1. VMware vSphere 5. 5 – Technical Overview
VMware vSphere 5.5 – Technical Overview. What is new in a Vblock™ System?
Q1 2014 1

2. Agenda VMware ESXi Hypervisor 5.5 Overview
How VMware vSphere 5.5 affects Vblock Systems:
Installing core components
Supporting components
Documentation or best practice updates
VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade paths
Upgrading Vblock Systems
Goals
The purpose of this module is to introduce the updates that will be coming to the various Vblock systems with VMware vSphere 5.5.

3. Vmware ESXi 5.5
Hypervisor Update

4. VMware ESXi Hypervisor
Performance And Scalability
Larger Applications (up to 320 Logical CPUs per host and 4096 Guest vCPUs per host, 4 TB memory)
Greater Scalability and Efficiency (>2 TB VMDK files, multiple TCP/IP stacks)
Latest hardware (40 GB L2 NIC 12 GB SAS)
Reliability And Uptime
Reduce VM and host downtime during administration
Support hardware reliability features
Extensibility And Ecosystem Enablement
Reduce time to customize and deploy guest OS
Improved debug tools
VMware vSphere
VMware’s goals for the ESXi 5.5 are:
Improved Performance and Scalability
Support for new applications and hardware as well as an improved user experience
Increased Reliability and uptime
Enabling the VMware Ecosystem of enhancements

5. VMware vSphere 5.5 on Vblock Systems
Installing Standard Components

6. VMware Architecture VMware ESXi 5.5 Hypervisor
VMware vCenter 5.5 Service
VMware vCenter 5.5 Single Sign-on (SSO) Service
VMware vCenter 5.5 Web Client Services
VMware vCenter 5.5 Inventory Service
VMware vCenter 5.5 Update Manager
VMware vCenter 5.5 Core Dump Collector
VMware vCenter 5.5 Syslog Collector*
All VMware vCenter 5.5 components will be installed on the VCE supported management solution
Advance Management Pod(AMP/AMP-2)
Shared Management Platform (SMP)
VMware is made up of a number of different components that are applicable to a Vblock. Please note that as of the release of this module in early Q SMP is not released yet. Please check the latest Release Certification Matrix or VCE Documentation for SMP support.
*Components may or may not be installed due to customer preference

7. Vmware ESXi Hypervisor
The ESXi Hypervisor will be installed on Vblock™ Systems hosts
10 GB or 20 GB FC boot LUN from the array
Similar to vSphere 5.1
ESXi requires 6 GB the remainder is for logs and scratch space as a best practice
ESXi Management VLAN will change to VLAN 105 for AMP-2 installations
ESXi with VMware Enterprise Plus will continue to support
Cisco Nexus 1000v 4.2(1)SV2(2.1) and later
EMC PowerPath Virtual Edition 5.9 (PPVE)
AMP-2 C220 Servers use an SD Card (3GB) to install ESXi binaries
The VMware vSphere 5.5 ESXi hypervisor will be installed on each Vblock™ compute host (server/blade) leveraging the prevailing block-based Boot-from-SAN 10GB or 20GB FC boot LUN, similar to vSphere 5.1. The hypervisor requires approximately 6GB of boot LUN capacity for installation (considered a “remote disk” by the installer). The remaining capacity will be used for persistent storage of ESXi logs as a “scratch” space pursuant to VMware & VCE best-practices. The Cisco Nexus 1000v 4.2 package includes both VSM and VEM.

8. VMware vCenter 5.5 Virtual machine
Installed on Windows Server 2008 R2
4x vCPU (2x Core/2x Physical)
24 GB of RAM
vCenter VM runs
Single Sign-On (SSO)–40 GB F:\
Inventory Services–40 GB E:\
vCenter–40 GB D:\
Web Client–60 GB C:\
CD-ROM–0 GB Z:\
For better scalability, performance, and isolation it is best practice to have each drive in a separate VMDK
New installations with AMP-2 will use default VLAN ID 105
May be overridden by the LCS
VCE has designed a vCenter Server Virtual Machine that installs multiple components for a high-performing vCenter Server environment that can handle workloads of all sizes.

9. VMware vCenter 5.5 Single Sign-On (SSO) Service
Installed in the vCenter Server virtual machine Program binaries installed on 40 GB F:\ drive No longer uses SQL Server
SSO
Lookup Service
RSA SSPI service
SSO Administrative Server
Security Token Service (STS)
The SSO service mode will be installed using Primary Node to provide scalability and/or Multisite configurations.
This service and associated database will reside on VLAN 105 for AMP-2 installations (or LCS equivalent).

