VMware View 4.6

I installed yesterday the latest release of VMware View 4.6, build 366101. It works very well. I upgraded the following components:

• VMware Connection Broker 4.6
• VMware Security Server 4.6
• VMware Transfert Server 4.6
• VMware Composer 2.6
• VMware View Agent 4.6
• VMware View Client

The most important new feature is the PCoIP support trough the VMware Security Server, without any VPN connexion. With the earlier version, it wasn't possible to use the PCoIP from the WAN with the PCoIP protocol.

A good tip: don't forget to open the firewall ports as follow :

PCoIP between View Client and Security Server

• TCP 4172 from Client to Security Server
• UDP 4172 from Client to Security Server
• UDP 4172 from Security Server to Client

PCoIP between Security Server and virtual desktop

• TCP 4172 from Security Server to virtual desktop
• UDP 4172 from Security Server to virtual desktop
• UDP 4172 from virtual desktop to Security Server

I tried to change the settings on route base on source MAC hash or route base on physical NIC load, and it works fine.

Here is the choice that you can made to select the best load balancing policy which match your infrastructure :

• Route based on originating virtual port
• Route based on IP hash
• Route based on source MAC hash
• Route based on physical NIC load
• Use explicit failover order

On the application log, a lot of errors or warnings appear about VMware View, like :

• Program C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Client\bin\wswc.exe, thread 0x160C encountered a machine exception code 0xC0000005 (no DbgHelp.dll loaded)

• backtrace[00] frame 0x0728f670 IP 0x764120fa params 0x7650ac78 0x1 0x1 0x765bb194 ??? [no module data]

VMware View error log

This issue appear since Microsoft publish two new updates. To solve this issue, you have to uninstall these two Microsoft Windows 7 update :

• KB 2482017
• KB 2467023

Then restart the computer.

VMware indicate that they will provide a fix to correct this issue. But it isn't available yet.

A lot of websites provide a study guide to help people who want to pass the VMware VCP certification. I selected a couple of them which are for me the more reliable and up to date.

Before passing the VCP exam, depending if you are already certified or not, one of the following courses is required :

• VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage
• VMware vSphere: Troubleshooting
• VMware vSphere: Bootcamp
• VMware vSphere: Fast Track

Then the VCP exam can be passed in a certified exam center (personvue, etc...) . More informations are available on the VMware Website at this address.

You can use one of this following websites which help you to study:

• The SLOG - SimonLong/Blog : An online blueprint very usefull with links to all documents needed to study.
• The VMware VCP BluePrint : Similar to the SLOG online blueprint, but without the links to the documents
• The VMware vSphere4 Card : a pdf file up to date with the major VMware information (configuration maximum, etc... ) to remember.
• The xtravirt documentation downloader : needed to download locally almost all the VMware Product documentation and keep it up to date.

With all this tips, you should be able to pass easily the exam.

Good luck.

How Snapvault works

In first, a snapvault relationship is created between two filers, the first transfer is the baseline transfer and it's like a full backup. Then, every time a snapvault update is run, or scheduled, a new snapshot, which is locked, is done on the primary filer. The delta between the baseline snapshot and the new snapshot on the primary filer is transferred to the secondary filer. The new snapshot is now as the baseline snapshot, and the old one maybe deleted depending retention policy.

Be careful, almost all snapvault configuration is made from the secondary filer, and not the primary.

How configure Snapvault

Global configuration

First of all, we have to enter the snapvault license, allow the snapvault communication between both filers :

filer1> license add XXXXX

filer1> options snapvault.enable on

filer1> options snapvault.access host=filer2

----------

filer2> license add XXXXX

filer2> options snapvault.enable on

filer2> options snapvault.access host=filer1

We need to modify the snap sched on the secondary filer. We will configure the schedule later with snapvault snap sched. Because it isn't interesting to take snapshot if no new snapvault transfer are done.

filer2> snap sched snapvault_volume1 0 0 0

Initial configuration

The initial transfer can be very long depending of the size used on the primary volume, because all data on the primary volume will transferred to the secondary during the initial transfer. We create the initial transfer before setup the snapvault schedule.

