ESXi

ESXi5 is the latest version of VMware’s virtualization hypervisor, which enables multiple virtual machines to run simultaneously on a single physical host, and is free to download and use. In this article Tom Finnis describes the new features in this version and discusses how you might benefit from installing it, whilst covering the basics like hardware requirements and the installation procedure.

vSphere based backup solutions such as VMware Data Recovery and Veeam Backup and Replication v5 rely on vSphere’s snapshot technology to backup live VMs, which excludes Fault Tolerant VMs as they do not allow snapshots. In this article, Tom Finnis explains how to use custom scripts to work around these restrictions and enable regular scheduled backups of Fault Tolerance protected Virtual Machines.

Ever needed to manage an ESXi server when a vSphere Client isn’t available or refuses to connect to it? VMware specialist Tom Finnis explains the various options available to you from the ESXi console, including several unofficial commands that will let you control your virtual machines directly.

In this article VMware expert Tom Finnis continues his evaluation of vSphere4 with a look at the new Data Recovery feature. This adds a comprehensive disaster recovery solution to the vSphere suite, providing full and incremental Virtual Machine backups all managed via a vCenter plugin. Read on to learn more….

Tom Finnis explains how to configure the Data Recovery appliance, schedule backups and restore a virtual machine from a backup. Also covered are advanced features such as VSS integrated file level backups and data de-duplication.

Whether you’re planning on virtualizing the majority of your existing servers or just using it as part of your infrastructure, vSphere4 represents a major investment for most SME IT managers. This article is aimed at helping you plan for implementing your own vSphere4 Infrastructure, from meeting system requirements to choosing appropriate licensing options, and all options in between.

ESXi 4.0 is the latest version of VMware’s industry leading hypervisor; allowing multiple virtual machines to be run on a single physical host. Amazingly its available completely free of charge, so in this step by step guide Tom Finnis will show you how to set up your own ESXi4 server.

Following on from his previous article on deploying ESxi4, Tom Finnis now shows you how to use the vSphere Client to complete the configuration of your new ESXi4 host server and then deploy your first Virtual Machine.

VMware ESXi 4.0 provides enhanced support for installing in “embedded” mode, so the host server does not need any physical disks installed. For vSphere Infrastructures utilizing SAN storage this allows diskless operation, reducing hardware costs and improving boot times. In this article Tom Finnis demonstrates how to do this with Hewlett Packard’s new G6 series servers using their built-in SD card slot.