99% VM Cpu load on various applications when other...

RSerdoz · ‎04-25-2009

Hello,

Hopefully someone can help. I have a VM View Demo successfully deployed with 30VM instances. The customer is a K-12 School District, and the applications in question are called Kid Pix 4 and Type and Learn 3. I have limited the cpu usage down to as little as 500mhz per VM and the two faulty applications run normally, obviously the others suffer. If I change the limit to 2.4ghz+ those two application still max out the CPU. All other Office, and school applications run just fine. I have tested with the client, the portal, with and without VM Tools.

Any thoughts??

lbourque · ‎04-26-2009

Hrmm.. Some thoughts off the top of my head:

1. Are all the VMs single vCPU? Have you tried one with two vCPUs to see how things behave?

It may be that those applications have specific issues with being virtualized. IIRC, they are graphics and CPU heavy in genera, are they not? This isn't a View issue as much as it's a VM issue. What version of ESX are you using? Are you using linked clones or provisioned VMs?

RSerdoz · ‎04-26-2009

1. Yes, they are all using a single vCPU, and no I have not tried a second Vcpu, great idea.

2. The applications are indeed high graphic and sound oriented, yet I have tested the vm's with quick time player, etc. We are use ESX 3.5U4 and they are linked clones.

I have, however tried provisioned with the same result.

TomHowarth · ‎04-26-2009

This is a common issue, the only thing I can suggest is to investigate a Application Management program like AppSense Application Manangement (it is part of the AppSense Suite)

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

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Tom Howarth VCP / VCAP / vExpert
VMware Communities User Moderator
Blog: http://www.planetvm.net
Contributing author on VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment
Contributing author on VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410

TomHowarth · ‎04-26-2009

Adding a second CPU would not help you here, I very much doubt that the errant applications are SMP aware. Plus you would be adding alot of un-needed overhead into your environment.