Tech X Virtualization Tips

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Virtualization Tips and Techniques Michael Otey Technical Director Windows IT Pro Magazine

Transcript of Tech X Virtualization Tips

Page 1: Tech X Virtualization Tips

Virtualization Tips and Techniques

Michael Otey

Technical Director

Windows IT Pro Magazine

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What this session covers• General Performance Tips

• Virtual PC Tips

• VMware Workstation Tips

• Microsoft Virtual Server Tips

• ESX Server Tips

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General Performance Tips

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Server and Desktop Performance• Add RAM to the host

– RAM is the #1 limiting factor– Reserve 512 MB for the host– RAM per guest + 32MB

• Add CPUs– One thread per VM– Multiple threads can be spread across CPUs

• Use a fast disk subsystem– 7200 RPM, 10,000 better, 15,000 better– Multiple drives enable separation of host OS and VHDs– SAN for server consolidation

• Multipath I/O

• Add NICs– Spreads network traffic across NICs

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Laptop Hardware Performance• Add RAM

– Up to the max – look for laptops supporting 4MB

• Hard drive considerations– Fastest possible

• Not 4500• 5400rpm, 7200rpm better

– Multiple spindles• Separate host OS and VHDs

• One to two active VMs at the most

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VM Memory Performance Tips• Reserve adequate RAM for the host

– 512 MB• Reserve adequate RAM for guests

– 256 is the minimum• Exclude VMs from AV scanning• Run VMs in full screen mode

– Slight better performance in VMware – Noticeably better for VPC

• Disable Windows Paging of Executive Components– HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \

Session Manager \ Memory Management \ DisablePagingExecutive – Change from 0 to 1

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VM Disk Performance• Make sure the host maintains at least 20GB of

free space• Create VHDs on a different disk than the host

OS• Use virtual SCSI hard disks

– 20% faster than virtual IDE• For better performance use fixed sized virtual

hard disks– No expansion

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VM Performance Tips• Install Virtual Machine Additions /

VMware Tools– Enables moving more of the guest OS into the

kernel– Host drag-and-drop (Desktop products)– Host time synchronization– Higher performance drivers

• SVGA, Mouse

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VM Disk Defragmentation• Multi-level Defragmentation

– Guest• Contained in VHD• Stores guest OS and file system• Regular maintenance• Third party defragmentation tools provide better results

– Raxco, Diskeeper, Winternals• Make sure multiple guest don’t schedule this for the same time

– VM• Compacts VHD – reclaims unused space• Guest must be powered of• VMWare

– VM Settings > Tools > Defragment• VPC

– VPC SP1 – Virtual Disk Precompacter– Connect Virtual Disk Precompactor.iso

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual Machine Additions\ – Run Precompact

– Host• Stores all VM VHDs• Regular maintenance• Third party defragmentation tools provide better results

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Windows Guest OS Performance• Maximize hardware acceleration

– Desktop Properties (Right-click Desktop, choose properties) – Settings > Advanced > Troubleshoot– Hardware Acceleration to Full

• Turn off visual effects– Desktop Properties (Right-click Desktop, choose properties)– Appearance > Effects– Disable Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips– Disable Show window contents when dragging– Disable Show Shadows under menus

• Set menu delay– My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop– MenuShowDelay 400

• Disable unnecessary pointer options– Mouse Control Panel– Disable Pointer trails, Shadow cursors

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Don’t Virtualize Everything• Not all hardware implementation are good

candidates for virtualization– USB Devices

• Not all workloads are good candidates for virtualization– Heavy disk I/O– Low latencies are always needed

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Microsoft Virtual PC 2004

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Differencing Disks• Shared base VHD

image• Saves disk space• Do not change the

parent (read–only)

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VPC VM Files• .vhd – Virtual hard disk & Differencing disk

• .vmc – VM configuration file

• .vud – Undi disk

• .vsv - Save state file

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Differencing Disks• File > Virtual Hard

Disk Wizard• Create a new virtual

disk > Virtual Hard Disk

• Select the location• Select Differencing

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Cloning VMs• Copy VM files directly

– Edit the .vmc revove MAC address– Duplicate server name and SID

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Cloning VMs• Sysprep -\XP\SupportTools

Deploy.cab • Create a new VM and install

Windows• Run setupmgr.exe

– Answer wizard settings (automate installation, generate system name, administrative password, network settings)

– Creates sysprep.inf• Run sysprep.exe

– Select Reseal– Generate SIDs

• Remove original .VM• Copy VHD• Add new VM selecting VHD

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Virtual PC 2007• Currently in beta

