vChuck

Ok – where do I begin?  It has been a long time since I made an update to this web page. Since my last post, I have accepted a new position with Gantech, Inc. I’m the Innovation Architect focused on delivering virtualization solutions around the VMware product line.

Gantech

Allegis Group was a good company to work for, but I watched as they drifted away from the technologies that I enjoyed working with. I met some wonderful people there and very happy for the experience.  Thank you, Allegis.

My move to Gantech was to continue chasing my passion for virtualization and also to create forward thinking solutions. I will focus on the solutions that include the products have spent the most of the last few years with.

I’m currently working with:

• View 5.1 and 5.2 beta
• Mirage 3.6 and the beta
• Horizon and the beta

I have updated by home datacenter to vSphere 5.1 and installed vCops for View.  I’m working on an effective and affordable DAAS solution.

There is a lot to write about and I will make 2013 the year to get the information to you.

I’m sorry for the time gap and hope you will benefit from the information here.

Happy Virtualizing.

My plan was to have a second part to my datacenter story to show all the virtual machines I have running in the environment. But, there were a few things that happened and I want to create this quick entry.

• I was adding a light to the laundry room and turned off the wrong breaker. This shut down my entire datacenter. After spending a few hours restarting everything, I decided I needed a UPS. I know, this is something I should have purchased from the beginning, but with this mishap, now was a good time to act. I got an APC xs1000, charged it, shutdown my datacenter and installed it. Right now I’m seeing about 30 minutes run time on battery. I plan to create scripts that will automatically shut down the environment if I lose power. This also will protect me from myself if I decide to do any more work around the house.
• I found that you can put 16GB of memory in the HP Microservers. I placed an ordered for one server and tried it, success! I then ordered the rest to upgrade all of the servers. Now I have 3 servers running 16GB each for a total 48GB for the entire datacenter. This allows me to expand the number of VMs in my environment. Now I don’t have to choose between my Wanova server and my Octopus server. I will provide a complete list of what I have running in a future entry.
• Finally, I’m heading to VMworld in San Francisco and plan to update this blog while I’m there. There are so many events to attend along with the sessions. For me being on the Customer Council, a VMUG Leader and a vExpert, has given me the opportunity to attend several receptions, lunches, etc. I’m not bragging or complaining, just hope I can attend it all.

Here is the memory I purchased for the servers:

Happy Virtualizing.

I wanted to setup a home lab to install and work with some of the VMware products. I had played around with setting up ESX in Workstation some time back and knew that was an option. My friend Dan Berowitz has done a great job of this for a few of the versions of vSphere. I thought about it and decided to take another route. I wanted to install things on physical servers to create a mini Datacenter. I did not want to:

• Take up a lot of room
• Create a lot of noise
• Use so much electricity that the local utility company sent me a rewards card.

I started my research and found an excellent article on the HP Microservers.

http://techhead.co/running-vmware-vsphere-on-an-hp-microserver

I purchased my first server, Iomega ix2-400 and other parts listed below.

I used this Dual Port NIC.

Memory

ESXi installed perfectly along with the Iomega storage.  I created a server for vCenter and a Windows 2008 domain controller as virtual machines. I ordered two more servers and the parts needed to bring them up to the same configuration as the first one.

I used 3 dedicated D-Link switches, one for internet, one for vMotion and one for storage.  I have an Apple Mini Mac with Fusion and the View client. My other endpoints are iPad2, Acer A200, Acer Notebook and my Android phone. I’m using DPM and it very nice to have all but one server shutdown during my “downtime” and then fire back up when I need it. This is a very quiet, energy friendly and affordable setup.

Thank you to VMware for giving the vExperts the opportunity to use their products in such way that we can learn this stuff and make it solutions elsewhere.

I’m Chuck Mills, a Solutions Architect for Allegis Group in Maryland. I’ve been working in IS/IT for over 30 years with the last 10 years focused on virtualization technologies. I’m current working with client virtualization and mobilization, but still work with the many other virtualization products as much as I can. Before taking my current position, I was Director of IT for various companies over the last 20 years. The last two companies I worked for achieved 100% virtualized datacenters. I enjoy giving presentations on the benefits of virtualization and had the pleasure to present at VMworld in 2009. I’m a member of VMware Customer Council, one of the Co-Leaders of the Maryland VMUG and was selected as a vExpert for 2011 and 2012.

What I would like to do with this site is to document some of the challenges I’m facing in developing good business solutions. I hope to give information and maybe get some in return. There are so many ways to solve problems and I enjoy learning about some of the solution others have provided.
I will write about:

• End User Computing and its issues (some listed below)
• Windows 7 Migration
• Application Virtualization
• BYOD
• Working with End-Points (Tablets, etc.) 
• My Home Lab
• Server Virtualization
• Clouds?
• And anything I decide to play with

Looking at the information above, you would know that I use a lot of VMware products. I hope the information here helps someone along the way including me.
Happy Virtualizing,
vChuck