Been researching the entire NSX homelab, space + noise are the many issues I am

facing, so decided to do the following, few notes before hand.

- Synology NAS. This will present NFS and iSCSI shared storage to the VMs. Conne
cted to 2x different vLANs via 2x NICs on the NAS box.
- Decided against LACP config as I will be using a Asus ROG G750 laptop or simil
ar.
- VMware Workstation based lab
Hardware
1x Asus ROG G750 2014 model. Supports 4x dimms (2x dimms are hidden by a backpla
te, 2x can been seen simply by removing the back cover. 32GB Max. Supports VT an
d EPT, quad-core, etc. Dont need any special equipment, things go wrong, simply
open the laptop and direct access to fix anything. I'll be RDPing on it mostly f
rom my normal laptop / desktop.
4x USB 3.0 NICs. Already has 1x onboard NIC and WiFi.
Aim is to buy one laptop now and see how I get along, if find a good deal on ano
ther laptop will add that as long as it supports 32GB RAM.
Switch - Found some good netgeat ones but ideally want something like a HP 1910
which supports static routes but its damn expensive for my budget. Still looking
around.
Looking at some interesting work arounds for LACP. VyOS in trunk mode with the U
SB NICs connected to plain switch means technically there is nothing generating
traffic on those NICs, could try assigning into a trunk with 4000MTU (max suppor
ted) but I think 1Gbps should be enough but its not like I am going to crazy on
the whole thing.
Storage wise I am leaning towards getting a Samsung Evo 850 500GB SSD. It has go
od IOPs at 90k but then gain the crucial marvell SSDs are cheaper and particular
models have really goods IOPs as well. Still researching. Have access to 3.5" 2
TB HDD, thinking I might just stick this into one of the Synology bays and use t
his for template storage and everything else for primary storage. I'll only be g
etting 1x SSD. Not bothered by RAID, etc. Its a lab so can always build it back
and will have an external USB 3.0 WD Passport connected to Synology for backups.
Will update on my progress. For sure I will get either a Asus G750 or similar.
Update1.
Found a Asus laptop 24GB RAM. WIll need to buy an 8GB module for around 45 from c
rucial if it comes with 3x 8GB. Might be 2x 8GB + 2x 4GB
Found that HP 1910 8G switches for 80, which is within budget. It does static rou
ting and LACP.
Sandisk Extreme 32GB USB 3.0 pendrives seems to be best price vs performance for
20, all other ones are either very slow or reserved for other things.
Been thinking also of just building my own PC but adding a KVM, etc to actually
more costly and cumbersome. Need the setup to be very clean.
Found some 1TB Samsung 840 SSD with very low Total Bytes written, so considering
them to add to Synology box for centeral storage.
Update2.
Did not get the laptop. Oh well. Still looking for a decent 32GB laptop or simil
ar that is very quiet. Silence is very important. Been looking around a lot. Not
finding anything at all the moment. New Haswell-E CPUs are out so maybe the cur
rent and last gen drop more in price overall. If I cant find anything then will
wait until skylake CPUs arrive and go that route. If anyone has any ideas, open
to suggestion. RAM prices are simply overpriced in my opinion, they should be ch
eaper with DDR4 on the market.
dp..sry. Final update.
Decided to build my own 32GB PC for nested workstation NSX lab.
Intel 4970 (non-K version = has vPro for headless access)
32GB RAM Corsair XMS2 DDR3 = cheaper than most places I could find an in 32GB pa
ck so tested properly.
M2 Samsung 256 SSD. Crazy fast read and writes for Windows and does go on the mo
bo for super clean look.
- Few issues when using this and the 4x PCIE of mobo but as I have no GPU I have
2x PCIE 16x slots to use
Asus ROG Gene VII - more expensive but has the right features.
Fractal Design Mini R2 - smaller case but good space for 280mm rad
- built in 3-fan controller, very useful.
Corsair 110i GT 280mm with Noctua 140mm fans to replace the stock ones and extra
120mm noctua for rear of case.
Cooler Master v1000 - no whine noise PSUs, probably the only ones on the market
with no whine, Seasonic (whine), Corsair (loud)
Also got 2x Samsung Evo 850 SSD for the Synolog DS713+.
Need to still get an Intel quad PCI-E NIC and a HP 8G switch, both most likely f
rom eBay.
Went over budget on some parts but was not willing to compromise on certain thin
gs. I know the PC will be super fast for my small mini lab.
dim...I added a 5th gen Intel NUC with 16GM RAM and 2.5" SSD Samsung. Added ESXi
install via sandisk extreme USB 3 key, fastest I could find at a decent enough
price. I was to do my lab again I'd seriously consider intel nuc and i'm memory
16GB RAM modules. They might cost 300 per module but the space saving is pretty a
mazing and super whisper silent and its not lacking in power either.