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

• Will remain free• 32-bit only

– Can run on 64-bit as a 32-bit application

• Supports Intel-VT and AMD-V• Support for Vista and the AERO UI• Virtual PC Express

– Vista Enterprise, Vista Ultimate– Supports a single VM

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VMware Workstation 5.0

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VMware Workstation Files• .vmdk - Virtual Hard Disk• .vmx – VM configuration files• .vmx.bak - Backup configuration file• .vmsd – Snapshot metadata• .vmsn – Snapshot state file• .vmss – Suspended state file• .nram – Store the VM state• .log - Records VM activity• .vmtm – VM team configuration file

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Cloning a VM• VM > Clone…

– Must be powered off

• Select VM state– Current or snapshot

• Select Clone type– Linked or full

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Creating a Clone Template

• VM > Settings > Options > Advanced

• Accessed by users with VM write permissions

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Creating a VM Team• Teams can span Linux,

UNIX and Windows• Defines VM realtionships

– VM start together, optional delay

– Private LAN connections

• Home > New Team– Team Name, location– Add VMs

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Linux and Windows File Sharing• Create a Linux VM

• Use SAMBA to access the Windows files system– Part of most distributions (www.samba.org)

• Windows System Message Block (SMB) protocol – Firewall ports

• 137,138, 139, 445

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Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2

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VS2005 Files• vhd – Virtual hard

disk & Differencing disk

• .vmc – VM configuration file

• .vud – Undo disk• .vsv - Save state file

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Accessing Virtual Server 2005• Web URL

http://localhost:1024/VirtualServer/VSWebApp.exe?view=1

• Firewall– Port 1024 Administrative Interface– Port 5900 VM Remote Control

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Setting up a VM Cluster• Windows Server 2003 EE• 2-Node Cluster Only• VMs must be on single host or use iSCSI• VMs must use SCSI virtual disks• Virtual disk must be fixed

– Undo feature must be disabled

• Two virtual NICs– Heartbeat– public

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AutoStart Virtual Machines• Edit Configuration

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Automatically Shutdown Guest OS

• Edit Configuration– General Properties

• Action when server stops

• Shut down guest OS

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Script to Backup VMs

Option ExplicitOn Error Resume Next

Dim objFSO, objVirtualServer, objVM, objSaveTask, objVHD'Connect to file system object.set objFSO=CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") 'Connect to Virtual Server.set objVirtualServer = CreateObject("VirtualServer.Application")'Get virtual machine from command-line parameter.set objVM = objVirtualServer.FindVirtualMachine(WScript.Arguments(0))

'Save state of the virtual machine.set objSaveTask = objVM.Save

'Loop waiting for task completionwhile not objSaveTask.isComplete WScript.Sleep 1000wend

• Saves state and backs up:– virtual hard disks, undo disks, state, config

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Script to Backup VMs'Copy virtual hard disks and undo disks.for each objVHD in objVM.HardDiskConnections If objFSO.FileExists(objVHD.HardDisk.file) Then 'Wscript.Echo objVHD.HardDisk.file & " " & WScript.Arguments(1) objFSO.CopyFile objVHD.HardDisk.file, WScript.Arguments(1) End If If objFSO.FileExists(objVHD.undoHardDisk.file) Then 'Wscript.Echo objVHD.undoHardDisk.file & " " & WScript.Arguments(1) objFSO.CopyFile objVHD.undoHardDisk.file, WScript.Arguments(1) End IfNext

'Copy .vmc and .vsv files.objFSO.CopyFile objVM.File, WScript.Arguments(1)objFSO.CopyFile objVM.SavedStateFilePath, WScript.Arguments(1)

'Start the virtual machine.objVM.Startup

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VM Resource Allocation

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VS2005 Hardware Virtualization• Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 beta2• Processor must support virtualization• Enable Virtualization in the BIOS• Enable Virtualization in the VM

– General Properties

• Verify in Perfmon– Virtual Processors Object– HVM-VP counter = 1

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VMware Virtual Server 1.01

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VM Files• C:\Virtual Machines\<VM Name>• .vmdk - Virtual Hard Disk• .vmx – VM configuration files• .vmx.bak - Backup configuration file• .vmsd – Snapshot metadata• .vmsn – Snapshot state file• .vmss – Suspended state file• .nram – Store the VM state• .log - Records VM activity• .vmtm – VM team configuration file

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Accessing Virtual Server• Web URL

http://localhost:8333/vmware/en

• Firewall– Management Interface

• Port 8333 (8222 if SSL is disabled)

