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Nov
7thFor Advanced Users : UBERAlign API / CLI / Powershell
From the beginning I knew some UBERAlign users would want to go into power user mode. The UBERAlign Console was designed to allow for easy use for the average Joe. But, there are people out there with the desire, guts, and ability to script and automate that want more. So this post will inform you on two other options for UBERAlign. 1. The CLI Each vAligner is a Ubuntu Linux VM. On the VM is a set of binary files that do all work. One is a startup file for initializing, one is a daemon for accepting new jobs via the REST API, and the final is the actual magic behind the scenes. From the beginning UBERAlign was designed to be run from the command line. In fact back months ago the vSpecialist actually got a copy of this to try out and help me test. So for those that do not want to use the Console here are some reasons and instructions on how to run alignment, reclaim, and alignment+reclaim jobs manually. Some of the reasons you may want to do this: Hate MS Windows – Since the console is a .Net WPF app some Mac users (@mcowger) have already asked how to skip using a Windows VM. VM size is too big – If the VM is more than 50% of the size of the datastore then a snapshot of it can potentially cause an out of space issue if it grows to full size (which and align [...]
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Nov
3rdStraighten up with a new UBER tool : Presenting UBERAlign
NOTICE: For more info on UBERAlign Advanced (API / CLI / Powershell) features also read the new post here: http://nickapedia.com/2011/11/07/for-advanced-users-uberalign-api-cli-powershell/ You know how in cartoons they show a small snowball rolling down a hill until it grows into a massive beast of a snow boulder? Well, that is kind of how my most recent UBER project has gone. I know it is a been a little while since I have released a tool for the community and I am hopefully making that up with my newest creation: UBERAlign. The idea of creating this came from the lack of a decent free alignment tool out there for VMware admins. Most every other one at there was either something you had to purchase or you had to be a customer of the vender to get access to it. And even after getting access these tools were either (in my opinion) limited in what they did, how they did it, or had become obsolete in a console-less vSphere 5 architecture. For those they don’t know, alignment with Virtual Machine disks on top of Storage Arrays has been a performance issue for a long time. I won’t go into long detail explaining the problem or the benefits to alignment. There are great posts by Duncan (http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2010/04/08/aligning-your-vms-virtual-harddisks/) and Kevin(http://www.blueshiftblog.com/?p=300) on what the issues are and some of the tools available. So my goal in creating UBERAlign was to once and for all create a free and powerful tool resolve this issue for everyone in the VMware [...]
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Oct
4thPlay it again, Sam: Celerra UBER v3.2
The UBER VNX VSA was just released. Go HERE to download the new version. Another bug and another fix. I can’t tell if I am getting better at finding bugs or worse at testing. Today I was able to replicate a weird issue that caused iSCSI LUNs to not show up with the ESXi 4.1 iSCSI adapter. Quick fix but if you are going to do iSCSI instead of NFS and are having issues, download the new VSA below: Workstation Version (MD5: a2136179d4d9544e4f8e3b43b7cc182e) vSphere Version OVA (MD5: c3d8abfb536aecca34c83d318c2c3e5f) Thanks, .nick
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Sep
17thvArmy Twitter Update : List O’ Geek
Back in the spring of this year I created a twitter list on TweepML.com of vSpecialists on Twitter. Today I have updated that list. So if you are a customer, analyst, or a competitor follow Chad’s army here: vArmy on Twiter .nick
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Sep
12thUBERTastic : Celerra UBER VSA v3 – Unisphere
Man this has been a busy couple months. I have a whole different blog post about VMworld and the MADNESS. But suffice to say I have been busy. So busy in fact that I didn’t really have time to work on the new Celerra UBER VSA until this week. Which also happens to be a week vacation for me. Now for a normal 9-5 kind of guy, working a little bit on your vacation is ok. Some people frown, some people smile and approve. But, on the vSpecialists this is a big "no-no". So because of my strong desire to get this awesome piece of virtual goodness in your hands I have risked the smack down from my teammates and managers for working on it during my vacation. I shall likely be banned from a console for a bit so remember me when you are checking out the UBER cool new Unisphere interface. And so I am excited to announce the release of the Celerra UBER VSA version 3. I got quite a bit of new features as well as the new code/management interface you have been hearing about. Here is the list of changes and additions: DART is now 6.0.36.4 Unisphere management console (rocks!) The Celerra VSA is now 64 bit! This means you can throw RAM at it for bigger setups and it will use it. Over 8GB becomes less beneficial without code changes to simulation services. Future updates will fix this from the Celerra VSA engineering teams. [...]
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Aug
30thVMworld 2010 Rap : vSpecialist’s Delight
Both Fred Nix and I have been hinting about our *secret project* for weeks now. Well, I am excited to finally present you with the completed work. Without further ado, vSpecialist’s Delight This project was a ton of fun and a ton of work. I wanted to give a special thanks to Travers Nicholas, Paula Cuddy, John Avery, Ed Saipetch, Clint Kitson, Chris Birdwell, and Ryan Melton. I also want to thank Marlen and Curtis at PatchWerk Studios for helping us so much. But, most of all I want to thank Fred Nix for making this project a reality. He took an idea I shared with him over a beer and made it not only possible but absolutely amazing. Fred jumped legal, financial, logistical, and human barriers with patience and style. The guy is a rockstar and a good friend. *update* Here is a video from the premier at the vGeek party: .nick *update* Here are the lyrics for the song for those that asked: I’m with Chad’s Army on the virtual patrolGotta make sure that my cloud is goldAnalysts say we hit it onn the noseYou from the IT department, Im tha C.I.O.Adding Ram for your JAVA codeWe be celebrating the budget had enough doughCAP-EX, OP-EX is outa control..Tweetin’ banana bread because Wade said soWe got beef with security, they don’t use RSAThey don’t know ‘bout no S.L.A. SO!Tier-1 apps running on my assetsvSphere saves ‘em cash for tech refresh,We don’t know what you take us as,Or understand the [...]
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