vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage [v6.0]

Course Description

This authorized VMware training course features intensive hands-on training that focuses on installing, configuring, and managing VMware vSphere 6, which includes VMware ESXi 6 and VMware vCenter Server 6. Approximately 45 percent of class time is dedicated to completing hands-on labs. This course will give you a solid understanding of how to administer a vSphere infrastructure for an organization of any size.

Prior to obtaining a VCP6 level certification, candidates must first pass the vSphere 6 Foundations exam. This course will prepare you for the Foundations exam and put you on the path to obtaining the VCP6-DCV, VCP6-CMA, VCP6-NV, and VCP6-DTM certifications.

What You'll Learn

• Software-defined data center
• Deploy an ESXi host and create virtual machines
• vCenter Server architecture
• Deploy a vCenter Server instance or VMware vCenter Server Appliance
• Use vCenter Server to manage an ESXi host
• Configure and manage vSphere infrastructure with VMware vSphere Client and VMware vSphere Web Client
• Configure virtual networks with vSphere standard switches
• Use vCenter Server to manage various types of host storage
• Manage virtual machines, templates, clones, and snapshots
• Create a vApp
• Use the content library
• Migrate virtual machines with VMware vSphere vMotion
• Use VMware vSphere Storage vMotion to migrate virtual machine storage
• Monitor resource usage and manage resource pools
• Use VMware vRealize Operations Manager to identify and solve issues through analytics and alerts
• Manage VMware vSphere High Availability and VMware vSphere Fault Tolerance
• Use VMware vSphere Replication and VMware vSphere Data Protection to replicate virtual machines and perform data recovery
• Use VMware vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler clusters to improve host scalability
• Use vSphere distributed switches to improve network scalability
• Use VMware vSphere Update Manager to apply patches
• Perform basic troubleshooting of ESXi hosts, virtual machines, and vCenter Server operations

Who Should Attend

• System administrators
• Systems engineers

Prerequisites

• System administration experience on Microsoft Windows or Linux operating systems
• Understanding of virtual data center concepts comparable to those needed for VCA-DCV certification

Course Outline

Note: The curricula below comprise activities typically covered in a class at this skill level. The instructor may, at his/her discretion, adjust the lesson plan to meet the needs of the class.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Software-Defined Data Center

• Introduce Components of the Software-Defined Data Center
• Where vSphere Fits into the Cloud Architecture
• Install and Use vSphere Client
• Overview of ESXi

Lesson 2: Creating Virtual Machines

• Introduce Virtual Machines, Virtual Machine Hardware, and Virtual Machine Files
• Create and Work with Virtual Machines

Lesson 3: vCenter Server

• Introduce the vCenter Server Architecture
• Deploy and Configure vCenter Server Appliance
• Install and Use vSphere Web Client
• Manage vCenter Server Inventory Objects and Licenses
• Explain the Benefits of Enhanced vMotion Compatibility

Lesson 4: Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks

• Create and Manage Standard Switches
• Modify Standard Switch Properties
• Configure Virtual Switch Load-Balancing Algorithms
• Create, Configure, and Manage vSphere Distributed
• Switches, Network Connections, and Port Groups

Lesson 5: Configuring and Managing Virtual Storage

• Introduce Storage Protocols and Storage Device Names
• Discuss ESXi with iSCSI, NFS, and Fibre Channel Storage
• Create and Manage VMware vSphere VMFS Datastores
• Introduce VMware Virtual SAN

Lesson 6: Virtual Machine Management

• Use Templates and Cloning to Deploy Virtual Machines
• Modify and Manage Virtual Machines
• Perform vSphere vMotion and vSphere Storage vMotion Migrations
• Create and Manage Virtual Machine Snapshots
• Create a vApp
• Introduce the Various Types of Content Libraries and How to Deploy and Use Them

Lesson 7: Resource Management and Monitoring

• Introduce Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts
• Configure and Manage Resource Pools
• Methods for Optimizing CPU and Memory Usage
• Use vCenter Server Performance Graphs and Alarms to Monitor Resource Usage
• Create and Use Alarms to Report Certain Conditions or Events
• Introduce vRealize Operations Manager for Data Center Monitoring and Management

Lesson 8: vSphere HA and vSphere Fault Tolerance

• Explain the vSphere HA Architecture
• Configure and Manage a vSphere HA Cluster
• Use vSphere HA Advanced Parameters
• Introduce vSphere Fault Tolerance
• Enable vSphere Fault Tolerance on Virtual Machines
• Introduce vSphere Replication
• Use vSphere Data Protection to Back Up and Restore Data

Lesson 9: Host Scalability

• Functions of a vSphere DRS Cluster
• Configure and Manage a vSphere DRS Cluster
• Work with Affinity and Anti-Affinity Rules
• Use vSphere HA and vSphere DRS Together

Lesson 10: vSphere Update Manager and Host Maintenance

• Use vSphere Update Manager to Manage ESXi Patching
• Install vSphere Update Manager and the vSphere Update Manager Plug-In
• Create Patch Baselines
• Use Host Profiles to Manage ESXi Configuration Compliance
• Scan and Remediate Hosts

Lesson 11: Installing VMware Components

• ESXi Installation
• Boot-from-SAN Requirements
• Introduce vCenter Server Deployment Options
• vCenter Server Hardware, Software, and Database Requirements
• Installation of vCenter Server Appliance and a vCenter Server Instance