– Virtual Server Console• Port 902

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Auto Start and Shutdown VMs• Right Click VM >

Settings• Options

– Startup/Shutdown

• Must specify user account or Local System

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Install Guest OS from ISO• Fast diskless install• Right click VM• Settings• CD-ROM• Use ISO• Start VM

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Silent Install for VM Tools• Connect CD to windows.iso

– %Program Files%\VMware\VMware GSX Server

– msiexec -i "D:\VMware Tools.msi" ADDLOCAL=ALL /qn

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Configuring Virtual SMP Support• New Virtual Machine

wizard• Custom• Select Guest (guest must

have SMP capabilities)• Name the VM• Set Access Rights• Startup/Shutdown options• Processor options

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Migrating Virtual Machines

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Migrating Physical Machines• Microsoft Virtual Server Migration Toolkit

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/evaluation/vsmt.mspx – Requires ADS (Automated Deployment Services– P2V no V2P Migration

• VMware Importer– Built-in to Workstation and Server– P2V no V2P – Imports VPC and VS2005 imageshttp://www.vmware.com/download/vmimporter/

• VMware Converter (beta)– P2V & V2P– Two way conversion

• Microsoft, Symantec BackpP Exec, Norton Ghost, VMware– Sector based– X86 and x64 supporthttp://www.vmware.com/products/beta/converter/

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Other Migration Strategies• PlateSpin

– Mass migrations– Standalone Mmigration server– Oriented towared

• DIY Migration– Backup and Restore

• NTBackup• Ghost

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Application Virtualization

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Altris• Automatically Start

Application Layers– File > Start Layer

Automatically

• Reset Layer– File > Reset Layer

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Application Virtualization• Don’t use this for AntiVirus or AntiSpyware

– Not intend for any product that uses a file system driver

• Don’t attempt to use this for VM products– This actually can work but its backward

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VM Best Practises• Build your VMs seprate from the host OS

• Size you VHDs big enough

• Used fixed VHds for better performance

• Don’t put VMs on encrypted or compressed drives

• Eliminate VMs from host AV scanning

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Virtualization in Vista• Virtual PC 2007 Express

• Vista Enterprise Edition

• Vista Ultimate Edition

• One Active Instance

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Virtual Server 2005 on Vista• Must run IE as Administrator

• Out-of-box link fails

• Create desktop shortcut"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

"http://localhost/VirtualServer/vswebapp.exe?view=1" 

– Run As Administrator

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VM Management Products• VMware

– VMware Infrastructure 3• ESX Server• VirtualCenter, VMotion

– http://www.vmware.com/products/vi/– Does not need AD

• Microsoft– System Center Virtual Machine Manager– http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/scvmm/default.mspx– Requires Active Directory

• Security– Based on PowerShell

• Scriptable

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Cool Free Tools• VirtuaIQ 525

– 5 CPUs or 25 VMs– Web based– http://www.toutvirtual.com/solutions/viq_525.php

• Virtual Floppy Drive– http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/vfd.html

• Flexomizer Defrag– http://www.flexomizer.com/PermaLink,guid,ce99367e-158c-

487a-879d-b32145cc1957.aspx

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VM Products• PlateSpin – PV2 & V2P

– www.platespin.com

• Leostream – P2V, Disk Synchronization– www.leatstream.com

• Acronis True Image– www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/choose-trueimage

• Microsoftr iSCSI Software iniator– http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=12c

b3c1a-15d6-4585-b385-befd1319f825&DisplayLang=en

• Microsoft Virtual Machine Additions for Vista– http://connect.microsoft.com

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Windows IT Pro Articles• Troubleshooter: Deciding Whether to Use a Virtual Machine with Exchange

– InstantDoc 26205• Reader’s Choice Virtualization Software

– InstantDoc 47336• Back up a virtual instance running in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005

– InstantDoc 49656• What you need to know about the virtualization formats

– InstantDoc 92862• Running SQL Server in a VM

– InstantDoc 46018• Virtual Server 2005 Cluster Setup Kit

– InstantDoc 45901• VMware Clsutering Recipe

– InstantDoc 37599

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Windows IT Pro Product Reviews• VMware Workstation 4.5

– InstantDoc 42271• VMware GSX Server 2.5

– InstantDoc 39182• VMware VirtualCenter 1.1

– InstantDoc 44976• VMware ESX Server 2.0

– InstantDoc 48409• Virtual Server Face Off

– InstantDoc 45253

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Thank You!

Michael Otey

[email protected]