VMWare Some Links Quick Reference

VMWare Educational service

http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrreg/index.cfm

 

VMWare technical Papers

www.vmware.com/vmtn/resources

ESX3.5

Below paper provides good analysis of which Storage protocol to choose from.

storage protocol performance

see VMware knowledge base article 1003469 “Tuning ESX Server 3.5 for Better Storage Performance by Modifying the Maximum I/O Block Size”

Tuning ESX Server 3.5 for Better Storage Performance by Modifying the Maximum I/O Block Size

VMWARE KB’s

Few of the KB’s I recently came across hopefully you would like to keep them as reference for future.

 

1. Setting Maximum Queue Depth for the QLogic qla2×00 Adapter (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1267)
2. Setting the Maximum Outstanding Disk Requests per Virtual Machine (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1268)
3. Adjusting ESX Server Time Zone (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1436)
4. Installing and Configuring NTP on VMware ESX Server (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1339)

Few Fundas about NUMA

NUMA (Non-Uniformed Memory Access) consists of the processor, including the embedded memory controller and the attached DIMMs. Total memory attached to all the processors is divided into 4096 byte segements. In case of Linear Addressing(NUMA), consecutive 4096 are on same nodes, while in case of UMA, consecutive 4096 are on adjacent nodes

In general, a NUMA-aware OS such as MS Windows and a NUMA-aware application such as MS-SQL will benefit from the NUMA organization. NUMA aware application and OS which allocate and de-allocate memory at thread levelwill benefit from NUMA organization, because the allocation and thread will have a tendency to run on the same node.

ESX is also NUMA aware, more information is VMWare KB:1570

For more detailed information

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00180597/c00180597.pdf

VCP and then VMWare Workstation 6

Today I received Workstation 6 code, This I got a Gift for passing VCP and not Workstation 5. Great thing about this is I can Installed on XP Home, and above all I’ve successfully installed win2k3 and it runs as low as 512 MB, flawless performance. Absolutely genius

Below is the procedure for using your using code which you would recieve after passing VCP exam( in 30 days) and downloading Workstation 6 and activating ACE

1.    Go to http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/ .

2.    Click on “Buy Workstation”.

3.    Click on “Quick Buy” for either VMware Workstation 6 (for Windows) or

or VMware Workstation 6 (for Linux Systems).

4.    Log in *using your VMware store account*

(or create one and then log in).

5.    When you get to the “Checkout — Payment” page, enter the

Discount Code that we sent in your earlier email.  Remember to:

a.    Include the hyphens. (-‘s)

b.    Enter zeroes, not letter o’s.

c.    Enter ones, not letter I’s.

d.    Use upper case letters, not lower case letters.

6.    Finish the purchase process.

7.    Wait for an email from VMware that includes your Workstation 6

serial number.

8.    Follow the instructions in that email.  They will include

Instructions to:

a.  Click on a link to register your Workstation 6 serial number.

b.  Click on a second link to download Workstation 6.

9.    Go to the link for ACE:

http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/newstore/wkst_aop_redeem.jsp.

10.   Input your Workstation 6 serial number.

11.   Wait for an email with an ACE Option Pack Promotion Code

and an ACE Client License Key.

12.   Install Workstation 6.

13.   On the Help menu in Workstation 6, choose Enter Serial Number.

14.   In the field labeled Serial Number, enter your

ACE Option Pack Promotion Code. (This action will unlock

ACE authoring capabilities.)

15.   Exit Workstation 6 and then restart Workstation 6.  (The product

title should now display as VMware Workstation ACE Edition.)

16.   Create an ACE you’ll want to use on a second PC. (For example,

the Pocket ACE feature enables you to deploy a virtual

machine to be run from a portable flash media device.)

17.   Copy your ACE to the second PC (or attach your Pocket ACE to

the second PC.)

18.   Power on your ACE.

19.   On the VMware Player menu, choose “Enter ACE Client License”.

(The ACE Client License Key (List Price US $99) is included

free with your ACE Option Pack.)

20.   Enter the ACE Client License Key you received in the last email.

21.   Start using your ACE!

VMWARE KB’s

I came across very good article under VMTN, about CPU Compatibility for VMotion and unsupported method to override CPU Mask. If anyone is looking for VCP information, please don’t refer this, since this is tagges as post_vcp

VMotion CPU Compatibility Requirements for Intel Processors
VMotion CPU Compatibility Requirements for AMD Processors
Migrations with VMotion Prevented Due to CPU Mismatch—How to Override Masks