filer2> snapvault start -S filer1:/vol/source_volume1/ds  filer2:/vol/snapvault_volume/qtree

Schedule

The snapvault schedule must be configure on both filers.The snapshot copies on the source enables administrators to recover directly from source filer without accessing any copies on the destination. This enables more rapid restores. However, it is not necessary to retain a large number of copies on the primary; higher retention levels are configured on the secondary. The commands below shows how to create hourly, daily & weekly snapvault snapshots.

filer1> snapvault snap sched source_volume1 sv_hourly 24@0-22

filer1> snapvault snap sched source_volume1 sv_daily 7@23

filer1> snapvault snap sched source_volume1 sv_weekly 56@21@sun

On the secondary filer, the schedule is a bit different. The command is quiet the same, but works differently. The schedule indicate when the snapvault has to update the relation.

filer2> snapvault snap sched -x snapvault_volume sv_hourly 6@0-22

filer2> snapvault snap sched -x snapvault_volume sv_daily  14@23@sun-fri

filer2> snapvault snap sched -x snapvault_volume sv_weekly 6@23@sun 

That's it. The base configuration is done.

Check the snapvault status

Once the configuration is done, we don't have to do anything. Everything should works fine. But it could be interesting to check if the snapvault relation still working, when was the last snapvault update, etc... Here is the two main commands useful :

snapvault status (-l) : Show the snapvault status, the lag (which indicate when was the last snapvault transfer). The -l option permit to have more information like the quantity of data transfered during the last update

snap list : permit to see on each volume how many snapshots are available, when they have been created, and the usage.

• Right click on the VMware Cluster
• Edit Settings
• VMware HA
• Advanced Options
• Add the options name "das.ignoreRedundantNetWarning" with the value "true
  

  VMware HA Advanced Options

The warning on all ESXs of this cluster will disappear.

The usage still be almost the same : SV-SMVI interrogate SMVI/VSC and determine the most recent snapshot. Then it tells the secondary controller to update the snapvault relation based on this snapshot.

You can find more information at this address : http://communities.netapp.com/docs/DOC-8720

VMware View 4

Server installation

Here is a complet guide to install the VMware View 4 solution. For these guide, we will use all of these components :

• 1 ESX server (release 208167)
• 1 VMware VSphere server (Virtual center)
• 1 VMware Connection Server (CS)
• 1 VMware Replica Server (RS)
• 1 Windows XP Virtual Machine Template

Our Virtual Infrastructure is already installed (Virtual Center and sysprep files placed in the C:\Documents adn Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\Vmware VirtualCenter\sysprep\xp, and ESX server). We will install and configure the Connection and Replica Server. The principe is easy. We install in first the primary server (VMware Connection Server), and an second server which is "connected" to the primary server. The replica server isn't mandatory, but recommended, for load balancing and high availability. When the CS and RS has been installed, we should configure load-balancing solution between CS and RS servers (for example Microsoft Network Load Balancing). Once the connection server and replica server installed, we will prepare one template for deploying Virtual machine from this computer.

Template creation

Now, we will install the Template Virtual Machine

• Do not connect Flopy or CD-ROM drive at startup (but let the CD on the Virtual Hardware, usefull for future VMwareTools Update)
• Disable or delete the COM1 and COM2 serial port
• Turn off all theme enhancements
• Disable or change the screen saver to blank
• Delete wallpapers
• Run disk Cleanup
• Modify the hardware Acceleration to Full
• Delete all unused update file (in the c:\Windows\$...$ folder, except the $hf_mig$ folder
• Disable the indexing service
• Disable the Windows Operating System's paging
• Turn off unnecessary sounds
• Remove the system restore points
• Remove all blinking icons
• Turn off disk performance counters
• Disable unwanted services
• Change to RDP color depth value in the registry (to improve te color from 16-bits to 24-bits with RDP)
  • For windows XP : change the value ColorDepth to 4 on [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services]
• Enable the Remote Connections, and allow users to log to this computer trough RDP sessions.
• Open the Firewall ports :
  • 50002 for PCoIP
  • 3389 for RDP
  • 32111 for USB
• If your VM has more than one Virtual Nic, you have to add the subkey to this path :
• HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware View\Node Manager\
  • subnet -> ip_adresse/mask
  • For example : subnet = 192.168.0.1/24

