VMware Fault Tolerance Configuration

In this post i will discuss and configure VMware fault tolerance (FT). FT provides continuous availability for a virtual machine, it means if a virtual machine is running on a physical host and that physical host is suddenly down completely and if a virtual machine is protected by fault tolerance, it will have a shadow virtual machine running on another physical host and that virtual machine has a zero downtime. FT takes VMHA to next level. In HA cluster, if a host is down the virtual machine will have to be restarted on another host. In FT the virtual machines are always running no matter what if a physical host is completely lost. FT uses VMware's lockstep technology.
With VMware FT the primary virtual machine is called "Primary" and the copied/lockstep virtual machine is called "Secondary". The virtual machine disk files remain on shared storage.

Requirements:
1- Minimum of vSphere Enterprise license.
2- CPUs of all servers must match and be from a specific list of processors that FT supports.
3- Minimum of 3 NIC of 1GB are recommended. One for management, one for vMotion and one for FT logging.
4- Shared storage present on each host.
5- VMware High Availability cluster must be enabled.
6- Virtual machine's disk must be of thick eager zero type.

Configuration:
I have already installed ESXi 5.1 on two host and a shared storage is also presented on the host. A virtual machine is created on shared storage. Since Ft requires vMotion and High Availability. I have configured both the features. There are separate posts for both vMotion and VMHA configuration in the blog.

1- I have also setup my network according to VMware FT best practice. I have assigned separate NIC for management, vMotion and FT logging. Perform the same network configuration on each physical host.

2- In order to fulfill Fault Tolerance per-requistics, VMware has a free tool named "Site Survey". The tool is available for download from VMware website. I have downloaded and installed the tool and now is appears as a tab in vSphere client. Select Run SiteSurvey.

 

3- Select Run.

4- The tool will generate a detailed report. Read the report and resolve the issue related to FT. I have resolved all the FT issues.

5- Now select the virtual machine on which the fault tolerance is going to perform. In my lab environment, I have virtual machine named “SRV”. Right click the virtual machine and select "Turn On Fault Tolerance" under Fault Tolerance. 

6-  Select Yes

 

7- Secondary virtual machine has been created on the other host.

8- According to the image primary virtual machine is on ESXi02 host and secondary virtual machine is on ESXi01 host.

9- In order to test Fault tolerance, i am going to down ESXi02 host. Ping the virtual machine for testing as well.

 I have observed only one ping drop. 

Conclusion: 
We have successfully configured VMware Fault tolerance. 
   

Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Installation

In this post we will cover the installation of Microsoft System Center Virtual Manager 2012 SP1 installation. Further we will use VMM for the management of Hyper-V hosts.

Requirements:
1- MS SQL server 2008 R2 or higher
2- Microsoft windows server 2012 or higher
3- Windows remote management
4- Microsoft .Net 4.0  framework
5- Windows assessment and deployment kit

Installation:
We will deploy the VMM on a single server. I have already installed MS SQL server 2008 R2 on windows server 2012. Windows remote management is enabled, microsoft .net 4.0 framework and windows assessment and deployment kit are also installed.
Before starting the installation we need to perform few things in Active Directory.

1- Open ADSI Edit

 

2- Connect to the ADSI Edit

 

3- Right click DC=khi,DC=com and select new and than new object

 

4- Select container and select next

5- Enter VMMDKN as a value and select next

6- Select Finish

 7- Select the properties of newly created container i,e VMMDKN

8- Select the account which we will be use during the VMM installation. I will be using Administrator user account for the VMM installation. Provide full rights to that account, in my case that account is Administrator.

9- Select Advanced option. Edit the user account.

10- Select "This object and all descendant objects" and select OK and close the ADSI Edit.

11- Now insert the SCVMM 2012 media and start the installation. Select the VMM management server and VMM console. Select next

12- Enter the information and select next

13- Agree the license and select next

14- Select next

15- Select next

16- Select next

17- Select next, if all the prerequisites are installed.

18- VMM will create a new database in the SQL server. Select next

19- I am using local system account. Now copy the distinguished name of the VMMDKN in the "store my keys in Active Directory". Select next

20- Select next

21- Select next

22- Select install

23- The installation has been successfully completed

24- Open the VMM console and explore the features.

Conclusion:
 We have successfully deployed microsoft system center virtual machine manager 2012 sp1. Now we will perform the management of Hyper-V hosts from the console. In the coming posts we will cover the VMM new features.

Update Manager Installation and Configuration

VMware update manager is use for updating or applying latest patches to ESXi clustered or standalone hosts, virtual machine hardware version, virtual machine tools and virtual appliance.

Update Manager Installation:
First we need to create a separate database for update manager.

1- Open SQL server management studio and create new database.

 2- Enter the database name and select OK.

3- Create a new user for the database. Under security option create a user.

 

4- Enter the name and configure the further settings. Assign sysadmin rights under server roles option.

 5- Now add the user in the update manager database.

6- Assign db_owner right under owned schema and database role membership.

7- Now create ODBC connection. Update manager requires 32 bit ODBC connection. Location C:\Windows\SysWOW64. Select Add

8- Select finish.

9- Enter the name and server name and select next.

10- Enter the username and password and select next.

11- Select next.

12- Select finish.

13- Insert the vCenter 5.1 DVD and install update manager.

14- Select next.

15- Select next.

16- Accept and select next.

17- Select next.

 

18- Enter the information and select next.

19- Select use and existing supported database and select DSN.

20- Enter username and password and select next.

21- Select next.

 

22- Select next.

 23- Select install.

24- Select finish.

Update Manager Configuration:

1- Open vCenter and go to home option. Under solution and applications open update manager. If update manager is not present than install the update manager plugin. Select update manager.

 

2- Go to configuration tab and configure the download settings according to your requirements. Since i have no connectivity to the internet therefore i will not use direct connection to internet.

3- Now configure download schedule settings according to your requirements.

4- Now configure notification check schedule settings according to your requirements.

5- Configure virtual machine settings according to your requirements.

 6- Configure the ESX host/cluster settings. If you are applying patches to cluster than edit cluter settings.

7- Now go to patch repository option and select import patches. I have already download the patch package from VMware website. 

  8- Browse and select the package. Select next to upload.

9- Select finish.

10- The patches have been uploaded successfully. 

11- Now go to baseline and groups option and create a new baseline. Select create.

12- Give name to baseline and select next.

13- Select next.

14- Select next.

15- If is there any patch to exclude, otherwise select next.

16- If there is any other patch to include, otherwise select next.

17- Select finish.

18- The new baseline has been successfully created.

19- Now go to hosts and clusters and select update manager tab.

20- Select Attach option from the right top and select the baseline. Select attach.

22- The baseline has been attached. Now select scan option.

23- Select scan.

24- Now select Stage option from the bottom.

25- Select the baseline and select next.

26- Select next.

27- Select finish.

28- The stage process has been completed. Now select remediate.

29- Select next.

30- Select next.

 

31- Select next.

32- Select next.

33- Select finish.

34- The update has been successfully applied to the host. For verification, check ESXi host version.

Conclusion: The updates have been successfully applied. Same procedure can be use for updating multiple standalone hosts or clustered hosts.