vSphere 7 Overview: Upgrade Demos, Changes, & New Features

In this video, we discuss the key changes and upgrades introduced in vCenter 7, including the transition from the Flash Web Client to the HTML5 client and the deprecation of the external Platform Services Controller (PSC). The lesson prepares you for a hands-on demo in the next video by outlining the upgrade process, the benefits of embedded PSC, and the new scalability improvements in vCenter 7.

In this video, we demonstrate how to upgrade the vCenter Server Appliance from version 6.7 to 7.0, walking through each step from deploying the new virtual appliance to migrating data and assuming the identity of the old server. The lesson emphasizes key prerequisites, such as ensuring proper DNS configuration, and provides a detailed look at the upgrade process to ensure a smooth transition to vCenter 7.0.

In this video, we demonstrate how to deploy vCenter 7, starting with downloading the necessary installation media and setting up DNS records. The lesson walks through the process of installing the vCenter Server Appliance, configuring network settings, and verifying the successful deployment and functionality of the new vCenter 7 instance.

In this video, we explore the vCenter Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) for vCenter 7, which is accessed by appending ":5480" to the vCenter server's address. The VAMI is used specifically for managing the vCenter Server Appliance itself, covering tasks such as monitoring performance, configuring network settings, managing services, applying updates, and setting time synchronization.

In this video, we demonstrate how to configure vCenter Server Appliance backups using the SMB protocol by setting up a shared folder on a Windows Server and then performing a manual backup via the vCenter Appliance Management Interface (VAMI). The lesson includes steps for creating the SMB share, connecting it to the vCenter, and verifying that the backup is successfully stored in the designated folder.

In this video, we demonstrate how to set up scheduled backups and configure a retention policy for the vCenter Server Appliance using the vCenter Appliance Management Interface (VAMI). The lesson covers selecting a backup destination, scheduling the backup time, and setting a retention policy to automatically purge older backups, ensuring only the latest three backups are retained.

In this video, we explore the new Multi-Homing feature in vCenter 7, which allows configuring multiple virtual network interfaces (vNICs) on the vCenter Server Appliance to support multiple networks. This feature enhances network flexibility, enabling specific uses such as vCenter high availability, targeted backups, or third-party integrations, with up to four vNICs supported for various network needs.

In this video, we demonstrate how to configure multi-homing on the vCenter Server Appliance by adding multiple network interfaces (vNICs) through the vSphere Client. The lesson walks through the process of adding and configuring up to four vNICs for various network uses, then concludes by reverting the configuration to a single network interface.

In this video, we discuss the process and implications of changing the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) for vCenter 7, which also updates the Primary Network Identifier (PNID). The lesson emphasizes the need to regenerate custom certificates, reconfigure vCenter High Availability, and rejoin the Active Directory domain after making this change, and recommends taking a snapshot and performing a backup before proceeding.

In this video, we explore vCenter Server Profiles, a feature similar to Host Profiles, that allows you to create and apply standardized configurations across multiple vCenter instances using a JSON-formatted text document. Although currently only available as a command-line tool, vCenter Server Profiles simplify setup, ensure consistency, and enable easy modifications and compliance checks for vCenter configurations.

In this video, we explore the licensing changes in vSphere 7, particularly the new 32-core per socket limit for ESXi host CPU licenses. This adjustment reflects the increasing power of modern processors, requiring additional licenses for CPUs with more than 32 cores, and the video includes resources for understanding the updated licensing models and feature availability across different vSphere editions.

In this video, we introduce a few recent VMware "flings" released around the same time as vSphere 7, which are experimental tools and scripts designed to enhance VMware environments. Highlights include the Virtual Machine Computer Optimizer for optimizing VM performance, the OS Optimization Tool for improving virtual machine operating system efficiency, and the vSphere Mobile Client for managing vSphere infrastructure from a mobile device.

In this video, we cover the basic information needed before upgrading to ESXi 7, including hardware requirements and compatibility checks. We also discuss the importance of using the VMware Compatibility Guide and the ESXi Upgrade Guide, and highlight various upgrade methods, including the new Lifecycle Manager, with a demonstration of the upgrade process to follow in the next video.

In this video, we demonstrate how to perform an interactive upgrade of an ESXi host from version 6.7 to 7.0, including booting from the ESXi 7 installation media and preserving existing configurations. We address potential issues with unsupported network interfaces and ensure that all configurations are retained after the upgrade.

In this video, we explore the new support for Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in ESXi 7, which offers sub-microsecond accuracy for applications requiring extremely precise timing, such as financial transactions. While Network Time Protocol (NTP) remains sufficient for most use cases, PTP is now an option in ESXi 7 for environments that demand higher precision, and we demonstrate how to enable and configure it on both ESXi hosts and virtual machines.

In this video, we explore the vCenter 7 Identity Federation feature, which allows integration with Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) to enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for vCenter. By redirecting authentication to ADFS, vCenter offloads the credential handling to ADFS, enabling enhanced security through MFA while still allowing role and permission management within vCenter.

