Server virtualization technologies for x86-based HP BladeSystem and HP ProLiant servers, 3rd edition

ManualsBrandsHP ManualsSoftwareHP Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager including 1yr 24x7 Support Flexible Qty c7000 Enclosure Lic

Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. 2

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 2

Software-layer abstraction: virtual machines ............................................................................................ 3

Integrated hypervisors in ProLiant servers ................................................................................................ 5

Use of familiar HP management tools ................................................................................................. 5

Scale-up to enterprise versions ........................................................................................................... 6

ProLiant Virtual Console .................................................................................................................... 6

Physical-layer abstraction: HP Virtual Connect solution ............................................................................. 7

Virtual Connect server profiles ........................................................................................................... 7

Flex-10 for Virtual Connect ................................................................................................................ 9

Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager ................................................................................................. 10

Logical servers ................................................................................................................................... 10

HP Virtualization Management Software .............................................................................................. 11

HP Insight Dynamics – VSE software ................................................................................................. 11

HP Insight Orchestration software .................................................................................................... 13

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Appendix A: Background about processor ring layers ............................................................................ 16

Appendix B: Common types of software-layer abstraction for virtual machines .......................................... 18

For more information .......................................................................................................................... 20

Call to action .................................................................................................................................... 21

Server virtualization technologies for x86-based

HP BladeSystem and HP ProLiant servers

technology brief, 3rd edition

Summary of content (21 pages)

