Monitoring a setup...

[Davek0974]

Hi all,

Just looking for information really, I am mid-way through my first ESXi install also my first venture into virtualisation. I have a target of vm-ing the following machines,

Win2003sbs running DC, AD, print and file services,plus a sql7 database,

Win2008r2 running RDS host,

WinXP pro running minor background apps,

WinXP pro running an image processor (rip) for a printing press

I have only got 20 users so workload is manageable I think, I have just started setting up a new Dell T410 with 2x4 core CPU and 24gb ram and 2x1tb raid 1 arrays plus hot-spare along with four nic's.

I am going for a nic on the 2003vm, one on the RDS vim, sharing one between the xp boxes and the last one is a separate hi speed link to the press from the rip processor. I will likely install a vswitch between the RDS and SQL boxes as they will have a fair amount of direct traffic between them

I have assigned 16gb of ram to the RDS vm as I understand they need ram for each user.

I think that's all the info, what I am looking for is how to best monitor my setup to see if I have things apportioned correctly etc, can anyone see any glaring flaws in my plans? Is there a set of reports I can run to monitor this type of data?

Thanks

Dave

[Dave_Mishchenko]

A few things to consider:

1) With 2 disks will that provide sufficient I/O to  serve 20 users on your terminal server plus the SQL database(s) on the one VM?

2) I think you could easily get away with just 2 NICs and I would put all of them (2 or 4) into a single vSwitch and let ESXi balance the traffic between the 2 NICs.   With a single vSwitch (and VLAN / subnet) inter-VM traffic doesn't even go out to the physical NICs.

With a standalone host ESXi will store 24 hours worth of performance data.  If you opted for vCenter server (the Essential packace would be $500) that would provide long term performance stats.  But you could also look at an alternative like Veeam Monitor (free edition).

[Davek0974]

Dave Mishchenko wrote:

A few things to consider:

1) With 2 disks will that provide sufficient I/O to  serve 20 users on your terminal server plus the SQL database(s) on the one VM?

2) I think you could easily get away with just 2 NICs and I would put all of them (2 or 4) into a single vSwitch and let ESXi balance the traffic between the 2 NICs.   With a single vSwitch (and VLAN / subnet) inter-VM traffic doesn't even go out to the physical NICs.

With a standalone host ESXi will store 24 hours worth of performance data.  If you opted for vCenter server (the Essential packace would be $500) that would provide long term performance stats.  But you could also look at an alternative like Veeam Monitor (free edition).

Thanks, would that be "nic teaming" in the books?? I read a bit on the vm site that it was best to have each vim on its own nic. Easy to try I guess.

Out of my 20 users I only have about 10 that are constantly bashing away, it's invoicing and stock control that's all, no heavy power users so I'm lucky. I would likely setup the RDS and SQL on separate spindles though. The other ten would maybe input something every ten minutes or so, it's not a heavy environment, monitoring on the existing SQL box was like watching paint dry! Very little goes on.

Dave