1. What is Virtualization Technology?

Virtualization is the process of separating the physical components of a

computing infrastructure from the logic process that demands resource.
Virtualization separates the software on the underlying hardware it resides
on and offers us the flexibility of having multiple virtual environments that
can take advantage of a single physical resource entity. This allows us to
maximize utilization of resources on a single server.
2. What are different types of virtualization?
There are 3 types of virtualization:

Operating System Virtualization: The virtualization of a guest

operating system on a thin hypervisor that mangers access to hardware
resources.

Application virtualization: Deploying applications without reliance

on an install directly to an operating system. Taking an application and
running it without actually installing it on an operating system.

Storage virtualization: Gathers storages from different parts of the

network or other locations and virtualizes to your hosts as one entity.
The presentation of logical storage structures that resides on one or
more physical storage devices.
3. What is a Hypervisor and what are different types of Hypervisor?
It is a thin layer of software that gets installed on bear metal and allows
creation of multiple VMs in an isolated state. Read more about Hypervisor
and its types here.
4. What is vCenter server?
vCenter is a centralized application that servers as a proxy for managing
ESX/ESXI hosts and their virtual machines. The vCenter server is a
framework that allows third party components, like vCenter consolidated
guidelines, vCenter update manager and vCenter converter to be installed
on top of vCenter and expand its features. You can also install vCenter client
on to the server.
vCenter is a requirement for enterprise features like:

VMware vMotion

VMware high availability (HA)

VMware distributed resource scheduler (DRS)

VMware update manager (UM)

Vcenter server features:

ESX/ESXI Management

VM management

Update manager

Converter enterprise

Templates

Access control

5. What are vCenter Extensions?

VMware update manager: provides an automated patch management
process for updating ESX/ESXI hosts and virtual machines
VMware converter: a built in physical to virtual (p2v) or virtual to virtual (v2v)
tool for migrating physical or virtual machines into a VI infrastrure
Guided consolidation: offers infrastructure analysis for identifying physical
machines that are good Virtualization candidates.
vCenter Database Requirements:

Supported database

IBM DB2

Microsoft SQL server 2005 & 2008

Oracle 10g & 11g

Defulat DB:

Microsoft SQL server express 2005

Can be used in production for small environment of up to 5 hosts and

50 VMs
6. Is vCenter a physical or virtual server?
vCenter server can be physical or virtual.

Physical requires a dedicated machine.

Physical is not at risk of vSphere outages.

Virtual can be backed with other VMs.

Virtual does not waste an entire server on VC.

Virtual can participate in HA and be vmotioned .

Virtual is at risk of vSphere outages.

vCenter Server Installation Prerequisites:

vCenter needs to be a part of the domain

Assign static IP and hostname

Create the back end database

Determine licensing option

vCenter Port Requirements:

80/443 for web access.

902/903 for heartbeat, ESX Server management, and VM console

8080/8443 for web services

389 & 686 for LDAP and SSL can be changed to any port from 1025 to
65535
7. How to install vCenter Server 4.0 and vSphere Client?
vCenter Server is a physical or virtual machine that has access to a database
system that it supports. The Server must meet the specified hardware and

software requirements in order to function. Here is how you can install

vCenter server along with the vSphere client.
Installing vCenter Server

Insert the DVD or copy the setup files on the desktop and double click
autorun.exe.

Chose the set up language.

In the next screen click on agree to license agreement.

In the next screen enter customer information, here you need to enter
user name, organization, license key.

In the next screen select the database options.

Install a Microsoft SQL server 2005 express instance or use an existing

supported database

In the next screen we have vCenter server services where you need to
enter vCenter server services account information

In the next screen vCenter server linked mode options

Then in the next screen configure the ports

Next it will ask you to restart the computer, click on OK.

How to Install vSphere Client?

Insert the dvd or copy the setup files on the desktop and double click
autorun.exe.

Here you need to select vSphere Client.

Now Chose setup language.

Now you receive a wizard that says welcome to the installation

wizard for vmware vsphere client 4.0 click on next to start the
installation.

Accept the license agreement.

Customer information.

Click on next to finish the installation.

8. What is vCenter Host Profile and vCenter Linked Mode?
vCenter Host Profile:

Simplified setup and change management for ESX hosts.

Easy detection of non-compliance with standard configuration.

Automated remediation.
vCenter Linked Mode:

Standard vSphere client can access inventory across multiple vCenters.

View and search across combined inventory of a group of VC servers.

Shared roles and license configurations.

9. What is vCenter Licensing?
Simple license keys instead of files:

1 license per edition

1 key for any hosts

New centralized license key administration in vCenter:

No separate license server to manage or monitor

Centralized host and license monitoring through vCenter

Licensing components:

Product

License key

Asset
Legacy host licensing:

Need licensing server

10. What are the major uses and purpose of VMware Workstation 9?
1. Run multiple operating systems and their apps:
For example: you have windows XP running on your laptop/desktop, you
want to test a new operating system like Windows 7, Windows 8 or Linux
version. In this case you can download and install VMware workstation latest
version from VMwares official website. Once installed, you can directly install
the new OS creating a new VM, VM means virtual machine. You can have any
number of VMS provided you have sufficient hard disk and RAM.
2. Specifically useful for IT Admins:
It is useful for IT admins for testing applications, configuration changes, proof
of concept, etc.
When Microsoft releases some new product, you need to test the version on
different operating systems, where you can install VMs and then start
testing the product. Once you feel the product is working on certain
operating system, then you can implement it on the production servers.
3. Demonstration:
Whatever application you would like to experiment with, you have the choice
of taking snapshots and demonstrating to users. You can show the
demonstration to the outside clients on how the applications or software is
working; with VMware workstation you have the chance to display the
functionality of different applications in different operating systems. You can
run 2 tier or 3 tier application inside the virtual machines. For example, you
can install Windows latest server 2012 along with SQL database server and
application.
4. Vsphere admin staging:

If you have a production vSphere and you are considering deploying some
new virtual appliances, you can download those applications and
demonstrate; and then if you feel comfortable you can move them into real
time production environment. Move the virtual appliance to vSphere
infrastructure. You can also move virtual machines down from vSphere
production put them on a private network inside VMware workstation and
test configuration changes and then move them back to vSphere
infrastructure. VMware workstation 9.0 is a very great and helpful tool for
vSphere admins in locally checking and testing configurations of different
virtual appliances before implementing them on original sphere
infrastructure.
5. Excellent tool for development:
Normally, many developers use VMware workstation, as they themselves test
their application in different operating systems and ensure the applications
work in every operating system. This gives the developers perfect virtual lab
environment.