VMware GSX Server 3 Administration Instruction Manual

Administration Guide
TM

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20050707 Version: 3.2 Item: GSX-ENG-Q205-089
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Table of Contents
3
Introduction and System Requirements ____________________________9
VMware GSX Server: Enterprise-Class Virtual Infrastructure
for x86-Based Servers ____________________________________________10
Welcome to VMware GSX Server ___________________________________12
Enterprise-Class Virtual Infrastructure for Intel-Based Servers ___________13
What’s New in Version 3 __________________________________________14
Features in Version 3.2 _________________________________________14
Critical Bugs Fixed in GSX Server 3.2 ______________________________15
Features in Version 3.1 _________________________________________15
Critical Bugs Fixed in GSX Server 3.1 ______________________________16
Features in Version 3 __________________________________________17
Before You Install the Release ___________________________________21
If You Are Upgrading from an Earlier Version of GSX Server _____________23
Reinstall VMware Tools _________________________________________23
Host System Requirements ________________________________________24
Server Requirements __________________________________________24
Remote Client Requirements ____________________________________30
Virtual Machine Specifications _____________________________________32
Supported Guest Operating Systems ________________________________35
Technical Support Resources ______________________________________37
Self-Service Support __________________________________________37
Online and Telephone Support __________________________________37
Support Offerings ____________________________________________37
Reporting Problems ___________________________________________37
Log Files ____________________________________________________39
Installing VMware GSX Server ___________________________________ 43
Selecting Your Host System _____________________________________43
About the VMware Virtual Machine Console on the Server _____________44
Installing VMware GSX Server on a Windows Host ______________________45
Basic Installation ______________________________________________46
Default Directories ____________________________________________48
Installing the GSX Server Software on a Windows Host ________________48
Installing VMware GSX Server on a Linux Host _________________________55
Basic Installation ______________________________________________56

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Default Directories ____________________________________________58
Installing the GSX Server Software on a Linux Host ___________________59
Installing the VMware Management Interface on a Linux Host __________63
Installing an X Server __________________________________________64
Before You Install on a SuSE Linux 7.1 or Higher or SLES Host ___________64
Before You Install on a SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 Host _____________65
Before You Install the VMware Management Interface
on a Linux Host ______________________________________________65
Configuring Web Browsers for Use with GSX Server _____________________67
Launching the VMware Virtual Machine Console
from the Management Interface on an Encrypted Server ______________67
Connecting to the Management Interface on a Proxy Server ___________68
Launching Help in Netscape on a Linux System _____________________69
Installing the VMware Virtual Machine Console ________________________70
Installing the VMware Virtual Machine Console
on a Windows Host ___________________________________________70
Installing the VMware Virtual Machine Console on a Linux Host _________73
Installing the VMware Scripting APIs ________________________________75
Installing the VmPerl and VmCOM Scripting APIs
on a Windows Host ___________________________________________75
Installing the VmPerl Scripting API on a Linux Host ___________________78
Uninstalling VMware GSX Server ___________________________________80
Uninstalling GSX Server on a Windows Host ________________________80
Uninstalling GSX Server on a Linux Host ___________________________85
Upgrading VMware GSX Server _________________________________ 87
Preparing for the Upgrade ________________________________________88
Before You Install VMware GSX Server _____________________________88
When You Remove an Existing Version and Install the New Version ______90
Upgrading on a Windows Host ____________________________________91
Upgrading on a Linux Host ________________________________________92
Using Virtual Machines Created with Version 2 under Version 3 ____________93
Creating Everything New from the Start ___________________________93
Using an Existing Virtual Machine without Upgrading
the Virtual Hardware __________________________________________93
Using an Existing Virtual Machine and Upgrading
the Virtual Hardware __________________________________________94
Upgrading Virtual Hardware in the Guest Operating System ___________94

5
Using Virtual Machines Created with Version 1 under Version 3 ___________103
Upgrading Virtual Hardware in the Guest Operating System __________103
Managing Virtual Machines and the VMware GSX Server Host _______ 107
Remotely Managing Virtual Machines ______________________________108
Changing the Port Number
for VMware Virtual Machine Console Connections __________________109
Downloading the VMware Virtual Machine Console _________________111
Securing Virtual Machines and the Host _____________________________114
Understanding Permissions and Virtual Machines ___________________114
Authenticating Users and Running Virtual Machines
on a GSX Server for Windows Host ______________________________117
Authenticating Users and Running Virtual Machines
on a GSX Server for Linux Host __________________________________119
Checking Permissions in the VMware Management Interface __________121
Securing Your Remote Sessions _________________________________121
Identifying a Virtual Machine by Its UUID ____________________________123
Specifying a UUID for a Virtual Machine ___________________________124
Logging GSX Server Events on Windows ____________________________125
Backing Up Virtual Machines and the GSX Server Host _________________127
Using a Backup Agent in the Virtual Machine ______________________127
Using a Backup Agent Running on the Host Operating System ________127
Backing Up the GSX Server Host ________________________________128
Considerations for Backing Up Virtual Machines ____________________128
Using the VMware Management Interface ___________________________129
Setting the Session Length for the VMware Management Interface _____130
Logging On to the VMware Management Interface _________________131
Using the Status Monitor ______________________________________132
Configuring a Virtual Machine __________________________________137
The Apache Server and the VMware Management Interface __________147
Logging Off of the VMware Management Interface _________________147
Deleting Virtual Machines ________________________________________148
Deleting a Virtual Machine Using
the VMware Virtual Machine Console ____________________________148
Deleting a Virtual Machine Using
the VMware Management Interface _____________________________148
Configuring the GSX Server Host __________________________________149
Securing Remote Connections with SSL __________________________149