10. Vmware vCenter 5.5 Inventory Service
Installed in the vCenter Server virtual machine
Specifications:
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 standard virtual machine
Installed on separate 40 GB E:\ drive for better scalability and performance
Does not require a database to manage
This virtual machine will need to be connected to the vblock_esx_mgmt VLAN, the default VLAN ID is VLAN 105 for AMP-2 installations although that may be overridden by the LCS.

11. VMware vCenter 5.5 Service
vCenter Service installed on the vCenter VM
Installed on drive D:\
New login
Uses ODBC64 with the SQL Server SP1 native client 11
Embedded database will be factory-installed as MS SQL Server 2012; upgrades must be made at customer expense to MS SQL Server 2012
See Notes for Express Config information
database server
distributed services
Active Directory/ NIS Services
VMware vSphere API
user access control
ESXi management
core services
Additional Services:
Update Manager
Orchestrator
The vCenter Service supports the VMware vCenter management application. It is installed on its own virtual machine. A standard Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Virtual Machine will be used. It will need to be connected to the vblock_esx_mgmt VLAN.
Express confg information was provided in Product Management Alert # The following is a highlight:
To obtain this license for VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade, please order the following Express Config (EC):
EC Name Embedded SQL Server 2012
EC Description SQL Server 2012 Licensing specifically for vSphere 5.5 upgrades.
Alternatively, the individual SKU “SFTQ-SS12-00-A01” can also be used to purchase the embedded SQL Server 2012 license required by the VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade.

12. Vmware vCenter 5.5 WEB CLIENT Service
Installed in the vCenter Server virtual machine
Specifications:
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 standard virtual machine
Program binaries installed on the 60 GB C:\ drive
Does not require a database to manage
This virtual machine will need to be connected to the vblock_esx_mgmt VLAN, the default VLAN ID is VLAN 105 for AMP-2 installations although that may be overridden by the LCS.

13. VMware vSphere 5.5 Update Manager VM
Installed on Windows Server 2008 R2
4x vCPU (2x Core/2x Physical)
8 GB of RAM
VMware Update Manager VM roles
VMware Update Manager
Core Dump
Syslog (Option)
Each role is installed on a separate drive
60 GB D:\–Update Manger, Core Dump Collector, Syslog Collector
0 GB Z:\–CD-ROM
For better scalability, performance, and isolation it is best practice to have each drive in a separate VMDK
For Vblock Systems deployed from VMware vSphere 5.5 VMware Update Manager will be installed on a separate Virtual Machine to download the list of available patches from VMware.com.

14. VMware vCenter 5.5 Update Manager Service
Update Manager is installed on the VUM virtual machine
Installed on the D:\ drive
Connectivity to the VUM database uses ODBC32 with the older SQL Server 2008 R2 native client
Embedded database will be factory-installed as MS SQL Server 2012; upgrades must be made at customer expense to MS SQL Server 2012
The VMware Update Manager can be used to keep all the Vblock management components up to date.
This virtual machine will need to be connected to the vblock_esx_mgmt VLAN, the default VLAN ID is VLAN 105 for AMP-2 installations although that may be overridden by the LCS.

15. VMware vCenter 5.5 Core Dump Collector
Enables the VMware ESXi host to send diagnostics data over the network
Installed on the VUM VM
Required service as of vSphere 5.5
Installed on D:\ drive
VMware vCenter 5.5 Core Dump Collector Service will not require any architectural changes from vSphere 5.1 at this time. This service will continue to be installed on a VCE-supported management solution (AMP-2/SMP) within a shared Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Standard Virtual Machine with VMware Update Manager virtual machine with the program binaries installed on the C:\ Drive.

16. Vmware vCenter 5.5 Syslog Collector
Collects all the log files on each VMware ESX into a central location
Installed on the VUM VM
Installed on D:\ drive
Optional service
Typically leveraged in environments without an enterprise syslog solution
VMware vCenter 5.5 Syslog Collector Service will not require any architectural changes from vSphere 5.1 at this time. This service will continue to be installed on a VCE-supported management solution (AMP-2/SMP) within a shared Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Standard Virtual Machine with VMware Update Manager virtual machine with the program binaries installed on the C:\ Drive.
This service is optional based upon customer preference and is typically leveraged in the absence of an enterprise Syslog solution.

