This document discusses enforcing vSphere cluster designs using PowerCLI automation. It provides an overview of vSphere cluster design basics like HA and DRS configurations. It then discusses crafting declarative configurations to define the desired infrastructure state. Infrastructure as code principles are reviewed for managing configurations outside the endpoints. The presentation introduces the Vester project for declaratively configuring vSphere clusters using PowerCLI.

1. Enforcing a vSphere Cluster Design
with PowerCLI Automation
Duncan Epping, VMware, Inc
Chris Wahl, Rubrik
INF8036
#INF8036

2. • This presentation may contain product features that are currently under development.
• This overview of new technology represents no commitment from VMware to deliver these
features in any generally available product.
• Features are subject to change, and must not be included in contracts, purchase orders, or
sales agreements of any kind.
• Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery.
• Pricing and packaging for any new technologies or features discussed or presented have not
been determined.
Disclaimer
CONFIDENTIAL 2

3. 3
Enforcing a vSphere Cluster Design
Using PowerCLI Automation

4. Who is Duncan Epping?
Writer
Author
Author
Job
VMware
Social
@ Yellow-Bricks.com
of Essential Virtual SAN
of Clustering Deepdive
Chief Technologist @ VMware
VCDX
@DuncanYB (twitter)

5. Who is @ChrisWahl?
Writer
Host
Instructor
Evangelist
Microsoft
VMware
@ WahlNetwork.com
@ DatanautsPodcast.com
@ Pluralsight.com
@ Rubrik.com
MVP (PowerShell)
VCDX (DCV & NV)

6. 6
Agenda
• vSphere Cluster Design Basics
• Crafting Declarative Configurations
• Infrastructure as Code
• An Introduction to the Vester project

7. vSphere Cluster Design
7

8. Architecture Methodology

9. It is all about the app
App
VM’s
Compute
StorageNetwork
Clusters

10. What are the things 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

11. 11
Brief intro to vSphere 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

12. 12
Brief intro to vSphere 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)

13. 13
Brief intro to vSphere 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

14. 14
Brief intro to vSphere Clusters
vSphere DRS Specifics
• DRS provides cluster management
– Maintenance Mode
– Affinity / anti-affinity rules
– VM-Host groups
– Resource Pools

15. 15
And then there is 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?

16. 16
Storage, you got an hour or two?
iSCSI, FC, NFS, 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
• SIOC? SDRS?

17. 17
It is always the 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

18. Crafting Declarative Configurations

19. 19
Imperative Declarative

21. Where’s the Value?

22. 22
Avoids Building by Hand
statements become actionable

23. 23
Repeatable Processes
consistency is your friend

24. 24
Force Multiplier
the entire team is now empowered

25. 25
Annihilate Tribal Knowledge
documentation is stale upon creation
configurations are self documenting

26. Infrastructure as Code

28. 28
Abstract End State from Configuration
don’t store declarative configuration inside the endpoint

29. Where do Objects Live?

32. But I already have 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

33. Get-DrsRule
33

34. Export-VDSwitch & Export-VDPortGroup
Note! Import-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Vds
34
http://blogs.vmware.com/PowerCLI/2013/03/vds-exportimport-with-powercli.html

35. Get-ResourcePool
35

36. Get-SpbmStoragePolicy &
Get-VsanDisk / Get-VsanDiskGroup
36

37. 37
Conversational Configuration
tracking, logging, and implementation in a single system

38. Ops Collaboration

40. 40
Gathering Objects with PowerCLI
• Get information on the cluster
– HA, NTP, SSH, DRS, DNS, so forth
• Compare with declarative configuration
• Inspect results
– Validate always
– Remediate optional
• Report metrics

41. Vester

43. 43
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

44. Thank you!
Duncan Epping – Chief Technologist, VMware
Chris Wahl – Technical Evangelist, Rubrik