Comments on: My Large VMWare Server Farm http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/ Sysadmin, etc. Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:22:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Ben Ruset http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Ben Ruset Fri, 01 May 2009 18:41:13 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-52 VMware is really pushing their products to be managed by VirtualCenter. As far as I know, nobody really makes that great of a VirtualCenter replacement. I managed my VMware servers individually, with scripts that just took an inventory of each VM and made a webpage from it so I knew what servers were running what VM's. VMware is really pushing their products to be managed by VirtualCenter. As far as I know, nobody really makes that great of a VirtualCenter replacement. I managed my VMware servers individually, with scripts that just took an inventory of each VM and made a webpage from it so I knew what servers were running what VM’s.

]]> By: tarrinho http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-51 tarrinho Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:10:41 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-51 I have the same problem. I have 14 servers running vmware server 2.0.1/2.0.0 and i would like to centralize the administration. Any suggestions? (besides vmware Virtual Center) I have the same problem.

I have 14 servers running vmware server 2.0.1/2.0.0 and i would like to centralize the administration.

Any suggestions? (besides vmware Virtual Center)

]]> By: Ben Ruset http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Ben Ruset Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:15:56 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-46 Yes, we're in the process of piloting it. My initial feeling is that it's great if you only have one server, but if you have multiple servers like I do, you're really going to need VirtualCenter to manage your hosts. Moving VM's from ESXi to ESXi servers is a huge pain. You can enable the busybox tech support shell, but it's really limited. I haven't seen how to import a moved VM into the inventory of a new server. The only way I've been able to move VM's from ESXi to ESXi is to use VMWare Converter. It takes about 20 minutes per VM to move, and in the case of some of my Linux VM's the MAC addresses changed, which is a pain to deal with. Yes, we’re in the process of piloting it.

My initial feeling is that it’s great if you only have one server, but if you have multiple servers like I do, you’re really going to need VirtualCenter to manage your hosts.

Moving VM’s from ESXi to ESXi servers is a huge pain. You can enable the busybox tech support shell, but it’s really limited. I haven’t seen how to import a moved VM into the inventory of a new server. The only way I’ve been able to move VM’s from ESXi to ESXi is to use VMWare Converter. It takes about 20 minutes per VM to move, and in the case of some of my Linux VM’s the MAC addresses changed, which is a pain to deal with.

]]> By: jfiske http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-45 jfiske Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:07:22 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-45 I wonder if you are considering moving some of your vmware-server installations to VMware ESX 3.5i (now that 3.5i is free)? I wonder if you are considering moving some of your vmware-server installations to VMware ESX 3.5i (now that 3.5i is free)?

]]> By: Ben Ruset http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Ben Ruset Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:21:46 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-20 My Dell NFS box, which proved to be too slow, was exporting NFS thusly: /vol/vol1/vmware (no_root_squash,rw) My VMWare servers were mounting it with the following options: rw,soft,timeo=120,addr=192.168.50.10 My Dell NFS box, which proved to be too slow, was exporting NFS thusly:

/vol/vol1/vmware (no_root_squash,rw)

My VMWare servers were mounting it with the following options:

rw,soft,timeo=120,addr=192.168.50.10

]]> By: Kevin Collins http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-19 Kevin Collins Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:39:42 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-19 I am trying to install a very small vmWare setup at my office with a PowerEdge 1950 and am having some performance issues. Are you seeing this at your location? Does the fact that you have a farm (which to me implies "cluster") overcome this effect? I would like to swap stories with you via e-mail if you're willing. I am trying to install a very small vmWare setup at my office with a PowerEdge 1950 and am having some performance issues. Are you seeing this at your location? Does the fact that you have a farm (which to me implies “cluster”) overcome this effect?

I would like to swap stories with you via e-mail if you’re willing.

]]> By: stpgod http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-18 stpgod Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:40:55 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-18 Ben- I've been using a similar setup here for our office, CentOS 5 running VMware Server 1.0.3. Until recently, I've been using only local storage for the VM's, but would like to switch to a central NFS solution. I keep having trouble with permissions when I get the NFS drive mounted in CentOS, if it mounts at all. Mind if I ask how you mount those NFS drives and run the VM's off of them? It's driving me crazy! ---Mik Ben-

I’ve been using a similar setup here for our office, CentOS 5 running VMware Server 1.0.3. Until recently, I’ve been using only local storage for the VM’s, but would like to switch to a central NFS solution. I keep having trouble with permissions when I get the NFS drive mounted in CentOS, if it mounts at all. Mind if I ask how you mount those NFS drives and run the VM’s off of them? It’s driving me crazy!

—Mik

]]> By: AdmiNirvana » More VMware Server in Production http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-11 AdmiNirvana » More VMware Server in Production Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:08:57 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-11 [...] happened to run across this fella today, who also runs a very large VMware Server farm in a production environment.   He makes a [...] [...] happened to run across this fella today, who also runs a very large VMware Server farm in a production environment.   He makes a [...]

]]> By: Brian http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Brian Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:06:11 +0000 http://blog.benruset.com/2008/01/16/my-large-vmware-server-farm/#comment-10 Nice to see someone else using a large Vmware Server set up. Interesting you're having such a hard time with the PERC controllers, though. We've had nothing but great luck with them, running approximately the same amount on our 1950's. Did you happen to load up the OMSA stuff? Might help troubleshoot anything that could be amiss on your host. I've generally found the software RAID set up to be pretty troublesome too, so you might want to check into it before taking the plunge. Also one last thing, VMware Server runs fantastic over NFS--something you may want to consider if you're continually running short on local disk. Very handy in doing the the VM/server swap trick you as mentioned. Works great in our environment. Nice to see someone else using a large Vmware Server set up. Interesting you’re having such a hard time with the PERC controllers, though. We’ve had nothing but great luck with them, running approximately the same amount on our 1950′s. Did you happen to load up the OMSA stuff? Might help troubleshoot anything that could be amiss on your host.

I’ve generally found the software RAID set up to be pretty troublesome too, so you might want to check into it before taking the plunge.

Also one last thing, VMware Server runs fantastic over NFS–something you may want to consider if you’re continually running short on local disk. Very handy in doing the the VM/server swap trick you as mentioned. Works great in our environment.

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