17. Vmware Supporting Components
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2
Used as the base OS for VMware services
VCE uses embedded licensing handled in sysprep
Certificate of Authenticity keys handled by VCE
Microsoft SQL 2012 Standard
The database that supports all VMware services
Installed on the VCE supported management solution
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 is the operating system that supports the aforementioned VMware services and Microsoft SQL database services. VCE leverages Microsoft embedded licensing within the management virtual machine templates (sysprep’d), which require Certificate-of-Authenticity (COA sticker-based) installation keys and activation within VCE Manufacturing. This operating system supports the ability to hot-add disk, CPU and Memory in the virtual machine.
Microsoft SQL 2008 w/ SP3 is the database service that supports the aforementioned VMware database-enabled services. VCE leverages Microsoft embedded licensing within the management virtual machine templates (sysprep’d), which require Certificate-of-Authenticity (COA sticker-based) installation keys and activation within VCE Manufacturing. Although VMware supports other Microsoft database versions, such as SQL 2008 R2, there exists a significant licensing costs savings to remain at SQL 2008 SP3.
In the case of vCenter & VUM database service shared virtual machine, this service will continue to be installed on a VCE-supported management solution (AMP/L-AMP/LMI/SMI) within a Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Standard Virtual Machine with the system & program binaries installed on a 40 GB C:\ drive, SQLSysDB (SQL install) on a 40 GB D:\ Drive, SQLUserDB on a 40 GB E:\ Drive, SQLTransLogs on a 40 GB F:\ Drive, SQLTempDB on 40 GB G:\ Drive and SQLBackupDump on a 100 GB I:\ Drive. The CD-ROM is assigned to Z:\ Drive.

18. VMware vSphere 5.5 Replication
Copies management virtual machines to another server
vSphere 5.5 Replication only supported on AMP-2
vSphere replication consists of:
An agent that is a part of the core vSphere 5.5 package on each host
Agent is responsible for both tracking and sending changed data from a running virtual machine
A set of virtual appliances that are deployed from the management interface
Remote appliance receives the replication and applies it to the offline disk files for the virtual machine
vSphere Replication protects the virtual machine on an ongoing basis. It replicates to the copy only the changes that are made to the virtual machine. This ensures that the virtual machine remains protected and is available for recovery directly from the vSphere Web Client without requiring use of an external tool.

19. Cisco Nexus 1000v
The Cisco Nexus 1000v is the Distributed Virtual Switch for the Vblock Systems
It is installed in two locations
In the management solution (VSM) in a Cisco supplied virtual machine
In the individual hypervisors (VEM)
It requires VMware vSphere Enterprise Plus Edition
The Cisco Nexus 1000v provides a distributed virtual switch for a virtualized environment that is controlled by the well know Cisco command set.

20. VMware vSphere 5.5 Multi-pathing
For vSphere 5.5 Enterprise-Plus Edition, PowerPath VE is used
Installed in hypervisors
Requires a license server, typically on ESRS virtual machine
VCE does not use the native multi-pathing
The EMC PowerPath VE storage multi-pathing plug-in is installed within the hypervisor layer and its licensing component within the VCE-supported management solution, typically on the ESRS virtual machine.
VCE does not use the native multi-pathing.

21. Vblock Systems Management Infrastructure
vSphere 5.5 supported on Vblock Systems Management Infrastructure
Shared Management Platform (SMP)
Advanced Management Pod (AMP) for Vblock Systems management
(AMP-2P and AMP-2RP for Vblock System 340)
Provides robust and scalable solution
Enables Vblock Systems management capabilities
Delivers prescriptive solutions on how to address customer management workload requirements
VCE Vblock System Management Infrastructure starts with the Advanced Management Pod (AMP/AMP-2) to provide a robust and scalable solution to enable Vblock Systems management capabilities.

22. Network VLAN Defaults vblock_mgmt 101 vblock_esx_mgmt 105
VLAN Name
Default VLAN ID
vblock_mgmt
101
vblock_esx_mgmt
105
vblock_esx_vmotion
106
vblock_esx_FT
107
vblock_esx_iscsi
108
vblock_esx_nfs
109
vblock_esx_build
110
vblock_brs_data
113
vblock_n1k__L3control
116
VLAN Name
Default VLAN ID
vblock_replication
117
vblock_nfs_external
119
vblock_core_mgmt
151
vblock_smi_mgmt
152
vblock_cifs_external
209
customer_data
300
customer_mgmt
400
FCOE_Fabric_A
1500
FCOE_Fabric_B
1501
Reports from Delivery teams state there are two port groups for the vblock_esx_mgmt VLAN. Vmkernel port group “vblock_esx_mgmt” on vSwitch0 and virtual machine port group “vblock_esx_mgmt” on the Nexus 1000v.
There is a new replication vlan 117 for AMP-2 physical deployments for the VMware vSphere Replication service used to replicate AMP-2 VMs to its recovery host.

