Configure VMM 2012 To Manage IBM System X Server

 

In this article, we will look into how to configure IBM Remote Supervisor Adapter (NIC Management) so we can use VMM 2012 to perform operation such as Power ON, Power OFF and Restart Server.

1. First, reboot the server and enter to BIOS.

 

2. On access to System Configuration and Boot Management screen | Select Settings

3. On System Settings page | Select Integrated Management Module

4. On Select Integrated Management Module screen | Select Network Configuration

5. On Select Network Configuration screen , configure the following settings:

Network Interface Port : Dedicated

IP Address : (configure the NIC Management IP Address)

6. Save the setting and reboot the server.

7. On the VMM Server, select the Hyper-V Server | Right click Properties and select Hardware.

8. On the OOB Power management configuration provider, select IPMI / DCMI.

9. Configure the following settings:

BMC Address: IP Address that has configured in Step 5.

BMC Port : 623

Run As Account: By default the user name is “USERID” and password is “PASSWORD”

10. Once successful configure, you can view the result from BMC Logs and perform operation such as Power ON, Power Off and Restart the server from VMM Server.

Veeam Backup and Replication V6.5 Support Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V

 

Yeah! I’m gladly announce that we have another product support Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. Veeam Backup and Replication v6.5 has the following new features:

• Support Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V
• Support Clustered Shared Volume 3 
• Support SMB 3
• Support for Windows 8 guest VM
• Support new virtual hard disk format (VHDX)
• Support ReFS
• Support Windows Server 2012 Deduplication on Veeam Repository
• Support as guest operating system include app aware processing.
• Application Aware Processing for VMs that use EFI boot
• Included Veeam Explorer™ for Microsoft Exchange provides instant visibility into Exchange backups, advanced search capabilities, and quick recovery of individual Exchange items (emails, contacts, notes, etc.)
• Veeam Explorer™ for SAN Snapshots lets you perform Veeam restores of entire VMs or individual items directly from HP StoreVirtual VSA and LeftHand snapshots
• Enhanced dedupe / compression
• Support for instant recovery with excluded disk
• Support for Vmware vSphere 5.1

To know more / evaluate the product, feel free to click here.

Maximum Number of Virtual Processor Based on Guest Operating System Running on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V

 

Here is the updated virtual processor that you can assigned based on guest operating system on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V:

Server Platform

Guest Operating System	Max number of Processor
Windows Server 2012	64
Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 / without SP1	64
Windows Server 2008 with SP2	8
Windows Server 2003 R2 with SP2	2
Windows Server 2003 R2 with SP2	2

Client Platform

Guest Operating System	Max number of Processor
Windows 8	32
Windows 7 with/without SP1	4
Windows Vista with SP2	2
Windows XP with SP3/SP2	2

Linux Platform

Check out here

Relevant post:

• http://technet.microsoft.com/library/hh831531

Supported Linux Distro in Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V

 

Just a quick update to Linux fan about the supported linux distro in Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. We are now supported five (5) linux distro:

a) CentOS

• Supported version 5.7 & 5.8, 6.0 – 6.3
• Maximum of 64 vCPU that you can assigned
• Require to install Linux Integration Services version 3.4
• Link to download OS, click here.

b) Red Hat Enterprise Linux

• Supported version 5.7 & 5.8, 6.0 – 6.3
• Maximum of 64 vCPU that you can assigned
• Require to install Linux Integration Services version 3.4
• Link to download OS, click here.

c) Suse Linux Enterprise Server

• Supported version 11 SP2
• Maximum of 64 vCPU that you can assigned
• Integration Services are built in into the operating system. That’s mean , you do need to separate download and install the Linux Integration Services
• Link to download OS, click here.

d) Open Suse

• Supported version 12.1
• Maximum of 64 vCPU that you can assigned
• Integration Services are built in into the operating system
• Link to download OS, click here.

e) Ubuntu

• Supported version 12.04
• Maximum of 64 vCPU that you can assigned
• Integration Services are built in into the operating system
• Link to download OS, click here.

More linux distro will join soon. Stay Tuned.

Failed to Open Explicitly Database VirtualManagerDB

 

Scenario:-

• Installed with DPM 2012 SP1 Beta
• Installed with VMM 2012 SP1 Beta with SQL Server 2012

Issue:-

• Unable to backup or create initial recovery point when select VMM Express Writer backup in DPM 2012 SP1 Beta

Event log reported, the following error message “Login failed for user NT Authority\SYSTEM. Reason: Failed to Open Explicitly Database VirtualManagerDB”

Resolution:-

1. On the VMM Server, open SQL Manager Studio

2. Connect to the SQL 2012 instance  | select and expand Security | select and expand Logins | right click on the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM and select Properties | click on Server Roles |

3. Make sure, sysadmin role is CHECKED.

4. On the DPM Server, perform consistency check on the VMM protection group. That should resolve the issue.

Different Between Client Hyper-V and Server Hyper-V

Clock is ticking and the launch of Windows 8 Client OS is around the corner. Well, i’m not going to covered everything except Client Hyper-V which is going to replaced XP mode & Virtual PC. Yes, right you will have Enterprise class hypervisor running in your desktop/laptop.

