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Get Your Nerd On > Chris's Blogs

9/24/2008

Configuring and NFS Server on Ubuntu 8.04.1 Server
I can't believe that I am about to publicly say (or type rather) this.... the command line in some cases is easier than the GUI.
 
There.  I said it!  As a hard nosed GUI lover I have for a long time felt that administration is just easier when you are not fumbling for commands or mistyping parameters or for that matter I just want a little color in my life instead of just a black screen with white letters.
 
For the past few days I have been playing with some virtual appliances and "built-for-storage" devices like the ones that are freely available from FreeNAS.org and OpenFiler.com.  I had read about these two utilities and seen screen shots and many many moons ago spent a little time with them.  Well the past few days I had been revisiting these old friends with the intent of creating an NFS server demonstration.  Well the days went buy and I just did not find these tools very easy to use.  The documentation was extremely weak if at all, and in some cases I was looking at demo screenshots of screens I could not even find.
 
So after a bit of effort with these two GUI oriented storage appliance I decided to try my hand at creating NFS on good old Ubuntu Server.  The escapade began with obtaining the free Ubuntu 8.04.1 Server ISO from the Ubuntu Web site.  (Click the link to go to the page yourself.)
 
The next task was to install it, which I did into a virtual machine on ESX 3.5 Update 2.  The install was a piece of cake.
 
The video takes over from here and shows how I configured the new Ubuntu VM with a static IP address and a pair of valid DNS server and then shows the installation of the NFS server components, modification of the /etc/exports and then finishes by testing to see if the new directory was shared out.
 
 
Who knows.... this might be the beginning of a beautiful career in command line management!!  Probably not, but I will admit this configuration was 10,000 times easier than mucking with those two GUI products.
 
Enjoy getting your nerd on.

Chris
Posted at 10:36 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/28/2008

SQL and VC Revisited... Windows Authentication Configuration BONUS!!!
One of the first posts I did, and a popular one, based on the statistics was a video on how to configure SQL Server 2005 for VC.  This post provides an update to that same idea but with the added bonus of showing how to configure VC to use Windows Authentication to a remote SQL Server 2005 system.
 
While the video shows configuration with VC update 1 it still holds true for the Update 2 that was released this past weekend (7/24/2008).
 
The video shows the following steps:
1. Creation of SQL Server user account.
2. Creation of VC database.
3. Configuration of SQL Server user account.
4. Install of SQL Native Client
5. Creation of ODBC connection.
6. Install of VC 2.5.
7. Removal of MSDB permissions for SQL Server account.
8. Creation and configuration of Windows account for VC to use for Windows Authentication.
 
NOTE: According to the VMware setup guide for VC it is not supported to use Windows Authentication for remote SQL access.  This may change in the future, however, I can't promise or guarantee it.
 
I created this because I have run into a few scenarios when engaging customers where the company does not allow SQL Server authentication due to its historically bad reputation.  The reality is that SQL Server Authentication can be configured to use the same security settings as the Windows domain password policy and therefore has really eliminated the age old threat of a no password SA account.  Any environment wth an SA account that has no password has been purposefully configured that way.
 
Enjoy the video.  Click here to watch. E-mail me with questions.
 
Chris
 
Posted at 12:46 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

6/10/2008

MCITP: EA! The certification is much more than a mouthful.. but easy as pie.
In a quest to once again send a jolt of obscurity and confusion into the world of IT certification Microsoft has revamped its certification product line.  The new line says good bye to some old titles and hello to lots and lots of new ones.  Gone are the days of the MCSA and MCSE, these are the days of the MCTS and MCIPT.  The new twist is that there are many flavors of MCTS and MCITP certs.
 
The changes to the Microsoft certification line come in response to the market demand (?) for specialized certifications to fit specific job roles.  For example there exists an MCTS certification for products like:
  • Windows SharePoint Services
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
  • Exchange Server 2007
  • SQL Server 2005
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows Server 2008
  • and more....

Meanwhile there are MCITP certifications with titles like:

  • Database Administrator (DBA)
  • Database Developer
  • Enterprise Messaging Administrator
  • Enterprise Support Technician
  • Consumer Support Technician
  • Server Administrator (SA)
  • Enterprise Administrator (EA)

In case you are wondering, the MCSA and MCSE are most closely linked to the MCITP: SA and MCITP: EA, although Microsoft seems to suggest that the old MCSA is not the same as the MCITP:SA and the old MCSE is not the same as the new MCITP: EA.  However, it is a bit contradictory then for them to offer MCSA upgrades to the MCITP:SA and MCSE upgrades to the MCITP:EA.

