latest vSphere software

  • Offers hands-on instruction and clear explanations with real-world examples

  • Mastering VMware vSphere is the strategic guide you need to maximize the opportunities of virtualization.

    Table of contents

    1. Cover Page
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright
    4. Dear Reader,
    5. Dedication
    6. Acknowledgments
    7. About the Author
    8. About the Contributors
    9. Contents at a Glance
    10. Contents
    11. Introduction
      1. What Is Covered in This Book
      2. The Mastering Series
      3. The Hardware behind the Book
      4. Who Should Buy This Book
      5. How to Contact the Author
    12. Chapter 1: Introducing VMware vSphere 5
      1. Exploring VMware vSphere 5
      2. Why Choose vSphere?
      3. The Bottom Line
    13. Chapter 2: Planning and Installing VMware ESXi
      1. Planning a VMware vSphere Deployment
      2. Deploying VMware ESXi
      3. Deploying VMware ESXi Embedded
      4. Performing Post-installation Configuration
      5. The Bottom Line
    14. Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring vCenter Server
      1. Introducing vCenter Server
      2. Choosing the Version of vCenter Server
      3. Planning and Designing a vCenter Server Deployment
      4. Installing vCenter Server
      5. Installing vCenter Server in a Linked Mode Group
      6. Deploying the vCenter Server Virtual Appliance
      7. Exploring vCenter Server
      8. Creating and Managing a vCenter Server Inventory
      9. Exploring vCenter Server's Management Features
      10. Managing vCenter Server Settings
      11. The Bottom Line
    15. Chapter 4: Installing and Configuring vSphere Update Manager
      1. Overview of vSphere Update Manager
      2. Installing vSphere Update Manager
      3. Routine Updates
      4. Importing an ESXi Image and Creating the Host Upgrade Baseline
      5. Performing an Orchestrated Upgrade
      6. Investigating Alternative Update Options
      7. The Bottom Line
    16. Chapter 5: Creating and Configuring Virtual Networks
      1. Working with vSphere Standard Switches
      2. Installing and Configuring the Cisco Nexus 1000V
      3. Configuring Virtual Switch Security
    17. Chapter 6: Creating and Configuring Storage Devices
      1. Reviewing the Importance of Storage Design
      2. Examining Shared Storage Fundamentals
      3. Implementing vSphere Storage Fundamentals
      4. Leveraging SAN and NAS Best Practices
      5. The Bottom Line
    18. Chapter 7: Ensuring High Availability and Business Continuity
      1. Understanding the Layers of High Availability
      2. Clustering VMs
      3. Implementing vSphere High Availability
      4. Implementing vSphere Fault Tolerance
      5. Planning for Business Continuity
      6. The Bottom Line
    19. Chapter 8: Securing VMware vSphere
      1. Overview of vSphere Security
      2. Securing ESXi Hosts
      3. Securing vCenter Server
      4. Securing Virtual Machines
      5. The Bottom Line
    20. Chapter 9: Creating and Managing Virtual Machines
      1. Understanding Virtual Machines
      2. Creating a Virtual Machine
      3. Installing a Guest Operating System
      4. Installing VMware Tools
      5. Managing Virtual Machines
      6. Modifying Virtual Machines
      7. The Bottom Line
    21. Chapter 10: Using Templates and vApps
      1. Cloning VMs
      2. Creating a Customization Specification
      3. Cloning a Virtual Machine
      4. Creating Templates and Deploying Virtual Machines
      5. Cloning a Virtual Machine to a Template
      6. Deploying a Virtual Machine from a Template
      7. Using OVF Templates
      8. Working with vApps
      9. Importing Machines from Other Environments
      10. The Bottom Line
    22. Chapter 11: Managing Resource Allocation
      1. Reviewing Virtual Machine Resource Allocation
      2. Working with Virtual Machine Memory
      3. Managing Virtual Machine CPU Utilization
      4. Using Resource Pools
      5. Regulating Network I/O Utilization
      6. Controlling Storage I/O Utilization
      7. The Bottom Line
    23. Chapter 12: Balancing Resource Utilization
      1. Comparing Utilization with Allocation
      2. Exploring vMotion
      3. Ensuring vMotion Compatibility
      4. Exploring vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler
      5. Using Storage vMotion
      6. Introducing and Working with Storage DRS
      7. The Bottom Line
    24. Chapter 13: Monitoring VMware vSphere Performance
      1. Overview of Performance Monitoring
      2. Using Alarms
      3. Working with Performance Graphs
      4. Working with resxtop
      5. Monitoring CPU Usage
      6. Monitoring Memory Usage
      7. Monitoring Network Usage
      8. Monitoring Disk Usage
      9. The Bottom Line
    25. Chapter 14: Automating VMware vSphere
      1. Why Use Automation?
      2. The Bottom Line
    26. Appendix A: The Bottom Line
      1. Chapter 1: Introducing VMware vSphere 5
      2. Chapter 2: Planning and Installing VMware ESXi
      3. Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring vCenter Server
      4. Chapter 4: Installing and Configuring vSphere Update Manager
      5. Chapter 5: Creating and Configuring Virtual Networks
      6. Chapter 6: Creating and Configuring Storage Devices
      7. Chapter 7: Ensuring High Availability and Business Continuity
      8. Chapter 8: Securing VMware vSphere
      9. Chapter 9: Creating and Managing Virtual Machines
      10. Chapter 10: Using Templates and vApps
      11. Chapter 11: Managing Resource Allocation
      12. Chapter 12: Balancing Resource Utilization
      13. Chapter 13: Monitoring VMware vSphere Performance
      14. Chapter 14: Automating VMware vSphere
    27. Index

    Product information

    • Title: Mastering VMware vSphere® 5
    • Author(s): Scott Lowe
    • Release date: October 2011
    • Publisher(s): Sybex
    • ISBN: 9780470890806