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