Installing Virtualisation Software
and Virtual Servers
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We have already seen OHS issues in terms of
router installation.
The same issues arise with installing physical
servers:
◦ Electrical safety: wires, cabling, connectors
◦ Server weight: lift correctly, get two people to lift if
the server is very heavy
◦ Ensure that servers are mounted correctly in racks
◦ Potential for fire: maintain servers, especially the
fans that collect dust
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Good communication with the client is very
important
Know who is the correct person to liaise with
Small businesses: typically the owner
Mid-sized businesses: manager, IT person
Large-sized: most likely the head of IT, the
CTO, other stakeholders in the organisation
If you are a consultant, ensure you have
access to the site as required
Remember: avoid disruptions to the client
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How much space in square metres is needed?
How much power in watts or kilowatts will the
complete solution require?
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Each server
The SAN device and the disk drives
The switches in the server room
The air conditioning
What type of air conditioning?
Is all of this an improvement over the old
solution?
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Installing a server, like a router, is a complex
operation
You need a list (in sequence) of the steps to
take, so that you don’t forget to do
something
Includes components, tools, consumables,
locations, people, actions
Also includes contingency plans:
◦ What to do when something goes wrong
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Many issues to consider:
◦ Hardware, software, configuration, physical
handling, power and data cabling
◦ Liaising with the customer
◦ OHS, legal, contractual aspects
◦ Business requirements
◦ Technical documentation
◦ Risks and how to avoid them
◦ Producing new documentation of the final server
configuration
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Needs to be extremely detailed
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Purchase server from vendor
Take delivery of server from vendor
Unpack server, check for damage
Read installation documentation
Install internal components (RAM, NICs)
If possible, install software and test it
Collect equipment & consumables required to
perform the installation
Obtain site access
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Take server, tools, consumables to site
Locate server room
Physically move server to server room
Fit rack-mount slide rails to server and to
rack
Lift server (with help) and mount in the rack
according to OHS requirements
Connect power according to OHS & building
requirements
Connect data and peripheral cabling to server
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Power up server, test basic operation
If necessary, install software:
◦ Base OS
◦ Virtualisation software
◦ Management software
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Configure networking on the server
Migrate existing physical servers to VMs on
the new server
◦ Keep existing servers running
◦ Plan for a cutover time to switch to VMs without
losing data from existing servers
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Test that VMs created work
Test networking, SAN, other components
Cutover to the VMs, disabling access to the
old physical servers
◦ Do not lose the old servers: rollback plan!
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Test the VMs work in production environment
Tidy up the installation: packaging, tools,
consumables
Document the changed system
Report back to the customer with the
documents
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We saw the two main server virtualisation
products: vSphere and Hyper-V
You must determine if the hardware you
purchase can run the virtualisation product
you choose
Ditto: can it virtualise the existing OS and
applications running on the old physical
servers?
Only solution: read the documentation for the
virtualisation product
vSphere has minimum hardware requirements
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This depends on which one you choose
Hyper-V requires Windows Server 2012 to be
installed first
vSphere comes with its own kernel, so it
doesn’t need an OS like Windows Server
Documentation:
◦ vSphere 5.0 Installation and Setup
◦ Hyper-V Getting Started Guide
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Servers are typically locked away in a server
room
Often run in “headless” mode: no screen,
keyboard or mouse connected
You need the ability to manage the
virtualisation server and the VMs running on it
You need to be able to do this remotely
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There is usually a client application to access
and manage the virtualisation software
remotely: web interface, or local application
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Server OS are designed to be managed
remotely: both physical and VMs
Typically a client on the admin’s desktop
which gives an interface on the server
Remote GUI tools: RDP (remote desktop),
VNC, web-based remote desktop tools
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System security is as important on virtual
machines as it is on physical machines
Viruses don’t care if they are runnin on a
virtual machine or on a physical machine
You need to turn on automatic updates on all
your virtual machines so that they stay
patched and thus protected against malware