Labs

Lab 1: Installing vSphere Client

• Access Your Student Desktop System
• Install vSphere Client

Lab 2: Configuring ESXi Hosts

• Examine the ESXi Host Hardware Configuration
• Configure the DNS and Routing Information for an ESXi Host
• Configure an ESXi Host to Use Directory Services

Lab 3: Working with Virtual Machines

• Create a Virtual Machine
• Install a Guest Operating System in a Virtual Machine
• Identify the Virtual Machine's Disk Format and View Storage Metrics
• Install VMware Tools on a Virtual Machine Installed with a Windows OS

Lab 4: Working with vCenter Server

• Access vCenter Server Appliance
• Install vCenter Server Appliance and Host License Keys
• Create a Data Center Object
• Add Your ESXi Host to the vCenter Server Inventory
• Configure Your ESXi Host as an NTP Client

Lab 5: Using vSphere Web Client

• Navigate vSphere Web Client
• Pin and Unpin Panes
• Hide the Getting Started Tabs
• Upgrade the Virtual Machine's Hardware

Lab 6: Creating Folders in vCenter Server Appliance

• Create a Host and Cluster Folder
• Create Virtual Machine and Template Folders

Lab 7: Using Standard Switches

• View the Standard Switch Configuration
• Create a Standard Switch with a Virtual Machine Port Group
• Attach Your Virtual Machine to the New Virtual Machine Port Group

Lab 8: Using vSphere Distributed Switches

• Create a Distributed Switch
• Add the ESXi Hosts to the New Distributed Switch
• Examine Your Distributed Switch Configuration
• Migrate the Virtual Machines to a Distributed Switch Port Group

Lab 9: Accessing iSCSI Storage

• Add a VMkernel Port Group to a Standard Switch
• Configure the iSCSI Software Adapter and Connect It to the Storage

Lab 10: Accessing NFS Storage

• Configure Access to NFS Datastores
• View NFS Storage Information

Lab 11: Managing VMFS Datastores

• Change the Name of a VMFS Datastore
• Create VMFS Datastores for the ESXi Host
• Expand a VMFS Datastore to Consume Unused Space on a LUN
• Remove a VMFS Datastore
• Extend a VMFS Datastore

Lab 12: Using Templates and Clones

• Create a Virtual Machine Template
• Create Customization Specifications
• Deploy a Virtual Machine from a Template
• Clone a Powered-On Virtual Machine

Lab 13: Modifying Virtual Machines

• Increase the Size of a VMDK File
• Adjust Memory Allocation on a Virtual Machine
• Rename a Virtual Machine in the vCenter Server Inventory
• Add and Remove a Raw LUN on a Virtual Machine
• Expand a Thin-Provisioned Virtual Disk

Lab 14: Migrating Virtual Machines

• Migrate Virtual Machine Files from the Local Storage to the Shared Storage
• Create a Virtual Switch and a VMkernel Port Group for vSphere vMotion Migration
• Perform a vSphere vMotion Migration of a Virtual Machine on a Shared Datastore
• Perform a Cross-Host vSphere Storage vMotion Migration to a Local Datastore

Lab 15: Managing Virtual Machines

• Unregister a Virtual Machine from the vCenter Server Appliance Inventory
• Register a Virtual Machine in the vCenter Server Appliance Inventory
• Unregister and Delete a Virtual Machine from the Disk
• Take Snapshots of a Virtual Machine
• Revert to a Snapshot
• Delete an Individual Snapshot
• Use the Delete All Function in the Snapshot Manager

Lab 16: Managing vApps

• Create a vApp
• Power On a vApp
• Remove a vApp

Lab 17: Managing Resource Pools

• Create CPU Contention
• Create Resource Pools
• Verify Resource Pool Functionality

Lab 18: Monitoring Virtual Machine Performance

• Create CPU Workload
• Use Performance Charts to Monitor CPU Utilization
• Undo Changes Made to the Virtual Machines

Lab 19: Using Alarms

• Create a Virtual Machine Alarm to Monitor a Condition
• Create a Virtual Machine Alarm to Monitor an Event
• Trigger Virtual Machine Alarms and Acknowledge the Alarms
• Disable Virtual Machine Alarms

Lab 20: Using vSphere HA

• Create a Cluster Enabled for vSphere HA
• Add Your ESXi Host to a Cluster
• Test vSphere HA Functionality
• View the vSphere HA Cluster Resource Usage
• Manage vSphere HA Slot Size
• Configure a vSphere HA Cluster with Strict Admission Control

Lab 21: Implementing a vSphere DRS Cluster

• Create a Load Imbalance
• Create a vSphere DRS Cluster
• Verify Proper vSphere DRS Cluster Functionality
• Create, Test, and Disable a VM-VM Affinity Rule
• Create, Test, and Disable an Anti-Affinity Rule
• Create, Test, and Disable a VM-Host Affinity Rule

Lab 22: Using vSphere Update Manager

• Install the vSphere Update Manager Server
• Install vSphere Update Manager
• Modify the Cluster Settings
• Configure vSphere Update Manager
• Create a Patch Baseline
• Attach a Baseline and Scan for Updates
• Stage the Patches onto the ESXi Hosts
• Remediate the ESXi Hosts