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Configuring Startup and Shutdown Options for Virtual Machines ______150
Setting User Preferences for the VMware GSX Server Host ____________155
Setting Global Preferences for VMware GSX Server __________________160
Creating Network Labels ______________________________________163
Setting a MIME Type to Launch
the VMware Virtual Machine Console ____________________________166
Using VirtualCenter to Manage GSX Server Virtual Machines _____________169
Creating Virtual Machines on a GSX Server Host
from a VirtualCenter Client _____________________________________169
Connecting to a GSX Server Virtual Machine
from a VirtualCenter Client _____________________________________169
Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines ___________________________ 171
Moving a VMware GSX Server 3 Virtual Machine ______________________172
Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths ______________________________172
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________172
Moving a Virtual Machine to a New Host __________________________173
Moving a GSX Server 2 Virtual Machine _____________________________175
Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths ______________________________175
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________175
Moving a Virtual Machine to a New Host __________________________176
Moving Older Virtual Machines ___________________________________178
Virtual Machines May Use Relative or Absolute Paths ________________178
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________179
Preparing the New Host Machine _______________________________179
Considerations for Moving Disks in Undoable Mode _________________180
Sharing Virtual Machines with Other Users ___________________________183
Performance Tuning and the VMware GSX Server Host _____________ 185
Configuring and Maintaining the Host Computer _____________________186
Configuring GSX Server _________________________________________187
General GSX Server Options ___________________________________187
GSX Server on a Windows Host _________________________________191
GSX Server on a Linux Host ____________________________________193
Understanding Memory Usage ___________________________________194
Memory Use on the Host ______________________________________194
Specifying How Much RAM is Used
by All Running Virtual Machines ________________________________195
Memory Usage on Older Linux Hosts ____________________________197

7
High-Availability Configurations with VMware GSX Server __________ 199
Using SCSI Reservation to Share SCSI Disks with Virtual Machines _________200
SCSI Reservation Support _____________________________________200
Enabling SCSI Reservation _____________________________________201
Issues to Consider When Sharing Disks ___________________________202
Overview of Clustering with GSX Server _____________________________204
Applications That Can Use Clustering ____________________________205
Clustering Software __________________________________________205
Creating a Cluster in a Box _______________________________________206
Configuring Virtual Machines for Cluster in a Box ___________________207
Creating a Two-Node Cluster with Microsoft Clustering Services
on a Single GSX Server Computer _______________________________207
Using Network Load Balancing with GSX Server ______________________214
Overview of Network Load Balancing Clusters _____________________214
Creating a Multinode Network Load Balancing Cluster _______________215
Creating Two-Node Clusters Using Novell Clustering Services ____________219
Creating the First Node's Base Virtual Machine _____________________219
Creating the Second Node in the Cluster _________________________220
Installing the Guest Operating System and VMware Tools ____________220
Adding the Shared Disks to Both Virtual Machines __________________220
Installing Novell Clustering Services on the Cluster Nodes ____________222
Clustering Using the iSCSI Protocol ________________________________223
Clustering Scenarios Using iSCSI ________________________________223
Creating and Configuring the iSCSI Initiator Virtual Machine ___________224
Configuring the iSCSI Target in the Cluster ________________________225
Glossary ____________________________________________________ 227
Index ______________________________________________________ 233

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CHAPTER 1
9
Introduction and System
Requirements
The following sections introduce you to VMware GSX Server.
•VMware GSX Server: Enterprise-Class Virtual Infrastructure for x86-Based Servers
on page 10
•Welcome to VMware GSX Server on page 12
•What’s New in Version 3 on page 14
•Host System Requirements on page 24
•Virtual Machine Specifications on page 32
•Supported Guest Operating Systems on page 35
•Technical Support Resources on page 37

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VMware GSX Server Administration Guide
VMware GSX Server: Enterprise-Class
Virtual Infrastructure for x86-Based
Servers
VMware® GSX Server is virtual infrastructure for enterprise IT administrators who want
to consolidate servers and streamline development and testing operations. GSX
Server is easily installed and managed, and provides rapid return on investment (ROI).
Unlike other virtualization products, GSX Server is enterprise-proven, preserves
freedom of choice and offers an upgrade path to datacenter-class virtualization.
Because it has over four years of proven success, thousands of customers trust
VMware GSX Server as their virtualization solution. Easily installed on Windows or
Linux platforms, GSX Server provides advanced capabilities that make it the most
flexible server virtualization product on the market. GSX Server is part of the widely
deployed VMware virtual infrastructure solution with virtual machines compatible
across all VMware products, and with unified management and provisioning provided
by VMware VirtualCenter.
VMware GSX Server simplifies computing infrastructure by partitioning and isolating
servers in secure and transportable virtual machines, each of which can run standard
Windows, Linux or NetWare operating systems and applications. GSX Server allows
you to remotely manage, automatically provision and standardize virtual machines on
a secure, uniform platform.
Thousands of enterprise customers rely on VMware GSX Server to deliver server
scalability, reliability and high availability and to maximize return on IT investments.
Use GSX Server across the enterprise to:
•Streamline software development and testing operations with easily provisioned
and managed server-based virtual machines.
•Implement server consolidation for new and legacy departmental server
applications.
•Provision servers rapidly to local or remote locations.
•Streamline operating system and application patch management.