VMworld 2013 Jeremy Kuhnash, VMware Scott Salyer, VMware Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare

1. Automated Management of Tier-1 Applications
on VMware
Jeremy Kuhnash, VMware
Scott Salyer, VMware
VAPP5473
#VAPP5473

2. 22
Agenda
 Introduction
 MS SQL Server Rolling Patch Upgrades with Automation
 Migrating Oracle Databases from Bare Metal to VMware
 SAP Performance Remediation with VMware Automation

3. 33
Introduction

4. 44
vCenter Site Recovery Manager vCloud Networking and Security
vCenter Orchestrator
vCloud Automation Center
vCenter Operations Manager
Hyperic
Tier-1 App Virtualization Domains
Monitoring and Operations
• Data Collection Methods (Adapters)
• App-specific Dashboards
• Alerts and Triggers
Automation and Provisioning
• Patching
• Migration
• Remediation
• Hybrid Cloud
Disaster Recovery
• App-specific site resiliency
strategies
• In-app features that complement
SRM
• Fully automated site recovery
Network Security
• Edge and App Functionality
• Elastic network scaling
• Management and Reporting
Virtualization of Tier 1 Apps
- Best Practices
- Design/Sizing
- Performance
- Availability

5. 55
Benefits of Automation
 Rapidly execute predictable or repetitive tasks
• Patching
• Mass migrations
• Trigger-based remediation
• Hybrid Cloud deployment
 Work around software limitations to address unique use cases
• Pull deployment information from a configuration database
• Integrate multi-part approval workflows
 Avoid human error
• Complex deployments such as RAC
• Deployments that have multiple steps/systems to update (e.g. DNS, AD)
 Delegate administrative tasks; hide complexity from end users
• Self-service provisioning and maintenance for app owners or developers

6. 66
Automation Toolset
Product Description Best Used For
PowerCLI
(or other OS/App scripts)
• Scripting tool built on Windows
PowerShell
• Other OS’s or Apps may have
other options
• Simple automation scripts that
can manage both vSphere and
Guest OS
vCenter Orchestrator • IT Process Automation engine
• Develop complex automation
tasks
• Launch workflows directly from
the vSphere Client or via various
triggering mechanisms.
• Complex, multi-step workflows;
glue many scripts together
• Multiple systems to update (DB,
AD, DNS, etc.)
• Human workflow elements
required (e.g. email notifications)
vCloud Automation Center • Customized, self-service
provisioning and automation
based on business policies
• Secure portal where authorized
users can request new / manage
existing resources from
predefined menus
• Delegation of workflow execution
(e.g. App Admins)
• “Industrializing” extremely useful
or popular workflows
• Adding a layer of security to limit
potential mishaps and audit
workflow execution

7. 77
Automation Toolset Positioning
OS/App Scripting
(e.g. PowerCLI)
VMware vCenter
Orchestrator
VMware vCloud
Automation Center
ComplexityofSolution
Organizational Impact
Maturity of Solution
Security/Delegation

8. 88
Automation Examples
 MS SQL Server Rolling Patch Upgrades with Automation
• Completely automated solution for patching non-clustered SQL Server VMs
• Less than 1 minute of downtime (15 seconds for small DB VMs)
• Can replace clustering in cases where clustering is only needed for patching
• Can be securely delegated to app admins with vCloud Automation Center
 Migrating Oracle Databases from Bare Metal to VMware
• Completely automated solution for migrating Oracle DBs from a single physical
server with multiple DBs to many VMs, each with one DB
• Utilizes Oracle DB scripts to migrate databases…coordinates with VM creation
processes to split DBs amongst the appropriate number of VMs
 SAP Performance Remediation with VMware Automation
• Completely automated solution for provisioning a pre-configured SAP front
end-server VM based on a triggered performance threshold from vCenter
Operations Manager
• Notifies SAP Admin of the provisioning action

9. 99
MS SQL Server Rolling Patch
Upgrades with Automation

10. 1010
Patching MS SQL Server at XYZ Corp
 Necessary, but Expensive
• Long maintenance windows
• Productivity costs through downtime
• High Administrator costs in managing patches
and maintenance windows
• Reproducibility is a challenge

11. 1111
Option 1: Clustering MS SQL at XYZ Corp
 Clustering
• Provides high availability (HA)
• Patching features
• Higher License Fees than Standalone