23. VMware vSphere 5.5
Documentation and Tool Changes

24. VMware vSphere 5.5 Installation Procedures
Includes detailed steps to configure VMware Virtualization Infrastructure
Internal VCE Manufacturing
Vblock Systems Logical Build Guides (LBG)
Customer Installations
VMware 5.5 Upgrade Guide
All LBGs will be updated to include VMware vSphere 5.5 for all Vblock Systems. Complete LBG will be available at platform GA.

25. Other Documentation
VMware vSphere 5.5 is installed at the factory or installed as an upgrade
VCE documentation will be updated to include VMware 5.5 specifics
VCE Vblock Systems Administration Guides
VCE Vblock Systems Architecture Guides
VCE Logical Configuration Site-Survey (LCS)
VCE Vblock System VMware vSphere 5.5 Upgrade Guide will be published at the GA date.

26. VCE™ ACT Tool The ACT Tool has been updated to include:
Microsoft SQL 2012 standard license
ServiceNow ticket submissions
User stories
User acceptance testing
To facilitate order-ability, various ACT updates for ServiceNow ticket submission, User Stories, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and the inclusion of an additional Microsoft SQL 2012 Standard license for the vCenter/VUM database service will be performed. Parent product and support SKUs remain the same with the addition of VMware vSphere 5.5.

27. VMware vSphere 5.5
Upgrading VMware vSphere 5.5

28. VMware vSphere 5.5 Upgrade Considerations
Vblock System environments that want to upgrade to VMware vSphere must upgrade to the Enterprise Plus Edition
Upgrading to VMware vSphere 5.5 is a great time to re-visit the architecture
For sprawling VMware vSphere 5.1 architectures with different vCenter components on different VMs it is worth considering a fresh install and not an upgrade
Install all components on a single VM
Nexus 1000V and PowerPath/VE require VMware Enterprise Plus Edition
vCenter Server
5.1
Web Client
vCenter Server 5.5
SSO Service
Inventory Service
VCE is currently authorized to sell Enterprise-Plus. The Standard, Essentials and Essentials Plus editions will not be offered with VMware vSphere 5.5. Careful planning and consideration should be made when upgrading from an non-Enterprise Plus edition to an Enterprise Plus edition with regard to Cisco Nexus 1000V and EMC PowerPath VE, which will not be present in lower editions.
The upgrade can be from VMware vSphere 5.0 to VMware vSphere 5.5 or VMware vSphere 5.1 to VMware vSphere 5.5.

29. VMware vSphere 5.5
Licensing

30. VMware vSphere Licensing
New licensing in with VMware vSphere 5.5
Vblock Systems will require VMware vSphere 5.5 Enterprise-Plus
Packaged Vblock Systems Family (Vblock System 100 and Vblock System 200)
Modular Vblock Systems Family (Vblock System 320/340 and Vblock System 720)
*No other VMware editions will be offered
As mentioned earlier, VCE will only support Enterprise-Plus. No other VMware vSphere 5.5 editions will be offered.

31. VMware vSphere 5.5 on Vblock Systems
Summary

32. Architecture Overview
VMware vSphere 5.5 applicable to Vblock Systems:
VMware ESXi 5.5 Hypervisor
Newly Bundled vCenter 5.5
VMware vCenter 5.5 Service
VMware vCenter 5.5 Single Sign-on (SSO) Service without database
VMware vCenter 5.5 Web Client Services
VMware vCenter 5.5 Inventory Service
VMware vCenter 5.5 Update Manager
VMware vCenter 5.5 Core Dump Collector
VMware vCenter 5.5 Syslog Collector *
* Customer preference
Additional components or solutions required to support VMware vSphere 5.5:
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 w/ SP1
Microsoft SQL 2012 Server
VCE Vblock Systems Advanced Management Pod 2 (Vblock 340)
VCE Vblock Systems Advanced Management Pod (Vblock 320 and Vblock 720)
3rd-Party components which may or may not be installed on Vblock Systems
Cisco Nexus 1000V
EMC PowerPath VE
See above for some of the highlights of what is available with VMware vSphere 5.5 on Vblock Systems, what additional components are required to support VMware Sphere 5.5, and some of the components that may or may not be installed on Vblock Systems.

33. Summary
There are new considerations for deploying VMware vSphere 5.5 on Vblock Systems that affect:
Core component installation
Vblock Systems infrastructure software packages
VCE documentation and deployment best practices
VMware vSphere 5.5 upgrade paths
VMware vSphere 5.5 on Vblock Systems will require the Enterprise-Plus Edition only!
Take a look at some of the considerations that need to be taken into account for deploying VMware vSphere And as a final reminder, remember that VCE will only support the Enterprise-Plus edition of VMware vSphere 5.5.

34. Thank you for taking the time to learn about the VMware vSphere 5
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the VMware vSphere 5.5 technical updates for Vblock Systems.