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VMworld 2016 - INF8036 - enforcing a vSphere cluster design with powercli automation
The document outlines the methodology for designing a vSphere cluster using PowerCLI automation, authored by experts Duncan Epping and Chris Wahl. It covers essential aspects such as vSphere HA and DRS functionalities, infrastructure configuration, and the importance of consistent network and storage setups. Additionally, it introduces the Vester project for declarative configurations and emphasizes the significance of infrastructure as code.
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VMworld 2016 - INF8036 - enforcing a vSphere cluster design with powercli automation
- 1. 1 Enforcing a vSphereCluster Design Using PowerCLI Automation
- 2. Who is DuncanEpping? Writer Author Author Job VMware Social @ Yellow-Bricks.com of Essential Virtual SAN of Clustering Deepdive Chief Technologist @ VMware VCDX @DuncanYB (twitter)
- 3. Who is @ChrisWahl? Writer Host Instructor Evangelist Microsoft VMware @WahlNetwork.com @ DatanautsPodcast.com @ Pluralsight.com @ Rubrik.com MVP (PowerShell) VCDX (DCV & NV)
- 4. 4 Agenda • vSphere ClusterDesign Basics • Crafting Declarative Configurations • Infrastructure as Code • An Introduction to the Vester project
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- 7. It is allabout the app App VM’s Compute StorageNetwork Clusters
- 8. What are thethings we need to think about? Consistency is the key to success • Compute – DNS / NTP / TPS • Storage – Protocol / Limits / Resiliency • Networking – vMotion / Management / Storage / VMs • vSphere HA and DRS
- 9. 9 Brief intro tovSphere Clusters vSphere HA Basics • Configured through vCenter Server • Each host has an agent (FDM) for monitoring state • HA restarts VMs when a failure impacts those VMs
- 10. 10 Brief intro tovSphere Clusters vSphere HA Specifics • One of the hosts is elected as master • Heartbeats via network and storage – Management network (or) – VSAN network (if VSAN is enabled) • It can reserve resources for restarts (Admission Control)
- 11. 11 Brief intro tovSphere Clusters vSphere DRS Basics • DRS provides load balancing and initial placement – To keep VMs happy and maximize cluster utilization • DRS is the broker of resources between producers and consumers • DRS goal is to provide the resources the virtual machine demands
- 12. 12 Brief intro tovSphere Clusters vSphere DRS Specifics • DRS provides cluster management – Maintenance Mode – Affinity / anti-affinity rules – VM-Host groups – Resource Pools
- 13. 13 And then thereis compute Many things to think about during install / config • Gateway / DNS • NTP • NUMA • Syslog + Scratch Partition • TPS enabled or disabled? – If enabled, how? • Security? – Lock down enabled?
- 14. 14 Storage, you gotan hour or two? iSCSI, FC, FCoE or maybe VSAN • Many different storage systems • Many different design considerations – And also implications on for instance vSphere HA – PDL / APD – Stretched? Replication? Sync / Async? • Resignature? Mount? Orchestration of DR? • Number of Paths, Number of LUNs • Performance aspects – RAID Types – Flash vs Hybrid
- 15. 15 It is alwaysthe network Yes, we usually do blame others… Reality is, many issues arise from inconsistency... • Distributed Switch vs normal vSwitch? • Consistency in configuration of network segments – VLANs / Portgroups – MTU (end to end) • Load Balancing – Load based teaming – Virtual Port ID – IP Hash / LACP
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- 20. 20 Avoids Building byHand statements become actionable
- 21. 21 Repeatable Processes consistency isyour friend
- 22. 22 Force Multiplier the entireteam is now empowered
- 23. 23 Annihilate Tribal Knowledge documentationis stale upon creation configurations are self documenting
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- 26. 26 Abstract End Statefrom Configuration don’t store declarative configuration inside the endpoint
- 27. Where do ObjectsLive?
- 30. But I alreadyhave a vSphere environment! • How do I pull the config out of it? • Leverage PowerCLI as a starting point … – DRS Rules (affinity, anti-affinity, vm-to-host) – VDS and Port Group configs – Resource pools – Generic cluster configs – VSAN & SPBM policies
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- 32. Export-VDSwitch & Export-VDPortGroup Note!Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Vds 32 http://blogs.vmware.com/PowerCLI/2013/03/vds-exportimport-with-powercli.html
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- 34. Get-SpbmStoragePolicy & Get-VsanDisk /Get-VsanDiskGroup 34
- 35. 35 Conversational Configuration tracking, logging,and implementation in a single system
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- 38. 38 Gathering Objects withPowerCLI • Get information on the cluster – HA, NTP, SSH, DRS, DNS, so forth • Compare with declarative configuration • Inspect results – Validate always – Remediate optional • Report metrics
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- 41. 41 Interesting Projects • Vester –https://github.com/WahlNetwork/Vester • vSphereDSC – https://github.com/lucdekens/vSphereDSC • Operation Validation Framework (OVF) – https://github.com/PowerShell/Operation-Validation-Framework • Watchmen – https://github.com/devblackops/watchmen • vSphere HA Deepdive – https://ha.yellow-bricks.com (Free ebook!) • PoshSpec – https://github.com/Ticketmaster/poshspec
- 42. Thank you! Duncan Epping– Chief Technologist, VMware Chris Wahl – Technical Evangelist, Rubrik
Editor's Notes
- #10 Every knows HA can respond to a Host Failure Most people know HA can respond to an isolation but… Did you know HA can respond to a Guest OS failure? Did you know HA can respond to an Application failure? Did you know HA can respond when a VM process failed? Did you know HA can respond to a Storage failure?
- #17 Moving forward, one of the key drivers it to build a data center that can be declared as an end state. This is in opposition to hand crafting a data center as individuals.
- #18 Imperative models have long ruled the data center. This is a process in which Operations configures each device to do specific things, typically one at a time, without a real focus on the data center holistically. Declarative models imply that you craft the intent of your resources and allow the lower level system to determine the best way to execute your desires.
- #19 Take Uber’s ridesharing app as an example. You instruct the app with your destination and the class of service (UberX, UberBLACK, etc.) you want. It then handles all of the low level details by finding a driver, supplying a route, and processing payment. Do you dwell on how this is done, or do you simply wish to remove friction and consume the service?
- #20 How does this sort of value translate into the world of declarative data centers? And how can this be used for the design process?
- #21 First, using any sort of configuration management model will largely eliminate the legacy mindset of building by hand as individuals. Instead, statements can be created as a team – in real time – and become actionable because they not only define how a data center should look but also can be feed into a management tool to make change happen.
- #22 Once this has been done, change is predictable and repeatable. Because a configuration value has been set by the team, it becomes reality when fed into a configuration management tool. Drift (change) is remediated on a schedule. Otherwise, configuration values are often changed both randomly (on specific servers) and inconsistently (different values based on who made the change and what they believe the value should be).
- #23 If you consider this, then, you have now created what is known as a Force Multiplier. The entire team is now empowered to view, create, and enforce consistency within the data center. There is no “one guru person” that knows how things are done, or at least – there shouldn’t be!
- #24 Because declarative configurations are also enforced within the data center, they become a living set of documentation. Most all config tools allow for comments and verbose descriptions. Rather than keeping documentation separate from action, why not couple them? After all – documentation is stale the MOMENT it is created, because change is a constant.
- #27 It’s important to separate the living state of a system from the declarative configuration of that system.
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