Course Content
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage Content
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Course Introduction
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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Overview of vSphere and Virtual Machines
vSphere Virtualization of Resources
vSphere User Interfaces
Overview of ESXi
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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Creating Virtual Machines
Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive
Introduction to Containers
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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Centralized Management with vCenter Server
Deploying vCenter Server Appliance
vSphere Licensing
Managing the vCenter Server Inventory
vCenter Server Roles and Permissions
Monitoring vCenter Server Appliance
Backing Up and Restoring vCenter Server Appliance
vCenter Server High Availability
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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Introduction to vSphere Standard Switches
Configuring Standard Switch Policies
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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vSphere Storage Concepts
Fibre Channel Storage
iSCSI Storage
VMFS Datastores
NFS Datastores
vSAN Datastores
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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Creating Templates and Clones
Working with Content Libraries
Modifying Virtual Machines
Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion
Enhanced vMotion Compatibility
Migrating VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion
Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots
vSphere Replication and Backup
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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Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts
vSphere Resource Controls
vSphere Resource Monitoring Tools
Monitoring Resource Use in vSphere
Using Alarms in vSphere
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 Clusters Overview
vSphere DRS
Introduction to vSphere HA
vSphere HA Architecture
Configuring vSphere HA
Introduction to vSphere Fault Tolerance
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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vCenter Server Update Planner
Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
Working with Baselines
Working with Images
Managing the Life Cycle of VMware Tools and VM Hardware
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage
About Lesson

Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager

Learner Objectives

After completing this Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Recognize features of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
  • Distinguish between managing hosts using baselines and managing hosts using images • Change the patch download source

Introduction to vSphere Lifecycle Manager

 

vSphere Lifecycle Manager centralizes automated patch and version management for clusters, ESXi, drivers and firmware, VM hardware, and VMware Tools. vSphere Lifecycle Manager features include:

  • Upgrading and patching ESXi hosts
  • Installing and updating third-party software on ESXi hosts
  • Standardizing images across hosts in a cluster
  • Installing and updating ESXi drivers and firmware
  • Managing VMware Tools and VM hardware upgrades

Baselines and Images

vSphere Lifecycle Manager supports two methods for updating and upgrading ESXi hosts. Only one method is supported at a time.

ESXi updates or patches are bundled into baselines. ESXi updates or patches are bundled and distributed as new ESXi versions.

If you switch from managing using baselines to managing using images, you cannot switch back.

Managing Using Baselines Managing Using Images
Compares ESXi hosts against an ESXi major version, group of patches, or set of extensions. Compares ESXi hosts against a customized image that includes a base ESXi image, one or more addon components, one or more vendor add-on components, firmware and drivers.
Supports all versions of ESXi from 6.5 and later. Supports ESXi version 7.0 and later.
Baselines attach to individual ESXi hosts. Hosts in a cluster are managed collectively, with one ESXi host image per cluster.

ESXi upgrades through ISO images ESXi upgrades through image depots (ZIP files).

vSphere Lifecycle Manager Home View

 

In the vSphere Lifecycle Manager home view, you configure and administer the vSphere Lifecycle Manager instance that runs on your vCenter Server system. From the drop-down menu at the top of the Lifecycle Manager pane, you can select the vCenter Server system that you want to manage. To access the vSphere Lifecycle Manager home view in the vSphere Client, select Menu > Lifecycle Manager.

Patch Settings

By default, vSphere Lifecycle Manager is configured to download patch metadata automatically from the VMware repository. Select Settings > Patch Setup to change the patch download source or add a URL to configure a custom download source.

vSphere Lifecycle Manager Integration with vSphere DRS

When performing remediation operations on a cluster that is enabled with vSphere DRS, vSphere Lifecycle Manager automatically integrates with vSphere DRS:

  • When vSphere Lifecycle Manager places hosts into maintenance mode, vSphere DRS evacuates each host before the host is patched.
  • When vSphere Lifecycle Manager attempts to place a host into maintenance mode, certain prechecks are performed to ensure that the ESXi host can enter maintenance mode.
  • The vSphere Client reports any configuration issues that might prevent an ESXi host from entering maintenance mode.

Review of Learner Objectives

After completing this Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Recognize features of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
  • Distinguish between managing hosts using baselines and managing hosts using images
  • Change the patch download source
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