Download - Virtualization Tips
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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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Additional Resources• VMware Workstation Benchmarking
Guidelines– http://www.vmware.com/pdf/WS55_Benchmar
king_Guidelines.pdf
• Virtual PC Guy’s Weblog– http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/
tags/Virtual+PC+_2F00_+Server+Tips+_2700_n_2700_+Tricks/default.aspx
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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