Customer Reviews

VMware ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers

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Are you a beginning or advanced administrator? If you are, then this book is for you. Author Edward L. Haletky, has done an outstanding job of writing a book on VMware ESX Server versions 2.5x and 3.0.

Haletky, begin by reviewing the system requirements that you will need. Then, the author covers installation differences, VM differences, and management differences. Next, he covers some of the aspects of automated deployment of ESX Servers and the tools needed to accomplish this task. The author also discusses ESX from the perspective of security. He continues by discussing the not-so-good and the good things about each SAN and what the best practices are for use, support and configuration. Then, the author reviews some operational constraints associated with the management of ESX and the running of VMs. Next, he discusses the networking possibilities within ESX Server and the requirements placed upon the eternal environment if any. The author also shows you how to install, configure and attached storage to your ESX Server. He continues by showing you how to use the management interfaces as he addresses real-world examples of planning installations. Then, the author discusses the use of various performance-monitoring tools that will add to your understanding of how to balance resources across multiple ESX Servers. Finally, the author discusses some third-party tools available to make your backup and restoration tasks simpler.

This most excellent book concludes with a discussion of the future of the ESX Server. Perhaps more importantly, the best practices of the ESX Server sprinkled throughout the book will entice and enlighten, and spark further conversation and possibly well-considered changes to your current environments.

If you are looking at implementing virtualization in your hosting facility, I think the book is worth it's weight in gold. It discusses issues that every integrator is going to run into during requirement gathering, concept, design and implementation of projects involving client server architecture. This is a very hot topic which seems to be focus of every organization, and this books gives you the tools you need to discuss related issue intelligently. I would recommend it.

Synopsis: Loaded with practical real world scenarios, best practices, and handy checklists, "VMware ESX Server in the Enterprise" is geared toward those who have some ESX 2 experience and need to prepare for and optimize an ESX 3 environment.

Pros:
- One of my favorite aspects of the book are several checklists for preparing for, deploying, and connecting ESX hosts to the rest of the infrastructure. These include not only the steps to installing ESX (which you can find most anywhere), but also some invaluable checklists for securing the hosts, managing storage, networking, etc. This alone may mean the difference between success and failure.
- Mr. Haletky shares not only what he's learned from his own research, but from real world scenarios from customers projects large and small.
- Tables, lists, illustrations and screenshots are clear and well placed.

Cons:
- Although well written, the editing was mediocre at best. Particularly in the opening chapters it is apparent the text was written, re-written, and then edited further. The finished product therefore is sometimes difficult to follow.
- The book reads as if Mr. Haletky began writing about ESX 2 and attempted to extend it to v.3. The result was a text that is over-reaching and lacks focus.
- Lacks a glossary, which is particularly confusing as several acronyms are used without introduction or explanation.
- There are several minor distractions, such as diagram captions referring to colored lines, where the rendering is black and white. However the message is always clear.
- Less than a year old and already a bit dated as ESX 3.5 and new hardware options have changed the rules a bit. This is always a reality with IT reference material, but is felt keenly in this publication as it tends to focus on older yet ESX 2.0.

This book was useful both as a reference book to look up individual topics (I used it that way specifically for storage and network information) and to read as a guide/introduction to ESX. The author has a very in depth knowledge of the environment and the options available to anyone implementing the technology. It is laid out logically so that you can get the information you need subject (chapter) by subject.

I would say that the main drawback to the book is that sometimes it felt like I got right up the more advanced information that I was looking for and was informed that the options are available but had limited information to guide you in using/configuring or best practices for even choosing some of the more advanced settings.

I think overall this is an extremely useful book for someone just entering the ESX world, and for users who have not already been immersed in an ESX environment. Even for those people who are more advanced with the product it is a good added resource but may not fill all of your needs for more advanced features.

VMWARE ESX SERVER IN THE ENTERPRISE: PLANNING AND SECURING VIRTUALIZATION SERVERS is an excellent real-world guide to planning and managing modern virtual infrastructure platforms, and is a pick for college-level libraries strong in computer networking studies. Many techniques and practices seemingly unique to the ESX server system apply to all current virtualization platforms, not just ESX - which lends this title value beyond its apparent specialty focus.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch