What You'll Learn

• Configure a XenServer virtualization server
• Manage a XenServer using XenCenter
• Create Windows and Linux virtual machines
• Create XenServer resource pools and connect to remote storage
• Use XenMotion and automatic virtual machine placement
• Design a Provisioning Server farm
• Create, assign, and administer virtual disks
• Manage target devices
• Configure high availability

Who Needs to Attend

IT professionals, architects, systems engineers, and Citrix Partner Network members

Pre-requisites

• Basic knowledge of the purpose and goals of virtualization technology
• Understanding of computing architecture, including network and storage devices, device drivers, and operating systems
• Basic experience installing and administering Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008
• Basic experience installing and administering Linux variants
• Intermediate knowledge of network devices and site architecture, including configuring vLANs
• Basic knowledge of storage terminology and technologies, including partitions, SANs, LUNs, iSCSI, and NFS and CIFS file shares

Course Outline

1. XenServer Overview

• XenServer Product Line
• Citrix XenServer 5.6 New Features
• Role-Based Access Control
• Dynamic Memory Control
• Virtual Machine Disk Snapshot
• Automated Virtual Machine Optimizations and Power Management
• StorageLink Site Recovery
• Heterogeneous Pools
• Enhanced Operating System Support
• Enhanced XenCenter Interface
• Administrative Logging and Audit
• XenServer Architecture Overview
• XenServer Architectural Components
• Emulation Example
• Paravirtualization Example
• XenCenter Overview
• XenCenter Performance Data

2. XenServer and XenCenter Installation

• Virtual Machine Storage
• Single and Multiple Disk System Installations
• Multiple Disk System
• Pre-Installation Checklist
• XenServer Installation Process
• Practice: XenServer Installation
• XenCenter Windows Consoles
• XenCenter Linux Consoles
• XenServer Licensing
• Licensing Components
• License File Management
• Obtaining License Files
• Installing the Citrix License Server
• License Management Console

3. Windows Virtual Machines

• Virtual Memory and Disk Size Limits
• Virtual Device Support
• Windows Virtual Machine Architecture
• Create a Windows Virtual Machine
• Installation from an ISO
• ISO Libraries
• Create an ISO Library
• Practice: Windows Virtual Machine Creation from an ISO Library
• XenServer Tools

4. Linux Virtual Machines

• Linux Virtual Machine Architecture
• Linux Distributions
• Xen-Enabled Distributions
• Non-Xen-Enabled Distributions
• Creating Linux Virtual Machines
• Installing XenServer Tools
• Virtual Network Computing (VNC) for Virtual Machines
• Configure VNC for Virtual Machines

5. Templates and Life-Cycle Operations

• Virtual Machine Templates
• Practice: Virtual Machine Templates
• Exporting, Importing, and Copying Virtual Machines
• Practice: Importing and Exporting a Virtual Machine
• New Virtual Machine Creation Using a Template
• Life-Cycle Operations
• Suspend and Resume
• Deleting a Virtual Machine
• Practice: Life-Cycle Operations

6. XenConvert

• XenConvert Overview
• Xen Virtual Appliance Formats
• Open Virtualization Format
• XenConvert Default Behavior
• Physical Machine Conversion
• Produce a Virtualized Instance of a Workload
• Source Volume Properties
• Destination Volume Properties
• Disk Properties
• Practice: Disk Space
• Converting from Physical to Virtual Machine
• Complete the P2V Conversion
• New Virtual Machine in XenCenter
• Practice: P2V Conversion
• Virtual-to-Virtual-Machine Conversion
• Convert a Server or Desktop to a Virtual Machine

7. Resource Management

• Virtual Machine Resource Management
• Virtual Disks
• Virtual Disk Sizes
• vDisk Resizing
• Virtual NICs
• Virtual CPUs
• Memory
• Multiprocessor HAL in Windows 2000
• Practice: Resource Management
• Resource Optimization
• CPU Scheduler
• CPU Priorities
• Network and Storage Resources
• Practice: Fine-Tuning Resources
• Dynamic Memory Control
• Dynamic Memory Control Configuration
• DMC Behavior when Launching New Virtual Machines
• Events and Alerts
• Set Host Alerts in XenCenter
• Set Virtual Machine Alerts in XenCenter
• Alert Customization
• Perfmon String
• Valid Virtual Machine Elements
• Valid Host Elements
• Persistent XenServer Performance Statistics
• E-mail Alert Configuration
• Performance Statistics in XenCenter
• Performance Graphs in XenCenter
• XenCenter Searches

8. Networking

• Network Components and Architecture
• Network Architecture Diagram
• Internal-Only Networks
• Virtual NICs
• External Networks
• VLAN Support and Components
• Practice: Network Component Descriptions
• Initial Network Setup
• Management and Normal Interfaces
• IP Address Information for Normal NICs
• Practice: Configuring Physical Networks
• NIC Bonds
• NIC Bonding Architecture
• Active-Active Mode
• Load Balancing
• Network Adapter Drivers
• Virtual Network Setup
• Virtual NIC Creation
• Virtual NICs Connections
• Configure a NIC Bond for a Standalone Host
• NIC Bond Configuration for Resource Pools
• Network Configuration
• Configure a VLAN

9. Managing XenServer

• Managing XenServer Users
• End User Authentication using Active Directory
• Active Directory Integration Key Benefits
• External Authentication Process
• Active Directory Integration
• Active Directory Integration Configuration
• Role-Based Access Control
• Roles
• Command-Line Interface Overview
• XenServer Menu-Driven Text Console
• Command-Line Interface Operations Targets
• XenServer Objects
• Core XenServer Objects
• Host Connector Objects
• Virtual Machine Connector Objects
• Object Naming within the Command-Line Interface
• Command-Line Interface Usage
• Command-Line Interface Prerequisites
• Basic Command-Line Interface Syntax
• Command-Line Interface Shortcuts
• Common Object Commands
• The List Command
• List Command Displayed Parameters
• List Command Class Object
• Use the List Command Procedure
• Expanded Fields
• The Parameter Commands
• Parameter Command Modifiers
• Use the Param Command
• Practice: XenServer Commands
• XenServer Help Commands
• Access Help Commands
• Command-Line Interface Access
• XenServer Host Command-Line Interface
• Access the Command-Line Interface Directly from the Host Procedure
• Access the XenServer Command-Line Interface Using SSH Procedure
• Access the XenServer Command-Line Interface Using XenCenter
• Remote Command-Line Interface Access
• Credential Arguments
• Remote Host Example

10. Storage

• Storage Overview
• Storage Components
• Storage Types
• Storage Type Feature Comparison
• Practice: Storage Components
• Storage Architecture
• Storage Repositories
• Local Disk Storage Architecture
• Storage Repository Architecture
• Practice: Storage Architecture
• Multiple Storage Repositories
• Practice: Storage Repositories
• Initial Storage Setup
• Local Storage
• Virtual Machine Storage Types
• Virtual Disk Setup
• Virtual Disk Size
• Practice: Local Storage
• Scaling Storage for the Enterprise
• Remote Storage Features
• Storage Capability Comparison
• Fibre Channel SANs Overview
• Fibre Channel Architecture
• Storage Repositories Configuration
• LUN Device Path
• Practice: Fibre Channel HBA Management
• iSCSI Storage Overview
• iSCSI Terminology and Names
• iSCSI Network
• Software-Based iSCSI
• iSCSI Storage Configuration
• iSCSI Setup Best Practices
• Practice: iSCSI Storage
• NFS Storage Overview
• NFS Remote Storage
• Software NFS Architecture
• NFS Virtual Disks
• NFS Remote Storage Configuration
• NFS Setup Best Practices
• Practice: NFS Storage
• Third-Party Storage
• NetApp Storage Overview
• NetApp Storage Architecture
• FlexVol Limits and Parameters
• NetApp Access Control
• NetApp Features
• Dell EqualLogic Storage Integration
• Storage Management
• Dedicated NIC Bonds for Remote Storage
• Dedicated Remote Storage Interface Configuration
• Storage Multipathing
• Multipathing and Disaster Recovery
• Storage Repository Recovery
• StorageLink Overview
• StorageLink Components
• StorageLink Manager Interface
• StorageLink Configuration
• Creating a Storage Repository
• Allocating Storage for Virtual Machines
• Creating a Storage Profile
• Template Management
• Virtual Machine Creation from Templates
• StorageLink Command-Line Interface and PowerShell

11. Resource Pools

• Resource Pools Overview
• Resources Shared in a Pool
• Resource Pool Architecture
• Pool Member Types
• Resource Pool Communication
• Heterogeneous Pools
• Pool Member Requirements
• Resource Pool Requirements Diagram
• CPU Requirements
• Network Settings
• XenServer Licenses in a Resource Pool
• Resource Pool Administration
• Resource Pool Creation and Configuration
• Shared Configurations
• Pool Members
• Prepare for Adding a Member
• Add a Member to a Resource Pool
• Remove a Secondary Member from a Resource Pool
• Resource Pool Recovery
• Master Failure Overview
• Failure Detection Process
• Recovered Master Reconnection
• Promote a Secondary Member to a Master
• Practice: Master and Secondary Server Roles
• Virtual Machine Movement
• Automatic Virtual Machine Placement
• Virtual Machine Location
• XenMotion Overview
• XenMotion CPU Requirements
• Use XenMotion (XenCenter)
• Alternate Virtual Machine Movement Methods
• Practice: Virtual Machine Movement

12. High Availability

• High Availability Overview
• High Availability Requirements
• High Availability Considerations
• Restart Protection Levels
• Protection Level Settings
• Server Failure Tolerance
• Overcommitting
• Overcommitment Warning
• High Availability on a XenServer Pool
• High Availability Failure Tolerance
• Configure High Availability (XenCenter)
• Configure High Availability (Command-Line Interface)
• Host Fencing
• Changing High Availability Settings (CLI)
• Practice: Configuring High Availability
• Disaster Recovery
• Metadata
• Practice: Virtual Machine Rollback
• Roll Back a Virtual Machine (XenCenter)
• Roll Back a Virtual Machine (Command-Line Interface)