Some information that you should take note when you want to use Client Hyper-V.

Requirement to enable Client Hyper-V

• Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) must exist
• 64 bit of Windows 8 Pro
• Hardware assisted Virtualization

How to enable Client Hyper-V features

• Go to Program & Features on the Control Panel, Click Turn Windows Features on or off and select Hyper-V Platform

Features NOT Available on Client Hyper-V

By using Client Hyper-V, you will have almost the features of Server Hyper-V EXCEPT the following features:

• RemoteFX GPU Hardware acceleration which require RDV in Windows Server)
• Live Migration.
• Hyper-V Replica
• SRV-IOV.
• Virtual Fibre Channel
• NIC Teaming
• Custom Event Viewer for Hyper-V
• Hyper-V Network Virtualization
• Failover Clustering (only available in Windows Server)
• Shared Nothing Live Migration

For those who has installed Windows 8 Enterprise, you will see “Virtual SAN Manager” on Hyper-V Manager. This does not mean that you will have “Virtual Fibre Channel”. The Hyper-V Manager in Client Hyper-V can be used to manage Windows Server 2012, in which case all the capabilities show up in the UI.

Another example:- Client Hyper-V only support Storage Migration and not Live Migration – in the UI when Hyper-V Manager is connected to Client Hyper-V, you’ll only see the option to move VM’s storage. If you use the same Hyper-V Manager to connect to WS2012 Hyper-V, you’ll see all 3 options

Commonalities between Client Hyper-V and Server Hyper-V

The commonalities between Windows 8 Hyper-V & Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V:

• Virtual Machines created with Client Hyper-V are 100% compatible with Server Hyper-V
• Client Hyper-V offers the same VM scale as Server
• Up to 64 virtual processes per VM
• Up to 64TB per virtual disk
• New file format VHDX
• Up to 1 TB of memory per VM.
• Live Storage Migration is included
• Support VHD Storage on SMB3 file shares
• 100% PowerShell/WMI compatibility in management from Client to Server.
• Client Hyper-V offers the full rich, open and extensible Hyper-V virtual switch.
• QoS, bandwidth management and other advanced virtual switch capabilities are in there

Question

Q1. Can i use SCVMM to manage Client Hyper-V?

• No. It is not supported. SCVMM is use to manage Server Hyper-V.

Note:

Information above was shared by MVP peer :- Didier Van, Patrick Lownds, Romeo Minar, Carsten Rachfahl and Brian Elbert. Thank guy!

It may NOT contain the entire features which is NOT available on Client Hyper-V. So if the different is not listed above, kindly leave a comment to share with everyone. Thank you for your input.

Veeam Offered Monthly Prize Drawing

 

Something to share from the blog sponsor:- Veeam is now featuring monthly prize drawings with some very exciting prizes.

Entering is easy—just one entry is all that’s required for a chance to win every month until August 2013.

Among the prizes, there are Microsoft Surface tablets, Apple iPads, and FREE passes to TechEd 2013 and VMworld 2013!

Find out more about Veeam’s big giveaway.

Presentation:- Building a Virtualized Development and Testing Environments

 

During ALMUC community event i have presented below session. Here is the description of the session:-

A virtual testing and development environment is the perfect place to test applications, operating systems and hardware before you place them into production -- whether it’s virtualized or not. Testing and development environments are frequent candidates for server virtualization deployments, especially for companies just starting out with virtualization. Testing and development environments provide a low-risk medium in which to test out virtualization and can improve resource allocation and storage. But there are several potential challenges for virtualized test and development environments, including networking, backup and recovery and high-availability concerns. In this session, we will talk about how to address these challenges with Windows Server 8 Hyper-V.

Slide

Restore From DPM Using Windows Azure Online Backup Services

 

Let continue from where we stop last time. In my previous post, i’ve talked about Backup File /VM using DPM to Windows Azure Online Backup Services. Now in this post, we are going to restore the data that we have backup.

Restore File

In this video, i’m showing on how to restore a file which i have backup previously to Azure Online Backup Server by using DPM 2012 SP1 Beta.

Restore VM

In this video, i’, showing on restore a 9GB VHD from Windows Azure Online Backup Services to alternate location by using DPM 2012 SP1 Beta.

Related post:-

• Register DPM 2012 SP1 Backup to Windows Azure Online Backup

• Backup to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

Backup to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

In my previous article, i have talked about how to register DPM 2012 SP1 Beta to Windows Azure Online Backup Services. Now i will show you on how easy to perform backup data to Windows Azure Online Backup Services.