Anyhow, the most important part of this blog is to let you know that as of right now the MCITP: EA exams are actually quite easy.  Microsoft has gone through great lengths to simplify question wording and delivery.  Simply put, they have eliminated a good portion of drag and drop items, hot spot items, "choose all that apply" items, and even simulations.  WARNING!!! This is subject to change at any time.  So my advice to you is that if you plan on upgrading your existing Microsoft certification or just earning one at all... NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!!  Get it over with while the questions are still so immature.  Don't wait longer because only time will bring difficulty. 

In time, Microsoft will recruit new subject matter experts with deeper Windows Server 2008 experience than the previous pool of SMEs and the questions will become more difficult and the exam items will venture back into more complex simulation (and maybe even emulation) item types. 

The simulations are make believe operating systems that are presented within a scenario and the candidate must complete anywhere from one to three tasks.  There has been a rumor however that Microsoft is looking to introduce emulations in which students will connect to full blown virtual machines and be asked to perform tasks.  The difference then is that simulations do not permit full access to the operating system and therefore can provide direction to a solution; while and emulation will be wide open for all kinds of dead ends.

If you have any questions on the new Microsoft certification track contact me at chris@getyournerdon.com.

Posted at 1:57 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: Microsoft | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

3/20/2008

SVMotion.... Watch it happen here!!
There has been quite a bit of buzz about Storage VMotion (aka SVMotion) as a new feature of ESX 3.5 and VC 2.5.
 
The idea behind the feature is that a running (hot) virtual machine can be moved from one datastore to another without incurring downtime.  For example, as shown in the diagram, virtual machines stored on local VMFS volumes of an ESX Server, or virtual machines that are outgrowing their existing VMFS datastore can be hot migrated to another datastore that offers more flexibility or more space as needed. 
 
Click here to view the SVMotion diagram.
 
While there has been a lot of excitement around there has also been confusion as to how to get it to work.  I have created three videos to show how SVMotion can be executed.  Click on each of the videos to begin playing.
 
Video 1: SVMotion for Remote Command Line Interface
Video 2: SVMotion Interactive from Remote Command Line Interface
Video 3: SVMotion with the unsupported but nifty SVMotion plugin from viplugins.com
 
The remote command line interface can be downloaded from VMware as a virtual appliance or installation package for Windows and Linux.
 
The SVMotion plugin is very cool and functional but please do not call VMware for help with the plugin.  It was created by a third-party (pretty smart one) that has several plugins for VirtualCenter.  You can find them at http://www.viplugins.com.  I imagine that eventually it will be built into the interface by VMware but for those without much patience and a weak stomach for the command line.  This will certainly hold you over!
 
This should help clear up some of that confusion.
 
Enjoy
Chris
Posted at 11:56 AM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: Miscellaneous | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (2)

3/19/2008

30 years of programming for 21 seconds of magic.
I have only been in IT for about 9 years now.  Teaching and consulting for almost a decade I can easily admit that one of the greatest wonders in my mind is why Microsoft did not have a native tool that could be used to grow and shrink a system volume.   Was it some deep dark problem with the construction of the OS?  No, because Acronis was able to do it.  Was it a lack of programmers available to Microsoft?  Come on, does the Pope $H1T in the woods?  Is a bear Catholic?  Of course not!!!
 
Well all those years of wishing and now its like Christmas in March.  While writing an article for Microsoft on Windows Server 2008 I found the Holy Grail.  I found that Windows Server 2008 will let me change the size of my system volume.  I sat stunned for several minutes upon the realization.  I didn't think it were true.  How could it be?  Has technology brought us to that point?  Has Microsoft landed a new Harvard MBA with an ear for the desires of the common IT Pro?  I don't care which, but now I can change the size of my system volume.  I must have changed it 10x just to be sure.  Just in case at some point it went away I wanted to have experienced the good life as much as I could.
 
So I share this powerful, 21 second video with you so that you can bask in the same wonderous joy that I did.  But I warn you, if you watch the video it might take some of the wind out of your sails for when you do this on your own the first time.
 
Click here to watch the video on growing and shrinking the system volume on Windows Server 2008.
 
Sleep well tonight!
Chris
Posted at 4:29 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: Microsoft | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)
VMware Update Manager Demo
Nothing an IT goes without patching.  Firmware needs it, operating systems need it, applications need it, and even hypervisors need it.
 
With the recent release of Vmware ESX 3.5 and VC 2.5 Vmware has included a new feature that facilitates the deployment of updates to ESX Server hosts.... AND VIRTUAL MACHINES!!!
 
So if you have been frustrated with SUS and its older brother WSUS and you refuse to buy System Center for complete control of updates then Vmware presents you with another option in VMware Update Manager.
 
Update Manager allows you to create update baselines that represent a set of updates and then compare a host or VM against that baseline.  If the host or VM is not compliant against that baseline then it can be remediated to deploy the updates.
 