13. Workload Balancing

• Workload Balancing Overview
• Workload Balancing Key Concepts
• Workload Balancing Components
• Workload Balancing Deployment
• Workload Balancing High Availability
• Single Server Deployment
• Key Services
• XenServer Environment Sizes
• Workload Balancing Installation
• Pre-Installation Considerations
• Installation on a Single Server
• Workload Balancing Installation Verification
• Workload Balancing Configuration
• Initialize Workload Balancing
• Pool Workload Balancing Configuration
• Authorization for Workload Balancing
• XenServer and the Workload Balancing Server
• Antivirus Software Configuration
• Performance Thresholds and Metric Weighting
• Practice: Workload Balancing Power Management
• Workload Balancing Settings Configuration
• Optimization Mode
• Fixed and Scheduled Optimization Modes
• Optimization Recommendations
• Workload Balancing Power Management
• Power Management Behavior
• Power Management and Virtual Machine Consolidation
• Apply Optimization Recommendations Automatically
• Practice: Workload Balancing
• Critical Thresholds
• Default Settings for Critical Thresholds
• Tuning Metric Weightings
• Host Exclusion from Recommendations
• Exclude Hosts
• Optimal Server Selection
• Maintenance Mode with Workload Balancing Enabled
• Workload Balancing Reports
• Pool Optimization Performance History Report
• Pool Audit Log History
• Pool Health
• Pool Health History Report
• Pool Optimization History
• Virtual Machine Motion History Report
• Virtual Machine Performance History Report
• Configuring for a Different Workload Balancing Server
• Disable Workload Balancing
• Update Workload Balancing Credentials

14. Troubleshooting XenServer

• XenServer Logs and Reports
• XenCenter Event Logs
• Server Status Reports
• XenServer dmesg Overview
• Generate the dmesg File in XenCenter
• Generate the dmesg File in the Command-Line Interface
• XenServer Crashdump Overview
• Generate a Crashdump File in XenCenter
• Generate the Crashdump File in the Command-Line Interface
• XenServer Debug Tools
• XenCenter Searches
• Troubleshooting Usage
• Upgrading Usage
• XenServer Alerts
• Create XenServer Alerts in XenCenter
• Create E-mail Alerts in XenCenter
• Overcommitment Warnings
• XenServer-to-XenCenter Communications
• XenCenter Version
• Valid License
• Network Port Availability
• XenServer Patch Location and Installation
• Rolling Pool Upgrade
• Planning a Rolling Upgrade
• Prepare for Upgrading
• Perform a Rolling Upgrade

15. Provisioning Services Installation and Configuration

• Provisioning Services for XenServer
• Citrix Provisioning Services Infrastructure
• Provisioning Services Administration
• Citrix Provisioning Services Components
• Key Services
• Practice: Key Services
• Installation Planning
• Network Boot Services
• Boot Process
• DHCP Deployment Options
• DHCP Configuration
• Provisioning Services Farm Design
• Farms
• SQL Database Server
• SQL Database Authentication
• Sites
• Stores
• Write Caches
• Practice: Write Cache
• Storage Requirements
• Sample vDisk Storage Requirements
• Provisioning Services Installation
• Provisioning Services Configuration
• Store Configuration
• Provisioning Services Hosts in the Console
• Target Device Connections
• Server Properties
• Target Device Management
• Target Device Collection
• Target Device Views
• Target Device Properties
• Copy Target Device Properties
• Target Device Additions to the Database
• Auto-Add Wizard
• Active Directory Integration
• Domain Password Management
• Automatic Password Renegotiation
• Integrate Active Directory
• Enable Machine Account Password Management
• Troubleshooting Provisioning Services Installation and Configuration

16. vDisk Administration

• vDisk Image Modes
• Standard Image Mode
• Difference Disk Image Mode
• Private Image Mode
• Write-Cache Types
• Cache on Server Disk
• Cache on Server Disk: Local Storage
• Cache on Server Disk: Shared Storage
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive: Local Storage
• Cache on Device's Hard Drive: Shared Storage
• Target Device-Based RAM Cache
• Target Device RAM
• Create a vDisk
• vDisk File Creation
• VHD Format
• vDisk Mounting
• vDisk Formatting
• Master Target Device
• Boot Order
• Master Target Device Software
• Create a Windows Master Target Device using the Imaging Wizard
• Image Windows Target Devices with XenConvert
• vDisks Streaming to Diskless Virtual Machines
• Create a Diskless Virtual Machine
• Create a Master Target Virtual Machine Workload Image
• Practice: Master Target Device
• Troubleshooting vDisk Creation Issues
• vDisk Management
• Unassign vDisks from Target Devices
• Delete a vDisk
• vDisk Locks
• vDisk Backup
• vDisk Updates
• Automatic Update
• Incremental Update
• Autoupdate Tool
• Incremental Update Rollback
• Scheduled vDisk Updates
• Practice: vDisk Updates
• vDisk Update Strategies
• High Availability Overview
• High Availability Benefits
• High Availability Components
• Boot File Configuration for High Availability
• Provisioning Services Host Addition to the Boot File
• Add a Login Server
• Enabling High Availability on vDisks