Deployement

Desktop type

• Standard deployement
  • The template will be cloned machine by machine. Each machine with his own HDD.
• Link clone
  • You have to make a snapshot of the template. You will base you VM on the snapshot.
  • One replica virtual machine will be deployed based on the virtual machine snapshot. All deployed VM based on this image will share the HDD's VM template as read-only disk. All modification on VMs will be writted on the delta HDD.

Desktop Pool

Individual Desktop

• Without clone technology. Only one VM by pool

Automated Desktop Pool

• With clone technology, the user will be assigned to the desktop randomly

Manual Desktop Pool

• Permit to add manually the VM in the pool

Microsoft Terminal Service Desktop Pool

• Permit to add a Terminal Service source to the desktop.

Click next

Persistence

Persistent

Non persistent

VMware View Persistence

For this guide, we will use the option : Persistent

Virtual Center Server

Linked Clone

VMware linked clone technology

For this guide, we will use the option : Linked Clone

Unique ID

VMware View Unique ID

You have to fill three input in this form :

Unique ID

It's the unique ID of the pool. It isn't visible by the user, but only from the VMware View Manager.

Display name

This name is visible by the user. Is the "computer name"

Description

A small description of the Desktop Pool.

Desktop Pool settings

VMware Desktop Pool Settings

General

The next form permit to set a lot of settings about the interaction between the user and the desktop. We will talk about field by field.

State

Enable or disable the pool

When VM is not in use

Do nothing

Let the VM on the active state.

Always on.

Be sure the VM is always on. If the user shutdown the VM, VMware View will power on the VM.

Power off  VM

Supend VM

Automatic logoff after disconnect

Never

Immediatly

After

Logoffthe user after x minute.

Refresh OS disk on logoff

Delete all modification done by the User (delete the delta disk file)

Never

Always

On each logoff

Every

Every x days

At

Based on disk % utilization

Allow user to reset their desktop

Allow the user tho reset the VM. (In case of Blue Screen, VM not responding)

Display Protocol

Default Display Protocol

Defin the default display protocol

PCoIP

RDP

Allow users to override the default protocol

Allow the users to change the display protocol

Max number of monitor

Permit to change the maximum number of monitor from 1 to 4. Be carefull, you have to change the RAM dedicated to the Graphical Adapter of the VM too. Because, if you don't allow enough of RAM for Video Card, you shouldn't see the desktop, but have black screen, or cannot use full screen mode.

Resolution of each monitor

Same warning that with the max number of monitor options.

Adobe flash

You have to install the VMware Adobe Flash Optimizer for using these options.

Adobe flah quality

Set the flash quality

Do not control

Low

Medium

High

Adobe Flash Throttling

Set the frame rate

Disabled

Adobe Flash content is disable entirely

Conservative

Timer interval is 100 milliseconds. This settings results in the highest frame rate

Moderate

Timer interval is 500 milliseconds

Aggressive

Timer interval is 2500 milliseconds

VMware Provisioning Settings

You can choose two different provisionning settings :

Simple

You indicate the number of desktop that you would like to provisionne.

Advanced settings

Allow you to manage the mininum desktop number, available and maximum number. The available option allow you to provision x number of desktop ready to be assigned.

VMware Provisioning Settings

Welcome on the new website Services-Web.ch. I decide today to change the Services-Web website. It’s now a IT blog about products and technologies with which I work all the day or often. My mother tongue is French, but I decided to write in English, because it should be most usefull for everybody.

I will post here some quick guides, tests, links and solutions.

Your comments and propositions are welcome.

Fabrice