12. 1212
Option 2: MS SQL Server Rolling Patch Upgrades Using VMware
 Virtualization allows use of Secondary / Passive Server
• Dramatically shortens time required for maintenance windows
• Standard templates can be used for revving versions
 Still a Manual Process
• Time Consuming
• Many steps
• Still must manage outage windows

13. 1313
VMware Automation for Tier 1 Applications
VMware
PowerCLI
Scripting Automation
on VMware
Final Role Switch
Configure Standby VM
to IP Address of Primary
VM, observe Application
connections resume.
Add Resource
Associate storage with
Secondary VM in
vSphere, bring OS
volume online.
Remove Resource
Hot remove storage from
Primary VM in vSphere.
Deploy Standby VM
Create Standby VM clone,
upgrade to desired SQL
Server level.
Network Disconnect
Disconnect public NIC
device on Primary VM
SQL Rolling Upgrade Process

14. 1414
Scripted MS SQL Server Rolling Patch Upgrades
VMWare PowerCLI and Powershell provide a reproducible result
What about…
 Audit trail / log of execution?
 Which roles participate in managing upgrade and how?
VMware ESX VMware ESXi

15. 1515
Use vCenter Orchestrator and vCloud Automation Center to
Enhance Rolling Patch Upgrades
 Automation Execution and Status
• Workflows provide a powerful means for process flow and
control
• Creates a standard definition of infrastructure processes
• Execution status available in realtime
 Integrates with Scripting and Systems
• Managed Powershell execution
 Self Service
• Self Service Portal
• Initiated by assigned user Roles
• Delegated Approvals

16. 1616
vCAC Self Service Portal

17. 1717
vCAC Self Service Portal

18. 1818
VMware vCO
vCenter Orchestrator and vCAC + Scripted Execution
VMware ESX VMware ESXi
VMware vCAC
Automation Infrastructure
PowerShell Host

20. 2020
Steps to Building Out Self Service Automation
Develop and Configure vCAC
Extension in Visual Studio
1
Develop vCO Workflow for
Execution of Powershell /
PowerCLI
2
Develop Powershell /
PowerCLI and Configure vCO
Powershell plugin and
PowerShell Host
3

21. 2121
Migrating Oracle Databases
from Bare Metal to VMware

22. 2222
Oracle Database Migration - Physical to Virtual
 From Physical to Virtual machines
• License and Maintenance Savings (i.e. RISC to x86)
• Return On Investment
 “Deconsolidation” of Multiple Databases on a single host
• Workload Measurement
• Quality of Service (QoS)
• Avoids Single Point of Failure (SPoF)
 Completely Automated with Provisioning
• Oracle data pump utility
• vCloud Orchestrator

23. 2323
VMware Automation for Tier 1 Applications: Oracle
VMware
Orchestrator
Process Automation
Engine
Finalize Migration
Configure applications for
new database, observe
connections resume.
Create Database
Execute ‘create_db.sh’
script on target. Copy Data File
Using common storage
between source and target,
copy exported database
dump file.
Provision Oracle VM
Prepare and create VM
clone with target Oracle
binaries installed.
Export Database
Execute ‘exp_db.sh’ script
on source database host.
This exports the database to
a dump file.
Oracle Migration Process
Import Database
Execute ‘imp_db.sh’ script
on target database VM. This
imports the database from
the dump file.
Get DBs on Oracle
Server
Get database instances on
Source Server

24. 2424
vCO Workflow: Oracle Migrate Databases from Host to VMs

25. 2525
vCO Workflow: Oracle Migrate Databases from Host to VMs
 SSH into Oracle server
 Parses /etc/oratab
 Extracts databases instances
 Returns as a vCO array of database
names
databaseNames: ‘orcl’, ‘orcl2’

26. 2626
vCO Workflow: Oracle Migrate Databases from Host to VMs
 Creates a VM Clone from Template
that has Oracle binaries preinstalled.
 VM Name uses Database name
 Starts VM, waits for boot
 Returns VM as Workflow Attribute,
used as target for Import steps
databaseNames: ‘orcl’, ‘orcl2’
targetVMName: ‘ORAVM-orcl’
currentDatabaseName: ‘orcl’