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Server virtualization technologies for x86-based HP BladeSystem and HP ProLiant servers technology brief, 3rd edition Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Software-layer abstraction: virtual machines .........................................
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Abstract Virtual machine technology is the most widely understood and adopted form of server virtualization technology today. It is a powerful technology that can reduce overall costs, decrease power consumption, footprint requirements, and improve resource utilization. This technology brief describes how HP is using virtual machine technology and expanding into other areas of server virtualization such as physical-layer abstraction and management technologies for virtualization.
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Figure 1. HP technologies for machine abstraction include Virtual Connect, integrated hypervisors, and integrated management. Software-layer abstraction: virtual machines In a virtual machine environment, a software layer abstracts the physical server hardware and creates one or more virtual machine instances, each with its own virtual drives, virtual network interface controllers (NICs), virtual storage controllers, virtual processors, OS, and application(s).
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Figure 2. In virtual machine technology, the software abstraction layer (hypervisor) abstracts the physical-layer resources. In x86 environments, there are several variations2 within software-layer abstraction of the server hardware, including these general categories: CPU binary translation. The hypervisor traps selected CPU instructions, such as CPU-privileged instructions3 and performs necessary translations to make the guest OS think it has complete control over the server hardware.
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implementations continue to evolve, and they may use more than one technique; therefore, this implementation list should be considered only as a sample of possibilities. Table 1. Common vendor implementations of virtual machines Virtualization technique Examples of vendor implementations Vendor URLs CPU binary translation VMware ESX www.vmware.com Hosted-OS, application-layer abstraction Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 www.microsoft.com/virtualserver VMware Server (formerly VMware GSX) www.
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and increases capacity expansion for customers who already use VMware’s data center virtualization and management suite, VMware Infrastructure (VI). HP SIM 5.2 and later incorporates an improved installation process and supports association and discovery for VMware ESXi. Enhanced hardware alerting and inventory management allows customers to actively receive information about the health of their ProLiant servers.
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The first implementation of the PVC is available in the integrated Citrix XenServer solution. HP is working with other partners to make use of this technology across the ProLiant portfolio as applicable. For more information about integrated hypervisors, see the HP website www.hp.com/go/proliantvirtualization and see the technology brief titled ―Integrated hypervisor virtualization technologies in HP BladeSystem ProLiant server blades and ProLiant servers‖ at http://h20000.www2.hp.
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Figure 4. Virtual Connect abstracts the networking connections in a manner similar to n etworking in a hypervisor environment. For a more in-depth description of the similarities between the network abstractions of hypervisors and those of Virtual Connect, see the paper titled ―HP Virtual Connect: Common Myths, misperceptions, and objections‖ available at http://bizsupport.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01598869/c01598869.pdf. With Virtual Connect firmware releases of v1.
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Flex-10 for Virtual Connect Flex-10 technology is the newest extension of HP Virtual Connect technology. It is a hardware-based, I/O abstraction solution that allows customers to partition a 10 gigabit (Gb) Ethernet connection, to regulate the size and data speed of each partition, and to prioritize each of those partitions. Customers can configure a single 10Gb network port to represent up to four physical NIC devices, or FlexNICs, for a total bandwidth of 10Gbps.
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Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager Built on the Virtual Connect architecture integrated into every BladeSystem enclosure, VCEM is a separate application that provides a central console on a CMS to perform efficient administration of LAN and SAN connections. VCEM provides group-based management that enables administrators to rapidly configure, assign, move, and failover server-to-network connections and their workloads for up to 150 BladeSystem enclosures (2400 servers).
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Figure 6. Logical servers streamline lifecycle management by enabling flexibility of the application/OS workload. 3 months later Logical server lifecycle management 12 months later User demand skyrockets. Migrate to larger server. 36 months later Deploy apps/OS as a test VM. Apps/OS migrated to production on blade.
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HP Virtual Machine Management Pack, which provides central management and control for VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix virtual machines. It integrates with vendors’ virtualization management tools, such as VMware vCenter Server (formerly known as VirtualCenter), and allows administrators to manage virtualization platforms from the same console used for physical server administration. (www.hp.
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Figure 7. HP Insight Dynamics – VSE user interface facilitates managing logical servers by controlling physical and virtual machines in the same way. Network Groups and Domains Blade Enclosures Integrity and ProLiant Servers Virtual Servers For more information about Insight Dynamics – VSE, refer to www.hp.com/go/insightdynamics.
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Figure 8. The user interface for HP Insight Orchestration software includes a catalog of templates in a self-service portal. For more information about Insight Orchestration, refer to www.hp.com/go/insightdynamics. Conclusion Virtual machine technology for x86-based servers is being incorporated into data centers at levels that are causing a true paradigm shift for IT administrators.
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– High-efficiency power supplies – Power capping feature for provisioning power to groups of ProLiant servers – HP Thermal Logic (for monitoring and managing BladeSystem servers) Furthermore, HP Virtual Connect technology in the BladeSystem c-Class architecture provides physicallayer abstractions, enabling machine abstractions at the server/network edge.
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Appendix A: Background about processor ring layers An x86 processor includes four different ―ring‖ layers. These layers differentiate the type of instructions that the processor can execute, depending on what software is calling the instruction (Figure A1). In a typical multitasking OS, the OS operates in ―ring 0,‖ in which it has full access to all the processor and platform resources, such as memory mapping. This is the most privileged level, also referred to as kernel mode.
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Figure A2. In a virtual machine environment such as VMware ESX Server that uses binary translation, the guest OS operates in ring 1 or ring 3.
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Appendix B: Common types of software-layer abstraction for virtual machines Binary translation With binary translation technology, the guest OS is not aware it is operating on virtualized hardware. The hypervisor manages the access of each guest OS to the physical hardware resources by masking the hardware from the guest OS. It emulates portions of the system hardware and provides the guest OS with the illusion of a standard physical server with well-defined hardware devices.
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Hosted OS, kernel-layer abstraction Kernel-layer abstraction refers to a technique in which the abstraction technology is built directly into the OS kernel rather than having a separate hypervisor layer. This approach can still follow the requirements of hardware-assisted (AMD-V or Intel VT-x virtualization technologies) and paravirtualization, but removes the discrete hypervisor layer.
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For more information For additional information, refer to the resources listed below. Source Hyperlink HP webpages: BladeSystem servers BladeSystem Virtual Connect Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager www.hp.com/go/bladesystem http://www.hp.com/go/bladesystem/virtualconnect www.hp.com/go/vcem ProLiant servers www.hp.com/go/proliant HP Virtualization solutions www.hp.com/go/virtualization Industry-Standard Server Technology Communications www.hp.
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Call to action Send comments about this paper to TechCom@HP.com. © 2006, 2008, 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.