In this video, we explore the enhanced content libraries in vSphere 7, demonstrating how to create a content library, add VM templates, and manage versioning for easy updates and rollback. The lesson covers the process of cloning templates to the library, enabling sharing across multiple vCenter instances, and utilizing new features like version control and template check-ins to streamline template management and ensure consistency.

In this video, we cover the basics of vCenter 7 and its support for Dynamic DNS, a feature that allows vCenter to automatically update its IP address in DNS records if it changes. The lesson explains use cases for Dynamic DNS, such as keeping DNS records current during IP changes, and highlights a potential issue in vSphere 6.7 Update 3 related to vCenter High Availability that has been resolved in later versions.

In this video, we explore VMware Skyline, a tool that provides recommendations for improving your vSphere environment by identifying potential issues and offering solutions based on VMware best practices. We demonstrate how to enable Skyline Health, review findings and upgrade recommendations, and discuss the benefits of using features like Log Assist to streamline support and prevent problems in your vSphere setup.

In this video, we explore VMware vSphere Lifecycle Manager, the successor to Update Manager, which now includes the ability to manage and maintain consistent images across ESXi hosts in a cluster. We demonstrate how to set up a base image, add vendor add-ons and components, and ensure that all hosts in the cluster remain compliant with this desired state, streamlining the management and updates of your vSphere environment.

In this video, I demonstrate how to upgrade an ESXi 6.5 host to ESXi 7.0 using VMware Lifecycle Manager. The process involves creating a new upgrade baseline with the ESXi 7.0 image, attaching it to the host, and then remediating the host to apply the upgrade, which mirrors the steps used in previous versions with Update Manager.

In this video, we explore the vSphere Update Planner, a tool designed to simplify the process of upgrading vCenter and ensuring compatibility with other VMware products. By generating interoperability reports, Update Planner helps identify potential issues with registered products, making it easier to plan and execute upgrades in complex environments.

In this video, we delve into the performance enhancements for vMotion in vSphere 7, focusing on improvements like page tracing on a single CPU and memory locking on larger granularity pages, which significantly reduce the performance impact during vMotion operations. Additionally, we discuss the compacting of memory bitmaps, which speeds up the transfer process during vMotion, especially beneficial for large virtual machines with substantial memory.

In this video, we explore the enhancements to Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) in vSphere 7, where the focus shifts from balancing resource utilization across hosts to optimizing the performance of individual virtual machines through a new VM-centric approach. DRS now calculates a VM DRS score based on factors like CPU utilization, memory activity, and potential vMotion costs, aiming to improve the execution efficiency of each VM rather than just ensuring even resource distribution across the cluster.

In this video, we review the basics of configuring Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) in vSphere 7, highlighting that most options remain consistent with those in vSphere 6.7. The primary change introduced is the ability to enable scalable shares for resource pools, offering enhanced control over resource distribution within a cluster.

In this video, we explore the Cluster QuickStart feature in vSphere 6.7 Update 1, which simplifies the creation and configuration of clusters, including vSAN, by automating the setup of VMkernel ports, network settings, and more. This tool is particularly useful for quickly establishing a standardized and consistent cluster configuration across hosts with similar hardware profiles.

In this video, we explore how assignable hardware in vSphere 7 improves upon the limitations of previous versions by enabling better portability and high availability for virtual machines using physical PCI devices like GPUs. Through dynamic direct path I/O and NVIDIA GRID profiles, vSphere 7 allows DRS to handle initial placement and HA to reboot VMs on compatible hosts, although vMotion is not yet supported.

In this video, we explore scalable shares in vSphere 7, a feature designed to address the issue of resource pools not properly reflecting the intended priority of virtual machines due to the number of VMs in each pool. Scalable shares ensure that resource allocation remains proportional, even when the number of VMs in each resource pool varies, maintaining the desired priority and efficiency across the cluster.

In this video, we introduce the concept of microservices and containerized applications, which are now supported in vSphere 7 with Kubernetes integration. We'll explore how breaking down monolithic applications into smaller, resilient, and easily deployable microservices can enhance scalability and efficiency, and how this shift impacts the deployment and management of applications within a vSphere 7 environment.

In this video, we explore the concept of containers and their importance in modern application deployment. Containers allow applications to run consistently across different environments by encapsulating all dependencies and configurations, leading to faster deployment, reduced resource usage, and easier scalability compared to traditional virtual machines.

In this video, we explore how vSphere 7 supports Kubernetes, emphasizing that while the course will cover the basics of running Kubernetes on vSphere, it is not a comprehensive Kubernetes tutorial. The lesson introduces the concept of supervisor clusters, vSphere Pods, and the use of Kubernetes namespaces in vSphere, providing a foundational understanding of how these elements work together to manage containerized applications in a vSphere 7 environment.

In this video, we explore Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Cluster, which allows you to run a traditional Kubernetes cluster using virtual machines and a container host operating system within vSphere. This approach provides an enterprise-grade Kubernetes environment that is fully compatible with open-source Kubernetes tools, offering flexibility for use cases requiring full control over the Kubernetes cluster, version management, and short-lived cluster deployments.