How LANL implemented a Highly Available and Scalable Architecture using VMware Infrastructure

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How LANL implemented a Highly Available and
Scalable Architecture using VMware Infrastructure

• Anil Karmel
• Technical Staff Member
• akarmel_at_lanl.gov

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Outline

• What is Server Virtualization?
• What Challenges Did We Face?
• VMware Capabilities
• VMware Architecture
• VMware Project
• Where Are We Today?
• Summary
• Q A

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What is Server Virtualization?
Low Utilization of Resources
High Utilization of Resources
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What Challenges Did We Face?Application and
Citrix Servers

• 300 Intel-based HP ProLiant and Dell servers
• Primarily 3rd/4th Generation HP ProLiant DL360
  servers
• Enterprise Approach to Imaging, Patching, Backups
• Allows for standardized management of
  heterogeneous servers
• Hosting Application and Citrix Environments
• 32 Web Applications
• 10,000 hits/day
• 50 Citrix Servers
• 70 applications
• Lotus Notes/Domino, WebSphere, SharePoint,
  Project, SQL Server and others

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What Challenges Did We Face? Challenges

• Decommission Legacy Hardware
• Consolidation of Existing Infrastructure
• Need to Rapidly Provision New Environments
• Integration of IT Environments within LANL

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What Challenges Did We Face? Opportunities with
a Virtual Solution

• Consolidation of Infrastructure
• Integration of IT Environments within LANL
• Rapid Deployment of New Technologies (ex
  .NET/SQL Server, SharePoint)
• Improved Disaster Recovery Capability
• Server images inherently portable and not reliant
  upon underlying hardware
• Ability to move freed-up hardware to off-site
  location for subsequent DR hosting
• P2V servers that need to remain physical for use
  in a DR scenario
• Diverse Platform Support
• Microsoft Windows Family
• Linux and Solaris (x86 based)

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What Challenges Did We Face? Business Case
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VMware CapabilitiesVMware Virtual Infrastructure
3 (VI3)

• VMotion
• Move live virtual servers dynamically between ESX
  hosts
• Distributed Resource Scheduler
• Manages ESX server workload based on system
  resources by automatically moving virtual servers
• High Availability
• Automatic restart of virtual machines on other
  ESX servers in case of ESX host failure
• Resource Pools
• Ability to aggregate, deploy and manage server
  resources based on preconfigured criteria
  (category, environment, customer, etc)

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VMware ArchitectureConsolidation onto Virtual
Platform

• Hardware Configuration
• Ten (10) HP DL585 servers
• Dual-core AMD Opteron processors (4)
• 32GB memory
• Multiple network and fiber channel cards
• HP EVA 5000/8000 SAN environment (66TB total)
• Dedicated Production VMware EVA 8000 18TB
• Dedicated Devl/Beta VMware EVA 5000 15TB
• Shared DR EVA 8000 33TB
• Active SAN-SAN Replication between EVA 5k/8k and
  EVA8k
• Near-line Storage for Disaster Recovery

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VMware ArchitectureConsolidation onto Virtual
Platform

• Monitoring / Consolidation Planning
• PlateSpin PowerRecon
• Ability to gather Windows/Linux physical server
  utilization metrics
• Metrics used to identify physical candidates for
  consolidation
• Physical to Virtual (P2V) Technology
• PlateSpin PowerConvert
• Ability to rapidly migrate physical machines into
  a virtual environment
• Migrate physical machines running on disparate
  hardware to standard IST hardware
• Backup Technology
• Vizioncore ESX Ranger with VMware Consolidated
  Backup
• Ability to backup entire VM for DR purposes

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VMware ProjectTargeted Environments for Migration

• Phase I (7/25/06 8/18/06)
• Consolidate Development and Beta environments
• Phase II (8/15/06 9/15/06)
• Virtualization of unsupported hardware platforms
• Phase III (1/07 7/07)
• Consolidation of remaining Production
  Environments
• Phase IV (1/07 7/07)
• Consolidation of IT Environments in LANL

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VMware ProjectStrategy for determining target
groups

• Criteria
• Number of servers within group (Windows and
  Linux)
• Number of users of said servers
• Average age of servers
• Proprietary Hardware Issues
• e.g. Fax/Modem Card, USB License Keys, etc.

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Where Are We Today?Consolidated Infrastructure

• Statistics
• 170 total VMs running in a 10 Server VMware
  DRS/HA cluster
• Average resource utilization of cluster is 45
• Anticipating a 301 consolidation ratio
  (dependant on load)
• 100 physical servers decommissioned
• Return On Investment (ROI)
• Initial projection called for ROI to be achieved
  by end of FY 08
• Actual ROI achieved by March 2007 (9 months)

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VMware ProjectSummary

• Virtualization provides for
• Supporting specialized environments in a more
  resource effective manner
• Migrating legacy platforms onto supported
  infrastructure
• Opportunities outside our primary charter prove
  promising
• Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI)
• Provide users with a Virtual Desktop (WinXP or
  Linux) thereby dramatically reducing desktop
  upgrade and administration costs
• Diskless strategy for both classified and
  unclassified
• Users only require an RDP connection to their
  virtual desktop via a thin or thick client
• Eliminates need to run KVM cables throughout the
  laboratory

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Questions?