Storage Implementation in vSphere 5.0

The more important VMware virtualized infrastructure becomes, the more important virtualization storage becomes. Virtualization storage planning and management is complex, and it's been almost impossible to find authoritative guidance - until now. In Storage Design and Implementation in vSphere 5.0, one of VMware's leading experts completely demystifies the "black box" of vSphere storage, and provides illustrated, step-by-step procedures for performing virtually every task associated with it. Mostafa Khalil brings together detailed techniques and guidelines, insights for better architectural design, planning and management best practices, common configuration details, and deep dives into both vSphere and external storage-related technologies. He gives technical professionals the deep understanding they need to make better choices, solve problems, and keep problems from occurring in the first place. This book answers crucial, ground-level questions such as: How do you configure storage array from "Vendor X" to support vSphere "Feature Y"? How do you know you've configured it correctly? What happens if you misconfigure it? How can you tell from logs and other tools that you have a problem - and how do you fix it? Most of the author's troubleshooting techniques are based on his own personal experience as a senior VMware support engineer helping customers troubleshoot their own vSphere production environments - experience that nobody else has.

Mostafa Khalil is a Senior Staff Engineer with VMware Global Support Services. He has worked for VMware for 12+ years and supported all VMware virtualization products since Workstation for Linux 1.0 beta. His specialty is storage integration in virtual environments. Khalil has worked on most enterprise storage vendors' solutions and received engineering-level training from many of them. He has presented at every VMworld since the event's inception, as well as at VMware Partner Exchange (formerly Technical Solution Exchange), the VMware User Group, and USENIX. His professional certifications include: VCDX, VCP, VCAP4 DCA, MCSE, Master CNE, HP ASE, IBM CSE, and Lotus CLP.

Introduction

Part 1: Storage
1. Storage Types
2. Protocols and Standards
3.  Storage Connectivity and Media
4. VMware Pluggable Storage Architecture (PSA)
5. 3rd party Multipathing Plug-ins
6. Storage Virtualization Devices (SVDs)
7. LUN Sizing Design Decisions and Best Practices
8. Performance Optimization Monitoring

Part 2: File Systems
9. VMFS
10. NFS
11. VisorFS

Part 3: Storage Virtual Appliances (SVAs)
12. Concept and Architecture
13. Design Decisions for using SVAs

Part 4: Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery (BC/DR)
14. Virtual Machines and Applications Clustering
15. Metro Clusters and Stretch Clusters
16. Standby Servers (Blades)
17. Disaster Recovery Design