27. 2727
vCO Workflow: Oracle Migrate Databases from Host to VMs
databaseNames: ‘orcl’, ‘orcl2’
targetVMName: ‘ORAVM-orcl’
currentDatabaseName: ‘orcl’

28. 2828
vCO Workflow: Migrate Oracle Data in Detail
export_db.sh: Export Database to
dump file using ‘expdp’
(Oracle Data Pump)
create_db.sh: Create Database
as currentDatabaseName
import_db.sh: import database
from database dump file using
‘impdp’ (Oracle Data Pump)

29. 2929
vCloud Orchestrator Automated Oracle Database Migration
Oracle Database Server
VMware vCO
VMware ESX VMware ESXi

30. 3030
SAP Performance Remediation with
VMware Automation

31. 3131
Variability in SAP Workloads Require More Compute Nodes
 Scaling out to meet ad-hoc spikes in demand as required by the
business
• May be unforeseen
 Scaling out to meet extra demand at month end
• Predictable spike in demand
 In this example, 4 applications servers required for month end
• Beginning of the month, 2 application servers are sufficient and up and running
• 2 extra application server VMs available but powered down
• High CPU usage > 80%, custom threshold violation in vCloud Operations
Manager generates an SNMP trap
• vCloud Orchestrator detects this trap and starts remediation workflow to start
another application server

32. 3232
VMware Automation for Tier 1 Applications
VMware
vC Ops and
vCO
Notify Admin
Send email notification
that remediation has been
handled.
Workflow Starts
Standby Server
vCO workflow manages
startup of powered off
SAP app server.
vCOPs Creates
SNMP Trap
Create alert for SAP servers
based on criteria.
Handle with vCO
SNMP Trap Policy
Handle and process alert as
a vCO policy.
SAP Performance Remediation Process
Execute vCO
Workflow
Start workflow which
remediates issue.

33. 3333
vCenter Orchestrator SNMP Integration Detail
 vCO Policy listens for trap from SNMP Device
 Policy executes script
 Script calls workflow based on trap data
vCenter Ops
Manager
SNMP
Device
Script Workflow
Trap
Trap Data from
SNMP Service
Analytics VM IP
Trap Port
Start

34. 3434
Configure vCO Policy for SNMP Traps
 vCO Supports scripting as a response to an SNMP Trap allowing
filtering and custom handling of values
 Workflows can also be configured for handling a trap directly

35. 3535
Correlating Trap OIDs and Values
 Common criteria can be used within the script for filtering based
on values of the trap OIDs
vCO Workflow ID
OID Keys
Expected Values For OIDs

36. 3636
Custom Scripting for vCO Policies
 Scripts use filtering logic to start the workflow when
criteria matches
If conditions are met, Run the
Workflow.

37. 3737
vCO SAP Remediation Workflow
 Once started, the workflow will start an available or specified SAP
app server VM that has been configured but is powered off
vCenter Orchestrator also
supports full user interaction
for those environments that
require Administrator
response before remediation.

38. 3838
vCOPs and vCO for SAP Remediation
Desktop
Virtual
SAP Servers
Enterprise Storage
VMware
vC Ops
VMware
vCO

39. 3939
Summary

40. 4040
Key Takeaways
 Use the most appropriate tool for the job
 Need better management of script execution? Start by using vCO
 Common, recurring processes can be presented to Users or
Admins as self service within vCAC…use vCAC to “industrialize”
your most commonly used workflows
 Manage security and auditing of delegating to users within vCAC
 Utilize notifications to keep stakeholders informed; keeps admins
in the know

41. 4141
Questions?

42. THANK YOU

44. Automated Management of Tier-1 Applications
on VMware
Jeremy Kuhnash, VMware
Scott Salyer, VMware
VAPP5473
#VAPP5473

45. 4545
Appendix

46. 4646
Implementation Notes
 Process takes around 15 minutes per small database
• Actual time will vary based on provisioning time, resources and actual size of
database
 vCO processing of SSH commands will fail if the result code or
stderr streams indicate failure.
• Not all DB objects in the dump file will succeed on import, but this does not
necessarily indicate a real error. Some objects may already correctly exist from
loading the catalog.
• Advise review of import logs as part of a sanity check.
 Additional details in Oracle Sessions #xxxx and at the Tier1 Apps
Booth