Product Description

A virtual evolution in IT organizations throughout the world has begun. It is estimated that currently 3% of all servers run virtually and that number is expected to grow rapidly over the next 5 years. VMware's ESX server is the enterprise tool that provides the platform on which a complete virtual infrastructure can be designed, implemented, and managed. ESX is the most powerful, resilient and customizable of VMware's three virtual platforms and this book explores many of the possibilities that a virtual infrastructure running on ESX Server provides.

Server Sprawl and escalating IT costs have managers and system administrators scrambling to find ways to cut costs and reduce Total Cost of Ownership of their physical infrastructure. Combining software applications onto a single server, even if those applications are from the same software vendor, can be dangerous and problems hard to troubleshoot. VMware ESX Server allows you to consolidate 15 to 20 or even more servers onto a single physical server reducing hardware, electrical, cooling, and administrative costs. These virtual servers run completely independent of each other so if one crashes the other are not affected. Planning and implementing a server consolidation is a complex process.

This book details the requirements for such a project, includes sample forms and templates, and delivers several physical to virtual migration strategies which will save both time and costs. You will easily be able to plan and deploy VMware's ESX Server and begin down the path of an evolved, virtual infrastructure in which costs, administration overhead, and complexity are reduced. VMware has provided the technology for a virtual infrastructure and this book shows you how to build it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116875 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-09
• Released on: 2005-06-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

Customer Reviews

Great book with topics that others don't cover
I bought this book about a month ago along with some others on VMware. It definitely covers some critical P to V methods that other books just don't cover. The writing style is pretty good too, not stuffy, and the author is very enthusiastic about VMware, and that comes across well. It is slightly more basic than some, but it's a great book for someone new to VMware who is trying to come up to speed quickly, and learn the product thoroughly. It's not filled with theory, it's got good "in the trenches" anecdotes and real world info, not conjecture put in there just to fill up space. Get it!

Sieve through to find relevant info
This book is based upon ESX 2.5. There are still highly relevant parts of it with regards to tuning, performance, and general concepts. However, it's long in the tooth already--scour the earth for a book about VI or ESX3, and save your money--or better yet, download the free documentation at [...], and save up for your certification class.

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Are you an IT professional who is managing a sprawling physical server environment? If you are, then this book is for you! Authors Al Muller, Seburn Wilson, Don Happe, and Gary J. Humphrey, have done an outstanding job of writing a book that shows the IT professional how control both costs and headaches, architects and consultants, with an emphasis on server consolidation methodology.

Muller, Wilson, Happe, and Humphrey, begin by walking you through the GUI-based installation method for loading ESX 2.5; as well as, the tasks you'll need to perform before you install ESX and afterward. Then, the authors show you how to build a virtual machine, discuss its basic requirements; as well as, some issues to consider when building virtuals. Next, the authors review some of the advanced configuration possibilities for both your ESX Server and your virtual machines. The authors then expand on the basics of virtual networking. They continue by discussing and walking you through the concepts and methodologies for migrating your physical machines into a virtual environment. Then, the authors focus on how to achieve a successful server consolidation project, concentrating mainly on the people and process aspects of the project. They then discuss some of the very cool tools you need to manage you virtual infrastructure. Next, the authors focus on the administration of a virtual infrastructure. They then discuss some of the best practices, as well as, some that were not covered. They continue by explaining the system architecture of the ESX server to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the underlying components and their dependencies. Then, the authors focus on backup strategies and the different approaches available to ensure you can recover your Service Console and VMs after a disaster. They then focus on the commands that are most likely to be used to manage your ESX Server from the Service Console. Finally, they look at what the future holds.

In this most excellent book, you'll find a lot of step-by-step instructions with associated screenshots that will make your mental transition from the physical world to the virtual world that much easier. More importantly, you'll find that this book is very effective in articulating the people and process components of server virtualization.