HOL-SDC-1403 VMware NSX Introduction

HOL-SDC-1425 VMware NSX Advanced
HOL-SDC-1424 VMware NSX in the SDDC

http://sostechblog.com/2014/08/25/new-nsx-certifications-and-become-a-new-vcp-wi
thout-a-vmware-class/
http://www.joshodgers.com/2014/10/27/free-vmware-nsx-training-resources/
http://www.rogerperkin.co.uk/vmware/nsx/vmware-nsx-certification-path/

Hi to all of you embracing VCIX-NV,

I publish this reply in this post: http://certcollection.org/forum/topic/276155
-vcix-nv-getting-ready/
Hope it helps to figure out the kind of questions you will find in VCIX-NV exam.
Take into account that I cleared out the exam one year ago. It was NSX 6.0. Man
y things have changed since NSX 6.2 (like multi-vcenter support (universal objec
ts)) But the song remains the same.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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--
Some people have asked me to post the questions. These are the kind of questions
in VCIX exam:

1.- ABC Medical is virtualizing the new infrastucture. You have one cluster mana
gement with two hosts and one controller deployed.
First question is asking you about deploying a highly available infrastructure
2.- Question 2 is tricky one. Asks you about creating a zone for adding virtual
wires (Logical Switches) but strictyly only to the workloads (clusters)
which needs to have this vxlans. But you have to remember LIFs from ESGs (and th
ey are deployed in management cluster so add this cluster to the new zone)
3.- Asks you about adding a new data cluster to the virtual infrastructure but u
sing a new VDS. You have to create this (remember 1600 MTU or otherwise nothing
will work)
Add the new data cluster (cluster C) to NSX They give you an IP subnet range to
assign to the VTEPs (you have to know very well subnetting)
4.- Asks you about creating an ESG which you have to connect to a Distributed ro
uter (LDR) but using static routes (you can use a supernet if you want) When cre
ating this be aware to read
the next questions because they can be linked and may be you need to create seco
nday IP addresses for the LIFs of the ESG (as my case) Take into account in 6.1
or 6.0 you only can add secondary
ip addresses using the NSX Manager REST API (not needed in version 6.2 but the e
xam is 6.0 in my case) Don 't use dynamic routing
5.- You need to deploy a Load Balancer. They said to you SSL is not supported at
the WEB servers (of the pool) but you have to use SSL. You will have to create
a CSR and self-sign the certificate
for this task This LB must use a secondary IP address at the ESG created in step
4 (remember what I said... tricky!)
6.- You have to create FW rules for the distributed firewall I don' t remember t
he exact questions but just FW rules using named services and Logical Switches i
n the rules
7.- Asks you about backing up the DVS and the FW rules and importing a complete
set of FW rules from a file in the desktop
8.- Asks you about modifying the FW rules imported to accoomplish certain securi
ty (I don't remember exactly but just FW rules easy enough!)
9.- Asks you about activating logging at NSX Manager and the ESG just created
10.- Ask you about creating SGs and SPs. SGs using static and dynamic membershi
p and applying SP (Sec Policies) to these SGs
11.- Ask you about activating Activity Monitoring and monitor a Win7 machine (be
aware to activate AV for the VM at the VM level)
12.- You have to create identity FW rules. To accomplish this goal you have to j
oin an AD
Good luck to all preparing VCIX.
I feel NSX amazing so good study and remember to lab, lab, lab
http://certcollection.org/forum/topic/283924-vcix-nv/page__st__14__hl__nsx#entry
1073899