VMware VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4

[RParker]

VMware VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4 Release Notes

VMware Infrastructure Management Installer | 23 February 2009 (Localized version)

VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 4 | 23 February 2009 | Build 147704

Virtual Infrastructure Client | 23 February 2009 | Build 147694

VMware Infrastructure Management Installer | 23 February 2009 (English only version)

VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 4 | 23 February 2009 | Build 147633

Virtual Infrastructure Client | 23 February 2009 | Build 147633

What's New

Guest Operating System Customization Improvements - VirtualCenter now supports customization of Windows Server 2008 guest operating systems.

Performance Overview Charts - VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4 introduces the Performance Overview plug-in, which provides a single view of key performance metrics for CPU, memory, disk, and network without having to navigate through multiple charts. The aggregated charts show high-level summaries of resource distribution.

To install the Performance Overview plug-in, see Installing the Performance Overview Plug-In in VirtualCenter 2.5 Update4 (KB 1008296)

[jayolsen]

What's New

Guest Operating System Customization Improvements - VirtualCenter now supports customization of Windows Server 2008 guest operating systems.

WooHoo!

[Troy_Clavell]

To install the Performance Overview plug-in, see Installing the Performance Overview Plug-In in VirtualCenter 2.5 Update4 (KB 1008296)

Have you done the install of this? If so, was it successful?

[RParker]

Have you done the install of this? If so, was it successful?

You know me, the guinnea pig. I like being first to install, I will let you know as soon as I finish the d/l and install it. I need this update, we just started deploying Windows 2008 for customers...

[Troy_Clavell]

I installed U4 this morning at 7am on our test environment, everything went good except for the Performance Plugin. Haven't had success with that as of yet.

[RParker]

I installed U4 this morning at 7am on our test environment

TEST! ha! Our 'test' environment is called 'users' Oh it didn't work, oh, ok well let me see....

everything went good except for the Performance Plugin.

Is there a new vmware perfmon service that wasn't started maybe..just guessing.. I will have to check it out. Is the performance better, and have you tried Windows 2008 config yet?

[steve31783]

Upgraded our test instance from U3 to U4 this afternoon without issue... havent tried installing the performance plugin yet, will do that later in the week.

[Froste]

Vmware Knowledgebase Article #1008296

Prior to installing the Performance Overview plug-in:

1. Copy the VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4 build to the VirtualCenter Server system.

2. If you are upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5 Update4, stop the VMware Infrastructure Web Access service before upgrading the VirtualCenter.

3. Install or ugrade to VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4 and start the VMware Infrastructure Web Access service.

4. Dowload , and install JDK 1.6.

5. Configure the environment variables:

1. Right-click My Computer and click Properties.

2. In the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.

3. In the System variable list, select Path and click Edit.

4. In Variable value, enter C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_11\bin\
   If an older version of JRE is present, run the following command in the command window:
   set path=C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_11\bin\;%path%

5. In the System variable list, select JAVA_HOME and click Edit.
   If JAVA_HOME does not exist, click New and in the Variable name, enter JAVA_HOME.

6. In Variable value, enter C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_11\bin\

7. Log out and log back in to the VirtualCenter Server.

To install the Performance Overview plug-in:

1. In the command window of VirtualCenter Server system, go to the vpx/perfCharts folder, the location where the Performance Overview plug-in is available.
   If you are using the ZIP file, go to the bin\perfCharts folder.

2. Run install.bat <VirtualCenter_Username> <VirtualCenter_Password>

Note:

• If the VirtualCenter Server is using the Oracle database, see Performance Overview Plug-In Requirements When VirtualCenter Is Using the Oracle Database (KB 1008328).

• If the VirtualCenter Server is using the SQL Express Bundled database, see Performance Overview Plug-In Requirements When VirtualCenter Is Using the SQL Express Bundled Databa... (KB 1008329).

• If you did not stop the VMware Web Access service before upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4, see Performance Overview Charts Might Fail to Display if VirtualCenter Is Upgraded Without Stopping the ... (KB 1008330).

[mcowger]

We are upgraded as well.

Wont install the perf plugin even though I'd like to, as we dont run that kind of stuff on our VC server

--Matt

[joshp]

Upgrade to U4 this morning in Production and everything (including Performance Overview) plugin work great. We upgraded so quickly due to a bug that was in U1/2/3 in regards to gaps in performance data on vC. Performance Overview plugin is pretty nice heads up view--but would like a print feature.

[Rubeck]

I've updated our U3 test lab also... no luck on the plug-in here either.... Seems so messy...... and funny

"2. If you are upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5 Update4, stop the VMware

Infrastructure Web Access service before upgrading the VirtualCenter"

Gee, thanks.... I've already updated but just now need the plug-in...

/Rubeck

[joshp]

Try this link:

[Rubeck]

I've seen it already.. thanks anyway.. Glad I have a test env...

I just dont want to do a workaround like this on a production system just to get a plug-in enabled.. Maybe it's just me..

/Rubeck

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Moved to vCenter Server forum.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs -- Top Virtualization Security Links -- Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast

[mvarre]

the doucmented workaround for the perfmon install worked just fine for me in two separate environments (RE sql express 2005)

[iforbes]

I installed it this morning. I have a Windows 2008 X64 vm and a 2008 Customization Specification. Previuosly, there wasn't support for Windows 2008 template customiztions. This update was supposed to resolve that. After testing I still get the same error:

Failed to deploy template. Customization of the guest operating system 'winLonghorn64Guest' is not supported in this configuration

Anyone else have success with Windows 2008 template customizations under this new update?

[thaichi]

I don't see anything on Linux template customization in update 4

[kattrap]

I searched google for tricks to printing the performance overview area and got this thread. : /

Oh well. Maybe in VC 2.5 u5.

[BenConrad]

I'm on vCenter 2.5 U4 and getting the same error deploying a fresh, vanilla Win2008 Std 64-bit guest. Guest OS version is 'Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (64-bit), my hosts are AMD Opteron (64-bit) running 3.5 U1 + patches.

How did you resolve this issue?

Ben