Virtualization with VMware ESX Server

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.

About the Authors

Al Muller has been in the IT field since 1995, getting his start as a database administrator in the Navy. In 2002 he began using VMware’s GSX Server and within a year was involved in his first visualization project. Since then, he has been an eager proponent of virtualization technology and has worked on a number of different server consolidation and virtualization projects. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and plans on writing a series of books on the virtual evolution taking place in data centers worldwide and the tools required to leverage and support a virtual infrastructure.

Seburn Wilson is a VMware Certified Professional, MCSE, and HP ASE with more than nine years of industry experience in network operating systems, messaging, and directory services. As a Senior Consultant at Callisma, he has focused on Active Directory design, migrations, and server consolidation for large enterprise customers while serving as the technical lead and project manager for all phases of client engagements. Prior to joining Callisma, he worked for Lucent Technologies as a Network Systems Consultant. Seburn holds a BA in Business Administration from St. Leo University with a specialization in Computer Information Systems.

Don Happe has more than 17 years of industry experience in internetworking, server operating systems, messaging, and directory services consulting. At Callisma Don founded the Enterprise Operating Systems practice and is the National Practice Director. The Enterprise Operating Systems practice focuses on delivering strategic and project-based solutions to Callisma’s clients in the areas of server consolidation and virtualization; directory services; identity management; provisioning; and messaging-related projects. Don has extensive experience in the planning, design, and implementation of enterprise technologies. He is also proficient at program/project management, strategic planning, architecture and design, and pilot/full-scale deployments. Before joining Callisma, Don worked for Computer Sciences Corporation, where he led various large-scale data center, network operating systems, and internetworking projects.

Gary J. Humphrey has more than 25 years of industry experience in networking, security, and data communications. Before joining Callisma, he held positions as senior director, architect, vice president, and president with Fortune 50/100/250 companies, along with foreign military security communications design companies. Previous design and implementations of GSX and ESX include the consolidation of more than 2,500 servers into VMware environments. He holds degrees in Petroleum Land Management and Business, with professional certifications of CISSP, MCSE2K3, CISSM, CISA, CCNA, CCDA, and CCA. Currently, he is involved in SOX security audits and the design of role-based access control models for Fortune 100 companies.