Basically forget about connecting your tape library to one of the VMware hosts, even if it should work it isn't going to be pleasant - far better to use one of your existing boxes as a media agent with the tape drive attached to it if you stick with the tape drive you have.
If you wouldn't mind doing so it would be beneficial if you went into some detail on what you currently do for backups - what software, what backup routine etc.? If you're using something old or basic and are considering backups from scratch I'd suggest (in a very rough order) looking at Commvault, Unitrends, Veeam (only does VMware or Hyper-V) and AppAssure (only does Windows), then at the lower end you have Backup Exec and ArcServe and no doubt a few others. I really can't stress the point strongly enough about having a solid backup plan in place when you virtualise. Firstly you're talking about spending almost $200k on kit - respectfully I'm a little surprised if the VAR hasn't mentioned backups somewhere down the line? Secondly, your single SAN is your single point of failure. Sure, it's made not to fail but if it does you've just lost every single VM you have so you want to be able to get them back as quickly and easily as possible. ________________________________________ From: David Mazzaccaro [david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] Sent: 13 April 2012 9:39 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! Ah... yes, that is exactly what I am doing now. I will absolutely look into this. Thank you. -----Original Message----- From: Paul Hutchings [mailto:paul.hutchi...@mira.co.uk] Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 3:54 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! I meant more in terms of what backup software are you using? If you're currently doing backups of your physical boxes you're most likely doing it using traditional agents that sit on the boxes and do file or application level backups? Of course you can continue to do that, but you're missing one of the biggest benefits of virtualisation if you're not complementing it (or in some cases replacing it) with taking image level backups of the entire VM. It's something you should definitely look into, not least because, well it's backups so it's probably the most important part of the whole setup, but also because if you do go the Netapp route they also offer a lot of software tools (at a cost) that your backup software may be compatible with - basically you want to check it out prior to any purchase to avoid any surprises down the line (particularly as Netapp aren't the cheapest in terms of software licenses if you need to buy anything down the line). ________________________________________ From: David Mazzaccaro [david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] Sent: 13 April 2012 8:44 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! I assume I will back up to tape? -----Original Message----- From: Paul Hutchings [mailto:paul.hutchi...@mira.co.uk] Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 3:29 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! What are you doing to backup your VM's? ________________________________________ From: David Mazzaccaro [david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] Sent: 13 April 2012 8:06 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! Wow. This is perfect. You probably just saved me some serious coin. Thank you!!! -----Original Message----- From: Paul Hutchings [mailto:paul.hutchi...@mira.co.uk] Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 2:45 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! vSphere will see all the RAM, but the amount you'll be able to use (assuming vSphere 5) is licensed/controlled by your vRAM entitlement. It's one of the biggest and most contentious changes moving from 4.1 to 5. Here's VMware's licensing paper which lists it in all its glorious detail: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere_pricing.pdf So in a nutshell, yes, you'll have almost 600gb of RAM but will only be able to use 1/3rd of it without ponying up for more licenses. Nice eh?! ________________________________________ From: David Mazzaccaro [david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] Sent: 13 April 2012 7:26 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! So, even though I will have 588GB of RAM across all 3 hosts, VMware is only going to see and utilize 192GB? <confused> -----Original Message----- From: Paul Hutchings [mailto:paul.hutchi...@mira.co.uk] Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 2:05 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! OK one more thing: vSphere Essentials Plus gives you 6 socket licenses for vSphere Standard. Each license gives you 32gb of vRAM entitlement. 6 x 32 = 192gb vRAM across all three hosts. So 196gb per host seems slightly excessive (consider we can and occasionally do run around 50 VM's on one host with 144gb). ________________________________________ From: David Mazzaccaro [david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] Sent: 13 April 2012 5:54 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! LOL Yes, that is per host.. and it is HP memory (hence the premium) -----Original Message----- From: Matthew W. Ross [mailto:mr...@ephrataschools.org] Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 12:42 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! I'm a penny-pincher, and I saw a only one thing that really stuck out... > 196 G RAM <- this was $45k alone Ouch! Is that 196 Gig per computer, or total for the 3 servers? Even if it's 196 per computer, Crucial can get you that much ram for $8100... As long as I'm looking at the right memory. http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=ProLiant%20DL380%20G7&; Cat=RAM 48GB Kit - ($899.99 each) * 3 for each server ($2699.97) * 3 servers = $8099.91 <kidding>Hey, I just saved you $36k! Can I get a commission for that? Sm:)e.</kidding> --Matt Ross Ephrata School District ----- Original Message ----- From: David Mazzaccaro [mailto:david.mazzacc...@hudsonmobility.com] To: NT System Admin Issues [mailto:ntsysadmin@lyris.sunbelt-software.com] Sent: Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:38:47 -0700 Subject: Hooray, I'm moving to VMware! > Just got the ok to move forward with VMware/Citrix/Domain upgrade. > I have 10 physical servers, and it looks like this will be the solution: > > 3 hosts: ($21k each) > HP DL380 G7 E5660 > Pair of 146 15k drives mirrored > 196 G RAM <- this was $45k alone > Quad port gig adapter > > 2 Switches: ($1,800 each) > HP 2910 > > 1 SAN ($22,700) > NetApp 2240 > 12 x 600GB > > VSphere Essentials Plus ($5,200) > > 6 Windows licenses ($13,600): > Server 2008 Datacenter > > Windows/Xenapp licenses ($26,000) > > $40k services > Install/config SAN, switches, hosts, VMware, new Citrix farm, 2008 > Domain upgrade, P2V existing servers > > Total: $185,000 > > Sound good? > > > > . > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin . ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin -- MIRA Ltd Watling Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 0TU, England Registered in England and Wales No. 402570 VAT Registration GB 100 1464 84 The contents of this e-mail are confidential and are solely for the use of the intended recipient. 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You should not copy, forward or otherwise disclose the content of the e-mail as this is prohibited. ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin . ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin . ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin . ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin . ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to listmana...@lyris.sunbeltsoftware.com with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
