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Difference between revisions of "Configuration (Virtual Machine)"
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Configuration (Virtual Machine) (view source)
Revision as of 15:47, 16 July 2012
, 15:47, 16 July 2012Minor formatting and added link to Quest Optimiser
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== Performance Settings == | |||
The lists here are not exhaustive, there may be more that you can tweak without adversely affecting system performance. Similarly some settings here may cause problems depending on how your systems operate. | |||
Additionally, see the following resources | Additionally, see the following resources | ||
* http://www.vmguru.nl/wordpress/2010/07/how-to-optimize-guests-for-vmware-view/ | * http://www.vmguru.nl/wordpress/2010/07/how-to-optimize-guests-for-vmware-view/ | ||
* http://www.vmware.com/Files/pdf/VMware-View-OptimizationGuideWindows7-EN.pdf | * http://www.vmware.com/Files/pdf/VMware-View-OptimizationGuideWindows7-EN.pdf | ||
=== Windows 2008 === | |||
In order to be able to squeeze the most of a virtual infrastructure its imperative that VM's are configured for best performance. | In order to be able to squeeze the most of a virtual infrastructure its imperative that VM's are configured for best performance. | ||
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**# Virtual memory/page file - Should be set to a fixed size, and ideally as small as possible so as to conserve disk space usage. You need to know what you're doing when you set this. Do you expect your systems to be starved of memory and need to page? Whilst I personally try to keep the page file down to 1GB in size, this can be catastrophic for some workloads (especially if an application needs to map large files, which would normally be backed by page file). | **# Virtual memory/page file - Should be set to a fixed size, and ideally as small as possible so as to conserve disk space usage. You need to know what you're doing when you set this. Do you expect your systems to be starved of memory and need to page? Whilst I personally try to keep the page file down to 1GB in size, this can be catastrophic for some workloads (especially if an application needs to map large files, which would normally be backed by page file). | ||
=== Windows 2003 === | |||
In order to be able to squeeze the most of a virtual infrastructure its imperative that VM's are configured for best performance. | In order to be able to squeeze the most of a virtual infrastructure its imperative that VM's are configured for best performance. | ||
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*** Virtual memory/page file - Should be set to a fixed size, and ideally as small as possible so as to conserve disk space usage. You need to know what you're doing when you set this. Do you expect your systems to be starved of memory and need to page? Personally for a VM with 4GB RAM assigned, I'd keep the page file down to 1GB in size. | *** Virtual memory/page file - Should be set to a fixed size, and ideally as small as possible so as to conserve disk space usage. You need to know what you're doing when you set this. Do you expect your systems to be starved of memory and need to page? Personally for a VM with 4GB RAM assigned, I'd keep the page file down to 1GB in size. | ||
=== Windows XP === | |||
The following changes are performance based, intended to ensure XP isn't unnecessarily wasteful | The following changes are performance based, intended to ensure XP isn't unnecessarily wasteful | ||
# Display simplifications | # Display simplifications | ||
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#* <code> diskperf -n </code> | #* <code> diskperf -n </code> | ||
=== Windows 7 === | |||
See also http://communities.quest.com/community/vworkspace/blog/2011/09/08/introducing-the-free-quest-vworkspace-desktop-optimizer | |||
# Set for best performance | # Set for best performance | ||
#* Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Performance Information and Tools, then Adjust visual effects, and select '''Adjust for best performance''' | #* Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Performance Information and Tools, then Adjust visual effects, and select '''Adjust for best performance''' | ||
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#* WLAN AutoConfig | #* WLAN AutoConfig | ||
== Disable Shutdown Event Tracker == | |||
If the ESX servers are running as a HA cluster then they MUST be able to fully startup automatically after a re-boot. The Windows OS Shutdown tracker asks why you're shutting down or rebooting a system, or following an unexpected shutdown, halts the starting of a system pending information from the user. Not a problem for servers where all applications run as a service, but would impede VMware HA operating effectively where (GUI) applications need to start by stopping systems being restarted fully. | If the ESX servers are running as a HA cluster then they MUST be able to fully startup automatically after a re-boot. The Windows OS Shutdown tracker asks why you're shutting down or rebooting a system, or following an unexpected shutdown, halts the starting of a system pending information from the user. Not a problem for servers where all applications run as a service, but would impede VMware HA operating effectively where (GUI) applications need to start by stopping systems being restarted fully. | ||