Click here to watch a video on using VUM to update an ESX Server host.  Through the magic of video editing this happens much faster in the video than in real life.  The video proceeds through the following steps:
  1. Creation of a baseline.
  2. Applying the baseline to a host.
  3. Scanning the host.
  4. Remediating the host.
  5. Host transition to "Enter Maintenance Mode."
  6. Manual VMotion of VMs on the host.
  7. Host transition to "Maintenance Mode."
  8. Applicaiton of updates
  9. Reboot of host

Grab some semi-sweet chocolate non-pareils (aka Snowcaps) and a Cherry Coke... this one is action packed!!!

Chris

Posted at 4:11 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: VMware | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

3/13/2008

Need NFS?  Got Windows?
So as you can probably tell I have been doing quite a bit of VMware work lately.  In my consulting and even in the lab environment I have constructed I have found that having an NFS datastore really comes in handy.  But I have found that its not as prevalent in the typical IT environment despite its storage friendly cost.
 
I found it especailly useful for VCB restores (thanks to Chris Skinner) because I could make the backup files available to the Service Console and not have to copy them locally.  But then VMware allowed Enterprise Converter to restore VCB backups and that rendered the need for the NFS backup directory useless.  But it still functions really well for ISOs and templates.
 
So you can imagine my surprise and happiness when I learned that I could tweak a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 to present itself as an NFS share.  All it took was a simple download of the File Services for Unix and a few quick configuration steps.
 
I have created a video that details the configuration process.
 
Click here to view the video on configuring Windows Server 2003 as an NFS server for ESX.
 
Enjoy.
Chris
Posted at 7:47 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: VMware | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)
VirtualCenter 2.5 with SQL Server 2005
If you have struggled getting VC 2.5 to work on top of SQL Server 2005 you will appreciate this video that walks through all the steps of installation including configuring the database.
 
In the video I opted not to go the route of just blindly assigning sysadmin fixed server role as is suggested in some of the installation documentation you may find.
 
As the video will show I used SQL Authentication and a user account that OWNS the VC database.  Not a member of db_owner for the VC database, the user is listed as the OWNER giving them full rights of the dbo schema.  In addition the video shows how to assign the user membership in the db_owner database role for the MSDB database which is required only for the duration of the VC installation and then can be removed.
 
Grab some popcorn and an RDP session and follow along if you want!
 
Click here to play the video for VC 2.5 installation on SQL Server 2005.
 
Enjoy.
Chris
Posted at 5:15 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: VMware | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

3/4/2008

Virtual Switch Configuration for NLB Clusters
While creating a virtual switch might be a simple task, managing the virtual switch properties to ensure optimal security and performance can be challenging.  VMware suggests that virtual switches should be configured as shown in the following diagram in order to provide the tightest level of VM and network security.
 
vSwitch Security
 
Unfortunately this configuration prevents the ability to configure VMs in an NLB cluster that uses unicast communications.  In order for a virtual switch to support the unicast configured NLB cluster of VMs the vswith MAC address changes must and forged transmits must be set to Accept (shown in video).  Meanwhile NLB clusters of VMs with a multicast configuration operate just fine.
 
The two videos below show the operation of NLB clusters in both unicast and multicast mode and the configuration requirements of the virtual switch. 
 
Click here to watch a video on NLB clusters with a multicast configuration.  This video also shows how the two node NLB Web cluster was built on Windows Server 2003.
Click here to watch a video on NLB clusters with a unicast configuration.
 
So the moral of the story is that if you want to maintain VMware's recommended level of security but you need to implement an NLB cluster then you should opt for the multicast NLB cluster configuration.
 
Chris McCain
Posted at 6:55 AM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: VMware | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (1)

3/2/2008

BIOS Updates for DELL 10G Servers
If you run a lot of ESX Servers like I do and like many other environments you may run into a little hurdle or two trying to perform BIOS updates on systems without floppy disk drives.
 
Especially with the impending prevalence of ESX Server 3i which will be just a hypervisor with no associated console OS, performing BIOS updates will need to be simplified.
 
I have created a video that shows a very easy way to perform these updates using a bootable USB flash drive with a Windows PE image and all the DELL updates built into the image.
 
Click the link below to watch the video on how to build the USB flash drive and then how to initiate the firmware updates on the DELL server.  The video used a 1GB USB flash drive to perform a BIOS update on a DELL Poweredge 2950 III with no operating system.
 
 
Keep in mind that once you have the PE environment it is easy to simply mount the PE image copy any new updates to the mounted image then unmount the image and XCOPY back to the USB drive.  Using subdirectories you can even use this one drive to update all your different DELL models.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Chris McCain
Posted at 8:28 PM by NERD-WSS1\chris | Category: Miscellaneous | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (2)
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