HP Capacity Advisor 7.2 User Guide

Systems involved in load balancing
When load balancing is performed, the loads are balanced only across the resulting systems in
the solution. For example, if only VM hosts A and B are used (and VM host C is not), then load
balancing is performed only across VM hosts A and B. VM host C is not included for the load
balancing calculation.
Headroom rating shows zero (0) stars
The headroom rating shows zero stars even though it appears that there is sufficient room on the
VM host for the workloads. This happens whenever one or more of the original servers violates a
utilization limit prior to the Smart Solver being run. Before running the Smart Solver, ensure that
your source systems are not already violating a utilization limit.
To return to a planning checklist:
• Consolidating server loads onto a virtual machine using automated solution finding (page 143)
• Estimating potential power savings across a range of servers (page 149)
Automated solution finding: Load balance of servers or VM hosts
This section describes the procedure for automating the search for an optimal load-balanced set
of servers.
NOTE: The solution will adhere to the existing utilization limits. For information on utilization
limits, see “Utilization limits ” (page 28).
Begin with a scenario
From the list of Capacity Advisor scenarios , select an existing scenario to edit by either:
• Clicking the linked name of an existing scenario that includes the workloads and servers you
wish to modify, or
• Checking the box next to an existing scenario that includes the workloads and servers you
wish to modify. Then, from the menu select Modify→Edit Planning Scenario.
A new window opens to display the Edit Scenario: System tab screen.
(If you have not yet created a suitable scenario, you will need to do so (see “Creating a planning
scenario” (page 65).)
Choose the VM hosts or servers to load balance
Take the following actions on the Edit Scenario System tab.
1. Using the check boxes, select the VM hosts or servers that you plan to load-balance.
NOTE: Though the HP Smart Solver is now aware of what-if VMware DRS clusters, solutions
can be presented that do not account for other cluster relationships (such as a Serviceguard
cluster). To preserve these cluster relationships in a simulation, create a scenario that includes
all members (hosts and guests) from the cluster that you want to represent in the scenario.
TIP: Before running the HP Smart Solver automation, ensure that your source systems do not
violate any of the utilization limits set for those systems. (See (and mouse over) the utilization
meters on the System tab of the scenario editor to check this information.) When systems
violate utilization limits, the Smart Solver solutions are unlikely to be useful. “Understanding
the consolidation task” (page 131) illustrates this situation.
2. Select What-If Action→Automated Load Balance of VM Hosts....
The window displays step 1 of 3 for Automated Load Balance of VM Hosts....
If you want to load-balance servers, select What-If Action→Automated Load Balance of Servers...
Automating time-consuming simulations 93