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# Set Display Shutdown Event Tracker to Disabled | # Set Display Shutdown Event Tracker to Disabled | ||
== Set Low Risk File Types == | |||
If mapped drives are being used, .bat and .exe files need to be declared as low risk file types to stop Open file - Security Warning prompts being displayed when trying to run from mapped drives. This is particularly a problem if software is set to auto-start by placing shortcuts in the StartUp directory, as the software won't auto start. | If mapped drives are being used, .bat and .exe files need to be declared as low risk file types to stop Open file - Security Warning prompts being displayed when trying to run from mapped drives. This is particularly a problem if software is set to auto-start by placing shortcuts in the StartUp directory, as the software won't auto start. | ||
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# Specify the low extensions as <code> .bat;.exe </code> | # Specify the low extensions as <code> .bat;.exe </code> | ||
== Console Clipboard Integration == | |||
In the good old days this was always enabled by default, so you could copy and paste between your desktop and VM's console. Since ESX 4.1, its been disabled by default. There are two routes in order to be able to use again | In the good old days this was always enabled by default, so you could copy and paste between your desktop and VM's console. Since ESX 4.1, its been disabled by default. There are two routes in order to be able to use again | ||
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*#* <code>isolation.tools.paste.disable="FALSE"</code> | *#* <code>isolation.tools.paste.disable="FALSE"</code> | ||
== Disable Balloon Driver == | |||
'''You should not disable the balloon driver - | {| class="vwiki-note" | ||
|- | |||
| '''You should not disable the balloon driver !''' | |||
|- | |||
| There are generally better ways to achieve whatever it is you're trying to achieve - memory reservations will normally work instead. | |||
|} | |||
Certain applications (such as MS SQL and Java) can lock the amount of 'physical' memory they want, and stop the OS being able to page it out to disk, in order tyo protect that applications performance. However, if a virtual environment becomes memory constrained, VMTools may attempt to force the OS to page memory to disk, but the OS will be unable to do so, and so will page itself out to disk, impacting the entire machines performance. | Certain applications (such as MS SQL and Java) can lock the amount of 'physical' memory they want, and stop the OS being able to page it out to disk, in order tyo protect that applications performance. However, if a virtual environment becomes memory constrained, VMTools may attempt to force the OS to page memory to disk, but the OS will be unable to do so, and so will page itself out to disk, impacting the entire machines performance. | ||
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'''<code>sched.mem.maxmemct</code>''' configures the amount of memory (in MB) that balloon driver can expand to in order to conserve ESX RAM usage. | '''<code>sched.mem.maxmemct</code>''' configures the amount of memory (in MB) that balloon driver can expand to in order to conserve ESX RAM usage. | ||
== Creating MSCS Machines == | |||
There are various different configuration options for creating MS clusters. For production standard clusters you must use RDM, otherwise you're forced to host both your VM's on the same ESX (and you can't vMotion them!). | There are various different configuration options for creating MS clusters. For production standard clusters you must use RDM, otherwise you're forced to host both your VM's on the same ESX (and you can't vMotion them!). | ||
* You can't snapshot disks that are configured to use SCSI Bus Sharing. | * You can't snapshot disks that are configured to use SCSI Bus Sharing. | ||
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* [http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1037959 VMware KB 1037959 - Microsoft Clustering on VMware vSphere: Guidelines for Supported Configurations] - Supported infrastructure config matrices | * [http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1037959 VMware KB 1037959 - Microsoft Clustering on VMware vSphere: Guidelines for Supported Configurations] - Supported infrastructure config matrices | ||
=== Cluster in a Box === | |||
Procedure assumes you're creating a VM cluster using 2 VM's on the same server sharing standard VMDK disks (not RDM's) | Procedure assumes you're creating a VM cluster using 2 VM's on the same server sharing standard VMDK disks (not RDM's) | ||
# Create a new private vSwitch on the ESX to host the VM's called "MSCS Heartbeat" | # Create a new private vSwitch on the ESX to host the VM's called "MSCS Heartbeat" | ||