So lost, need help please!

[srivard]

Hello, i am an IT consultant and not so experience with vmware.

We have a project at a client and i need to clarify some things with you my friends

Here is the plan

We have currently 18 standalone server in 1 location

We have 1 main office and a second office connected with a 10MB line

of the 18 server we have 4 are fairly recent and powerful machine (dual processor and 16GB of ram)

Here is wat i want to do:

Put 6 VM for each server in the main location and have a live backup in the branch office

We want to be able to be fault tolerant in case the main office goes down

here are the questions:)

What version do i need to do that and why(standard, advance enterprise)

I have been told i can buy 1 licenses of 8 processor and install it on my 4 servers, is it right or do i need 4 licenses?

Can VMware do the fault tolerance alone or do i need another product, we are told that we need visoncore to do that

What is the best storage solution, NAS SAN or what i was planing was a direct attache storage on one of the server

We would probably replicate all data to the second site

Thank you very much for the help!

[gary1012]

Sounds like you need SIte Recovery Manager. Can you define your customer's RPO/RTO?

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[PhilippeMasse]

Hi,

What version do i need to do that and why(standard, advance enterprise)

Licensing with VMware is a bit confusing. For your needs I would suggest vSphere Standard.

Here is some links that can help you choose (https://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html) (https://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/mid-size-and-enterprise-business/buy.html).

I have been told i can buy 1 licenses of 8 processor and install it on my 4 servers, is it right or do i need 4 licenses?

It's a Per Socket licensing so as soon as you have a socket licensed, you will need another license before using another host. So 4 licence for 4 servers with one CPU. This processing doesn't apply to multi-core CPU.

Here is another table that explain it easily I think

vSphere Standard - 6 core maximum per physical socket

vSphere Advanced - 12 core maximum per physical socket

vSphere Enterprise - 6 core maximum per physical socket

vSphere Enterprise Plus - 12 core maximum per physical socket

Can VMware do the fault tolerance alone or do i need another product, we are told that we need visoncore to do that

VMware High Availability (http://www.vmware.com/products/high-availability/)

With this, if one or your hosts shutdown for any reason, all the running VMs will be balanced to the remaining ESX hosts. Follow the link above for the prerequisites. You need vCenter to do HA.

What is the best storage solution, NAS SAN or what i was planing was a direct attache storage on one of the server. We would probably replicate all data to the second site.

SAN is always the better solution. Better I/O and fully compatible with vSphere. A bit more expensive but better reliability. I would suggest iSCSI SAN for you. And just to make sure that you understand, a central datastore solution is a prerequisite for what you need to do. No SAN, no HA, Fault Tolerance and etc.

Let me know if you need anything else !

Au revoir !

[HughBorg707]

Greets,

I just want to let you know that what you're attempting to setup is fairly sophisticated.

It will require not only an excellent working knowledge of vSphere, ESX/ESXi, Site Recovery Manager, but a few other bells and whistles along the way.

In short make sure you can setup and tune a VMware cluster based LAN before you even try to replicate it out to a remote site.

Also your assumptions of evenly distributing 6VMs across each server may not be accurate. You could have fewer simple server machines on one ESX host while something like an Exchange or SQL server may require much more hardware resources, thus limiting the number of VMs you can run.

As for storage, count on either iSCSI or FC SAN connectivity as a given.

My advice is to focus solely on creating a 3 node ESX/ESXi cluster attached to a SAN. From there get used to how vMotion, FT, HA, DRS, and the other features work. Then figure out how to tune everything to run acceptably.

You didn't mention P2Ving the existing physical servers. That can be easy or complex depending on your environment but its an important piece of the puzzle.

Also I recommend that you allow time for this conversion. I know some customers get the idea that once they decide to virtualize that its something that can be purchased and "installed" over a weekend. It doesn't work that way

Hope this helps

Hugh

[DSTAVERT]

I would suggest that you start with the "Free Online Training" webcasts http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vsphere/esxi?view=overview

[srivard]

Thank's guys very appreciated

Ya i figured it was complicated setup. The client as been told by the seller that VMWare is easy and cheap!!!

Some clarification on licences...

4 server wit 2 CPU = 4 complete licenses? I have been told by the reseller that i we buy a 8 cpu vsphere it can be use on 8 cpu total acros as many machine we want (8 machine with 1 cpu 4 machine with 2 cpu ect)

Anny suggestion on ISCSI with HP server?

[PhilippeMasse]

As soon as you use a license for a CPU, you can't use the same on another server. So if you have 8 CPU left in your licensing contract and you use 7 of them, only one remaining.

You can't just buy a license for 8 CPUs and spread it accross the LAN on as much server as you want. It doesn't work that way.

Hope this helps !

[HughBorg707]

I'm glad you understand the scope of the project! :smileyblush:

HP has the former LeftHand networks stuff: http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/highlights/lefthandsans.html

Any storage will do of course (EMC, NetApp, etc), It really depends on your network traffic intensity etc.

If you just want to set up a quick iSCSI unit to test functionality, you can get (don't laugh) an Iomega ix2-200d or 400d or 400r.

You wouldn't run a production network on the smaller units, but for wiring your 3 ESX boxes to an iSCSI SAN on the fly and learning about vSphere you can't beat it. I use one in my test environment.

Regards

Hugh

http://www.1zero1.net

[srivard]

So much info thank you!

The client was offered qnap SAN, any toughs or competing product

[Josh26]

Hi,

Sorry to be blunt, but discussions around site failure tolerance and qnap sans just don't go together.

If you are that concerned about uptime, look at HP, EMC or Netapp. If there's no budget for it, then stop talking about site redundancy because you aren't going to be able to do it right.

[srivard]

You are absolutely right, exactly what i was telling the client

[janardhanr]

My PERSONAL Experience recommends, you have to go for equallogic ps6000 series, its a magic BOX...

[HughBorg707]

Well said Josh! For years I have had customers that "insisted" on Enterprise level solutions with not much above consumer grade hardware.

It wears you down sometimes repeatedly explaining why you can't (or shouldn't) do that.