The document discusses the architecture of XenServer. Key points include: - The default network stack is now Open vSwitch. Network performance has been improved. - XenServer is available in four editions to meet different organization needs. - Resource pools allow managing multiple XenServer hosts as a single entity for failover, upgrades, and consolidation.

1. Architektur XenServer
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2. XenServer Architectural Components
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3. Architectural Changes
 The Open vSwitch is now the default network stack
for the product.
 Improvements to Distributed Virtual Switching
include a fail-safe option and various improvements
based on customer feedback from XenServer 5.6
Feature Pack 1.
 General network performance has been
improved, particularly aggregate host network
throughput.
 Support for hardware-assisted Single Route I/O
Virtualization network performance optimizations
has been improved, particularly for use with the
NetScaler VPX and SDX products.
 XenServer no longer requires Windows-based virtual
machines for features such as StorageLink, Site
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4. XenServer Product Line
 XenServer is available in four editions to meet the
needs of any organization.
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5. XenCenter Overview
 XenCenter:
• is a graphical, Windows-based user interface.
• allows you to manage XenServer hosts, resource
pools and shared storage, and to deploy, manage
and monitor virtual machines from your Windows
desktop machine.
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6. Resource Pools
 XenServer allows you to manage multiple XenServer
hosts as a single entity through the use of resource
pools.
 In the event of a host failure
 In preparation for upgrade a XenServer host
 To consolidate virtual machines to a select number
of XenServer hosts in order to reduce power
consumption
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7. Microsoft System Center Integration
 XenServer 6.0 supports System Center Virtual
Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2012 for managing
XenServer hosts and virtual machines. To enable
these management capabilities, install a
supplemental pack from Citrix.
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8. Live Storage XenMotion
 Extends standard XenMotion
 Migrates VM disks from any storage ty
storage type
 Local, DAS, iSCSI, FC
 •Supports cross pool migration
 Requires compatible CPUs
 •Encrypted Migration model
 •Specify management interface for opt
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9. XenServer Conversion Manager
 Convert VMware virtual machines to XenServer
 Convert multiple virtual machines in one simple wizard
 Map network settings between VMware and XenServer so
your converted virtual machines will come up with the
proper network settings
 Choose the storage location where you would like your
new XenServer virtual machines to run
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10. Netzwerk XenServer
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11. XenServer Networking Overview
 You can configure four different virtual networks in
XenServer:
 Single-Server Private networks, which are a type of
internal network
 External networks
 Bonded networks, which are a type of external
network
 Cross-Server Private networks, which are a type of
internal network.
(Cross-Server private networks will be discussed in
the Distributed Virtual Switching module.)
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12. Network Stacks Supported by XenServer
 There are two networking stacks in XenServer 6.0:
 The Open vSwitch, the default networking stack
 The Linux bridge
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13. Network Components and Architecture
 One network is created for each physical network
interface card during XenServer installation.
 The XenServer host performs all the required
configurations of the physical network interface
cards.
 When you add a XenServer host to a resource
pool, the default networks are merged so that all
physical NICs within the same device name are
attached to the same network.
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14. Bonding - Source Load Balancing
 SLB is an active/active mode which:
 Does not require switch support for EtherChannel
or 802.3ad.
 Load-balances traffic between multiple physical
interfaces at the MAC address level by sending
traffic through different physical interfaces based
on the source MAC address of the packet.
 Is derived from the open source Adaptive Load
Balancing (ALB) mode and reuses the ALB capability
to dynamically re-balance load across physical
interfaces.
 SLB Active-passive bonds:
 Can be configured with one fast path, and one slow
path for cost savings. In this scenario, the slow path
should be used only if there is a failure on the fast
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15. Networking Enhancements in XenServer 6.1
 LACP bonding support
 Support for up to 4 NICs per bond
 VLAN scalability improvements
 Port locking for cloud providers
 IPv6 guest support
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16. Active-Active SLB vs. LACP
 All links can be active
regardless of traffic type
 Source MAC as well as
IP/port based load balancing
 Requires 802.3ad standard on
switch
 Requires switch-side
configuration
 All links must be connected
to 1 switch/stack switches
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 Can be used with any switch
 No requirement for stacking
(6.1)
 Support up to 4 NICs
 Load balancing only if
multiple
MAC addresses are present