VMware vSphere: Optimize and Scale [V6.5]

In this course, you will learn how to configure and maintain a highly available and scalable virtual infrastructure. Through a mix of lecture and hands-on labs, you will configure and optimize the vSphere features that build a foundation for a truly scalable infrastructure, and you will learn when and where these features have the greatest effect.

• Experienced system administrators
• System engineers
• System integrators

• Understanding of concepts presented in the VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage [V6.5] course (5673)
• Experience with ESXi and vCenter Server
• Experience with working at the command prompt is recommended but not required

• Configure and manage ESXi networking and storage for a large and sophisticated enterprise
• Manage changes to the vSphere environment
• Optimize the performance of all vSphere components
• Harden the vSphere environment against security threats
• Use VMware vSphere Client, VMware vSphere Web Client, and VMware vSphere ESXi Shell to manage vSphere
• Use VMware vSphere Auto Deploy to provision ESXi hosts
• Use VMware vRealize Log Insight to monitor system logs
• Deploy VMware vCenter Server Appliance to be highly available and optimized for performance

1. Course Introduction

• Introductions and course logistics
• Course objectives
• Additional resources for after this course
• Other VMware Education offerings

2. Network Scalability

• Configure and manage vSphere distributed switches
• Distributed switch features such as port mirroring, LACP, QoS tagging, and NetFlow

3. Storage Scalability

• vSphere storage APIs for array integration and storage awareness
• Configure and assign virtual machine storage policies
• Configure VMware vSphere Storage DRS and VMware vSphere Storage I/O Control
• Create and use virtual volumes in vSphere

4. Host and Management Scalability

• Uses of VMware vCenter Converter
• Use content libraries
• Use host profiles
• Use VMware vSphere ESXi Image Builder CLI and vSphere Auto Deploy

5. CPU Optimization

• CPU scheduler operation, NUMA support, and other features that affect CPU performance
• Use esxtop to monitor key CPU performance metrics

6. Memory Optimization

• Ballooning, memory compression, and host-swapping techniques for memory reclamation when memory is overcommitted
• Use esxtop to monitor key memory performance metrics

7. Storage Optimization

• Factors that affect storage performance
• Use esxtop to monitor key storage performance metrics

8. Network Optimization

• Performance features of network adapters
• Performance features of vSphere networking
• Use esxtop to monitor key network performance metrics

9. Analyzing vSphere

• How Proactive DRS enhances virtual machine availability
• Use vRealize Log Insight to identify and troubleshoot issues

10. vCenter Server Availability and Performance

• Native high-availability features of vCenter Server and VMware Platform Services Controller
• Configure vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller high availability
• Understand what factors influence vCenter Server performance

11. vSphere Security

• Configure ESXi host access and authorization
• Secure ESXi, vCenter Server, and virtual machines
• Use VMware Certificate Authority to configure vSphere certificate management
• Configure vSphere to encrypt virtual machines, core dumps, and VMware vSphere vMotion