VMware vSphere: Manage for Performance

Prerequisites:

This is an advanced course. Required prerequisites include the completion of one of the following:

* Completion of VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage
* Completion of VMware vSphere: Fast Track
* Completion of VMware vSphere: Whats New
* Equivalent knowledge and administration experience with ESX/ESXi and vCenter Server

Course Description:

This hands-on training course explores the management of performance in a VMware® vSphere™ environment. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary to make fundamental design decisions that enhance performance and to meet performance goals in an already-deployed vSphere installation. The course is based on ESX 4.0, ESXi 4.0, and vCenter Server 4.0.

On completion of this course, the delegates will be able to:

• Explain the performance impact of using different monitor modes
• Use vSphere tools to monitor the performance of ESX/ESXi hosts
• Troubleshoot performance problems relating to CPU, memory, network, and storage on an ESX/ESXi host
• Discuss how to achieve an optimal virtual machine configuration
• Discuss guidelines for monitoring application performance

This course includes the following modules:

Course Introduction

Performance in a Virtualized Environment

• Discuss the vSphere performance troubleshooting methodology
• Monitor performance using vCenter Server performance graphs and the ESX/ESXi resxtop command

Virtual Machine Monitor

• Discuss software and hardware virtualization techniques and their impact on performance

CPU Performance

• Discuss the CPU scheduler, NUMA, and CPU cache contention
• Monitor key CPU performance metrics
• Troubleshoot common CPU performance problems

Memory Performance

• Discuss memory reclamation techniques and memory overcommitment
• Monitor key memory performance metrics
• Troubleshoot common memory performance problems

Network Performance

• Discuss the performance features of modern network adapters
• Monitor key network performance metrics
• Troubleshoot common network performance problems

Storage Performance

• Discuss how storage protocols, VMFS configuration, load balancing, and queuing affect performance
• Monitor key storage performance metrics
• Troubleshoot common storage performance problems

Virtual Machine Performance

• Discuss guidelines for configuring a virtual machine for optimal performance

Application Performance

• Discuss what applications can be virtualized
• Discuss how VMware vCenter AppCenter manages application performance