Course Content
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage Content
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Introduction to vSphere and the Software Defined Data Center
As a vSphere administrator, you must be familiar with the components on which vSphere is based. You must also understand the following concepts: Virtualization, the role of the ESXi hypervisor in virtualization and virtual machines Fundamental vSphere components and the use of vSphere in the software-defined data center Use of vSphere clients to administer and manage vSphere environments
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Virtual Machines
You can create a virtual machine in several ways. Choosing the correct method can save you time and make the deployment process manageable and scalable.
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vCenter Server
vCenter Server helps you centrally manage multiple ESXi hosts and their virtual machines. If you do not properly deploy, configure, and manage vCenter Server Appliance, your environment might experience reduced administrative efficiency or ESXi host and virtual machine downtime.
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Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks
When you configure ESXi networking properly, virtual machines can communicate with other virtual, and physical, machines. In this way, remote host management and IP-based storage operate effectively.
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Configuring and Managing Virtual Storage
Understanding the available storage options helps you set up your storage according to your cost, performance, and manageability requirements. You can use shared storage for disaster recovery, high availability, and moving virtual machines between hosts.
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Virtual Machine Management
Virtual machines are the foundation of your virtual infrastructure. Managing VMs effectively requires skills in creating templates and clones, modifying VMs, migrating VMs, taking snapshots, and protecting the VMs through replication and backups.
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Resource Management and Monitoring
Although the VMkernel works proactively to avoid resource contention, maximizing performance requires both analysis and ongoing monitoring. Developing skills in resource management, you can dynamically reallocate resources so that you can use available capacity more efficiently.
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vSphere Clusters
Most organizations rely on computer-based services like email, databases, and web-based applications. The failure of any of these services can mean lost productivity and revenue. By understanding and using vSphere HA, you can configure highly available, computer-based services, which are important for an organization to remain competitive in contemporary business environments. And by developing skills in using vSphere DRS, you can improve service levels by guaranteeing appropriate resources to virtual machines.
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vSphere Lifecycle Management
Managing the life cycle of vSphere involves keeping vCenter Server and ESXi hosts up to date and integrated with other VMware and third-party solutions. To achieve these goals, you must understand how to use the new features provided by vSphere Lifecycle Manager, namely, clusterlevel management of ESXi hosts and the vCenter Server Update Planner.
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VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage
About Lesson

Backing Up and Restoring vCenter Server Appliance

Learner Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Create a vCenter Server Appliance backup schedule
  • Restore vCenter Server Appliance from backup

Virtual Beans: vCenter Server Operations

As a Virtual Beans administrator, you are responsible for the maintenance and daily operation of vCenter Server. To align with Virtual Beans policies, you perform the following tasks:

  • Back up vCenter Server data monthly. • Make vCenter Server highly available:
    • —99.99 percent available (downtime per year of 52.56 minutes)
  • Monitor vCenter Server performance to avoid potential problems in the infrastructure.

About vCenter Server Backup and Restore

 

vCenter Server backup and restore operations protect data. These operations work in the following ways:

  • Use the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface
  • Remove dependency on third-party backup solutions
  • Support FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, SFTP, FTP, NFS, and SMB
  • Include the option to encrypt backups
  • Restore directly from the vCenter Server Appliance GUI installer
  • Restore a vCenter Server instance to a brand-new appliance

Methods for vCenter Server Appliance Backup and Restore

You can use different methods to back up and restore vCenter Server Appliance:

  • File-based backup and restore:
  • Image-based backup and restore:
    • —Use vSphere Storage APIs – Data Protection with a third-party backup product to perform centralized, efficient, off-host, LAN-free backups.

File-Based Backup of vCenter Server Appliance

You can perform a file-based backup manually.

File-Based Restore of vCenter Server Appliance

 

 

Use the vCenter Server Appliance GUI installer to restore a vCenter Server Appliance to an ESXi host or a vCenter Server instance. The restore procedure occurs in stages:

  1. A new appliance is deployed.
  2. The newly deployed vCenter Server Appliance is populated with the data stored in the file-based backup.

When you use the file-based restore method, reconciliation is automatically performed.

Scheduling Backups

 

You can schedule automatic file-based backups. The backup scheduler supports:

  • A retention policy to keep all backups or a defined number of backups
  • Daily, weekly, or custom schedule Failed backups trigger an alarm in the vSphere Client.

Viewing the Backup Schedule

You can view the existing defined backup schedule from the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface. The backup schedule can be edited, disabled, or deleted.

 

Review of Learner Objectives

After completing this Backing Up and Restoring vCenter Server Appliance lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Create a vCenter Server Appliance backup schedule
  • Restore vCenter Server Appliance from backup
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