VMware vSphere Design [Paperback]

Forbes Guthrie (Author), Scott Lowe (Author), Maish Saidel-Keesing (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 8, 2011 | ISBN-10: 0470922028 | ISBN-13: 978-0470922026 | Edition: 1

The only book focused on designing VMware vSphere implementations.

VMware vSphere is the most widely deployed virtualization platform today. Considered the most robust and sophisticated hypervisor product, vSphere is the de facto standard for businesses, both large and small. This book is the only one of its kind to concisely explain how to execute a successful vSphere architecture, tailored to meet your company’s needs. Expert authors share with you the factors that shape the design of a vSphere implementation. Learn how to make the right design decisions for your environment.

• Explores the latest release of VMware vSphere
• Details the overall design process, server hardware selection, network layout, security considerations, storage infrastructure, virtual machine design, and more
• Debates the merits of Scaling Up servers versus Scaling Out, ESX versus ESXi hypervisor, vSwitches versus dvSwitches, and what the different storage protocols have to offer
• Illustrates the tools to monitor, to plan, to manage, to deploy and to secure your vSphere landscape
• Steps through the design decisions that a typical company may encounter, and questions the choices made
• Packed with real-world proven strategies, VMware vSphere Design examines how the virtualization architecture for your company should ideally look—and how best to achieve it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'...a comprehensive resource suitable for beginners to experts...scores 10 / 10 in terms of content and value for money.' (BCS.org, April 2011).

From the Back Cover

What You Need to Make the Right Design Decisions

To design a VMware vSphere implementation for the performance, scalability, and ROI that your business needs, you must understand all the factors that influence the outcome. Written for engineers and architects who plan, deploy, maintain, and optimize vSphere solutions, this unique book helps you make the right design decisions.

Should you use ESX or ESXi? Build your vCenter as a virtual machine? Design your storage for capacity or for performance? Filled with real-world examples, clear explanations of tools and concepts, and coverage of such topics as network topology, security domains, storage infrastructure, and more, this is the perfect guide for deploying a new design or transforming an existing one. Inside, you'll explore:

• Fundamentals of designing VMware environments around your business goals

• Details of the overall design process, vSphere hypervisor choice, server hardware selection and scaling, and your virtual machine blueprint

• How networking and storage landscapes impact vSphere design

• Different vCenter datacenter and cluster possibilities—tailoring availability and load-balancing options

• How to create compelling vSphere architecture with security in mind

• Basics of monitoring and capacity planning and the common tools available

• Design decisions that a typical company encounters, questioning the choices made

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (March 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470922028
• ISBN-13: 978-0470922026
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars useful details from a third party point of view March 20, 2011

By antkojm1

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

First, to be honest, I specifically bought and read this book right before my vcap4-dcd test. I was a little fuzzy in a few areas, and it gave me the detailed technical information I needed.

Overall great summaries and details of most areas impacting your vsphere infrastructure design decisions, from a third-party point of view you won't get from the vendor docs and reference designs. I will be referencing this book often for my own design decisions and for better understanding of ones made in existing and reference designs.

Very helpful for anyone who wishes to improve their vsphere design skill and technical knowledge.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The building blocks of exceptional VMware vSphere Infrastructures April 4, 2011

By Andy Kitzke

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you're looking for a book to give you the building blocks of how to design a virtual infrastructure using VMware vSphere, then "VMware vSphere Design" written by Forbes Guthrie, Scott Lowe and Maish Saidel-Keesing is a great start.

I've found myself in a plethora of VMware and virtualization books lately and as this one arrived at my door I was excited to dig in and gain more ideas when it comes to designing virtual infrastructures specifically using VMware. The first chapter covers functional requirements and design specifications which are essential to any project. I enjoyed that the authors took time away from technical aspects of VMware to discuss the finer points of design and how important these can be to a sustainable and successful design.

After the first chapter, the authors dig into designing a detailed thorough VMware infrastructure. While I feel my grasp of design with regard to VMware and virtual infrastructures are solid, I was pleasantly surprised to find many areas in the book that made me think twice about how I would design a system or helped to reinforce my current designs. I felt chapters 2-7 were good but jam packed technically which pulled away from the center of focus which was design. Chapters 8-11 then refocused with emphasis on design and really drove home the main points of design you need to be aware of when building virtual infrastructures.

The technical information in the book is similar to what I've read recently in other VMware centered books however, I feel the authors succeeded in the overall content of the book being focused on design. I would recommend this book to anyone taking on additional design/architecture roles within their organization and anyone studying for the VCAP-DCA/DCD.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy Reference/Guide April 13, 2011

By G. Cody Bunch

Format:Paperback

I received this book via Kindle loan for 14 days, of which I only needed about 12 to get through it. Mind, that is not because the content was light, far from it. It was because the book did the following things:

1) Taught me a few new things
2) Made me think about the way things are done... to question the "why's" behind certain design decisions
3) Made me pop open Google (more than a few times) to dig in deeper about a topic.

Chapter one, where the design process is laid out calls out the importance of having an operational component in your vSphere design. This is an area that often doesn't get much focus, so it was good to see it called out. Chapter 9, Designing for Security, is also a key component and "Risk Scenario" based approach was excellent and my only wish here, is that the chapter would have come sooner, or been integrated as a component into each chapter. There were a few spots where some of the recommendations were dated, but this is a risk you run into with any published material. I would also have liked to see more vApp coverage.