Mastering VMware vSphere 6

Mastering VMware vSphere 6

by Nick Marshall, Scott Lowe, Grant Orchard, Josh Atwell
Released April 2015
Publisher(s): Sybex
ISBN: 9781118925157

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Book description

Master your virtual environment with the ultimate vSphere guide

Mastering VMware vSphere 6 is the fully updated edition of the bestselling guide to VMware's virtualization solution. With comprehensive coverage of this industry-leading toolset, this book acts as an informative guide and valuable reference. Step-by-step instruction walks you through installation, configuration, operation, security processes, and much more as you conquer the management and automation of your virtual environment. Written by certified VMware vExperts, this indispensable guide provides hands-on instruction and detailed conceptual explanations, anchored by practical applications and real-world examples.

This book is the ultimate guide to vSphere, helping administrators master their virtual environment. Learn to:

  • Install, configure, and manage the vCenter Server components

  • Leverage the Support Tools to provide maintenance and updates

  • Create and configure virtual networks, storage devices, and virtual machines

  • Implement the latest features to ensure compatibility and flexibility

  • Manage resource allocation and utilization to meet application needs

  • Monitor infrastructure performance and availability

  • Automate and orchestrate routine administrative tasks

    • Mastering VMware vSphere 6 is what you need to stay up-to-date on VMware's industry-leading software for the virtualized datacenter.

    Table of contents

    1. Foreword
    2. Introduction
      1. What Is Covered in This Book
      2. The Mastering Series
      3. The Hardware behind the Book
      4. Who Should Buy This Book
      5. How to Contact the Author
    3. Chapter 1: Introducing VMware vSphere 6
      1. Exploring VMware vSphere 6.0
      2. Why Choose vSphere?
      3. The Bottom Line
    4. Chapter 2: Planning and Installing VMware ESXi
      1. Planning a VMware vSphere Deployment
      2. Deploying VMware ESXi
      3. Performing Postinstallation Configuration
      4. The Bottom Line
    5. Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring vCenter Server
      1. Introducing vCenter Server
      2. Choosing the Version of vCenter Server
      3. Planning and Designing a vCenter Server Deployment
      4. Installing vCenter Server and Its Components
      5. Installing vCenter Server in a Linked Mode Group
      6. Deploying the vCenter Server Virtual Appliance
      7. Exploring vCenter Server
      8. Creating and Managing a vCenter Server Inventory
      9. Exploring vCenter Server’s Management Features
      10. Managing vCenter Server Settings
      11. vSphere Web Client Administration
      12. The Bottom Line
    6. Chapter 4: vSphere Update Manager and the vCenter Support Tools
      1. vSphere Update Manager
      2. Installing vSphere Update Manager
      3. Configuring vSphere Update Manager
      4. Creating Baselines
      5. Routine Updates
      6. Upgrading Hosts with vSphere Update Manager
      7. Performing an Orchestrated Upgrade
      8. Investigating Alternative Update Options
      9. vCenter Support Tools
      10. The Bottom Line
    7. Chapter 5: Creating and Configuring Virtual Networks
      1. Putting Together a Virtual Network
      2. Working with vSphere Standard Switches
      3. Working with vSphere Distributed Switches
      4. Examining Third-Party Distributed Virtual Switches
      5. Configuring Virtual Switch Security
      6. Looking Ahead
      7. The Bottom Line
    8. Chapter 6: Creating and Configuring Storage Devices
      1. Reviewing the Importance of Storage Design
      2. Examining Shared Storage Fundamentals
      3. Implementing vSphere Storage Fundamentals
      4. Leveraging SAN and NAS Best Practices
      5. The Bottom Line
    9. Chapter 7: Ensuring High Availability and Business Continuity
      1. Understanding the Layers of High Availability
      2. Clustering VMs
      3. Implementing vSphere High Availability
      4. Introducing vSphere SMP Fault Tolerance
      5. Planning for Business Continuity
      6. The Bottom Line
    10. Chapter 8: Securing VMware vSphere
      1. Overview of vSphere Security
      2. Securing ESXi Hosts
      3. Securing vCenter Server
      4. Securing Virtual Machines
      5. The Bottom Line
    11. Chapter 9: Creating and Managing Virtual Machines
      1. Understanding Virtual Machines
      2. Creating a Virtual Machine
      3. Installing a Guest Operating System
      4. Installing VMware Tools
      5. Managing Virtual Machines
      6. Modifying Virtual Machines
      7. The Bottom Line
    12. Chapter 10: Using Templates and vApps
      1. Cloning vMs
      2. Creating Templates and Deploying Virtual Machines
      3. Using OVF Templates
      4. Using Content Libraries
      5. Working with vApps
      6. Importing Machines from Other Environments
      7. The Bottom Line
    13. Chapter 11: Managing Resource Allocation
      1. Reviewing Virtual Machine Resource Allocation
      2. Working with Virtual Machine Memory
      3. Managing Virtual Machine CPU Utilization
      4. Using Resource Pools
      5. Regulating Network I/O Utilization
      6. Controlling Storage I/O Utilization
      7. The Bottom Line
    14. Chapter 12: Balancing Resource Utilization
      1. Comparing Utilization with Allocation
      2. Exploring vMotion
      3. Ensuring vMotion Compatibility
      4. Using Storage vMotion
      5. Combining vMotion with Storage vMotion
      6. Introducing Cross vCenter vMotion
      7. Exploring vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler
      8. Working with Storage DRS
      9. The Bottom Line
    15. Chapter 13: Monitoring VMware vSphere Performance
      1. Overview of Performance Monitoring
      2. Using Alarms
      3. Working with Performance Charts
      4. Working with resxtop
      5. Monitoring CPU Usage
      6. Monitoring Memory Usage
      7. Monitoring Network Usage
      8. Monitoring Disk Usage
      9. The Bottom Line
    16. Chapter 14: Automating VMware vSphere
      1. Why Use Automation?
      2. vSphere Automation Options
      3. Automating with PowerCLI
      4. Using vCLI from vSphere Management Assistant
      5. Using vSphere Management Assistant for Automation with vCenter
      6. ESXCLI and PowerCLI
      7. Leveraging the Perl Toolkit with vSphere Management Assistant
      8. Automating with vRealize Orchestrator
      9. The Bottom Line
    17. Appendix: The Bottom Line
      1. Chapter 1: Introducing VMware vSphere 6
      2. Chapter 2: Planning and Installing VMware ESXi
      3. Chapter 3: Installing and Configuring vCenter Server
      4. Chapter 4: vSphere Update Manager and the vCenter Support Tools
      5. Chapter 5: Creating and Configuring Virtual Networks
      6. Chapter 6: Creating and Configuring Storage Devices
      7. Chapter 7: Ensuring High Availability and Business Continuity
      8. Chapter 8: Securing VMware vSphere
      9. Chapter 9: Creating and Managing Virtual Machines
      10. Chapter 10: Using Templates and vApps
      11. Chapter 11: Managing Resource Allocation
      12. Chapter 12: Balancing Resource Utilization
      13. Chapter 13: Monitoring VMware vSphere Performance
      14. Chapter 14: Automating VMware vSphere
    18. EULA

    Product information

    • Title: Mastering VMware vSphere 6
    • Author(s): Nick Marshall, Scott Lowe, Grant Orchard, Josh Atwell
    • Release date: April 2015
    • Publisher(s): Sybex
    • ISBN: 9781118925157