The following data can backup to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

• Files/ Folder
• Virtual Machine

The following data CANNOT backup to Windows Azure Online Backup Services :- (when performing my testing using DPM 2012 SP1 Beta and hopefully be able to when product is RTM)

• SQL Database
• System State
• Bare Metal Recovery

When configure backup to cloud, you need to select backup to disk first before select cloud protection. Without select backup to disk, you will NOT be able to select Cloud data protection.

Configuration:-

Backup Files/Folder to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

Backup Virtual Machine to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

Stay Tuned for next post on how do we use DPM to restore protected data from Windows Azure Online Backup

Related post:-

• Register DPM 2012 SP1 Beta Backup to Windows Azure Online Services
• Restore Data from Windows Azure Online Backup Services using DPM 2010 SP1

Register DPM 2012 SP1 Backup to Windows Azure Online Backup

 

DPM 2012 offered 3 types of backup method:

• a) backup to disk (for short term protection)
• b) backup to tape (for long term protection)
• c) DPM 2 DPM 4 DR (DR site)

With DPM 2012 SP1, you have an additional backup method:-

• a) DPM 2 Azure.

In my test environment, i have test DPM 2012 SP1 Beta and this article will look on register configuration that you should configure before enable DPM 2 Azure.

Summary of the step:-

a) Configure Subscription Windows Azure Online Backup

b) Register DPM to Windows Azure Online Backup

Configuration

1. On the DPM Console, click on Manage Subscription

2. It will connect to Windows Azure Online Backup. Register an account “Windows Azure Online Backup” to get 300GB quota. Currently this service is under “Preview Version”

3. Once registration complete, click again “Manage Subscription. Click download Windows Azure Online Backup Agent.

4. An additional icon appear. Click Register

Video on how to register DPM to Windows Azure Online Backup

5. Final result after DPM registered to Windows Azure Online Backup

Stay Tuned. In my next article i will post about how to configure backup to Windows Azure Online Backup.

Related post:-

• Backup to Windows Azure Online Backup Services

Storage Virtualization In Windows Server 2012

 

Hey!, We got Hyper-V for Server Virtualization which allowed you to do server consolidation by converting physical server to virtual machine. Now with Windows Server 2012, we got Storage Virtualization (aka Storage Spaces)

What is Storage Spaces?

Well , it is just a bunch of disk, standard cheap disk either SAS, or SATA that you gathered and with the functionality of Windows Server 2012, we group those disk into a pool which stored in JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) enclosure.

Can i group different disk with different size?

Yup! You can . Your disk can be any size & speed. Just remember that when you use Storage Spaces, you need to be in non-RAID mode with all RAID functionality disabled.

How about redundancy or protection in case the disk fail?

You can configure physical disk as hotspare. When any failure, it will take over and protect your storage spaces.

From the pool, you can start to create logical disk or also know as virtual disk. You can configure different RAID according to performance & resilient of your application/data that you tend to store. Here is some guidelines

a) Simple spaces – to improve performance without increase resilient. They are best suited for storing temporary files such as Public folder. Minimum number of disk is 1.

b) Mirror spaces – to improve performance & increase resilient. When configure as mirror, they are 2 types

i) Two way mirror – can tolerate 1 disk failure. Two-way mirror spaces must use three or more physical disks. Minimum number of disk is 2.

ii) Three way mirror – can tolerate 2 disk failure. Three-way mirror space must use five or more physical disks. Minimum number of disk is 3. 

c) Parity – designed for capacity efficient & improve resilient. Minimum number of disk is 3.

When you create your logical disk, you can specify the provisioning type:- fixed provisioning or thin provisioning.

a) fixed provisioning – allowing the creation of spaces that are same size or smaller than physical disk. If your physical disk is 1 TB, then you can create spaces up to 1TB.

b) thin provisioning - allowing the creation of spaces that are larger than the underlying pool. This allows potentially simpler management—a large "media" space for TV shows and movies could be created with some large size, say 50 TB, with only 2 TB of physical capacity in the pool. As more shows are recorded or downloaded, and space becomes tighter, additional drives can be added to the pool; the space will then use this extra capacity with no further configuration required.

Will i get notification when it my disk is full? What happen when running out of space?

Yes. You will receive a low capacity notification when reached 70%. Therefore, it is recommended to buy an additional physical disk and added to storage spaces. Then you can easily extend your logical disk/virtual disk and volume.

Next step is you can start to create Volume / Partition to store your data.

Check out below video on how to configure Storage Pool, Logical Disk and Volume

Storage Pool from Yoong Seng Lai on Vimeo.

Related post:-

• Storage options in Windows Server 2012