Insights about my VMware mobile lab

1. VMWARE MOBILE LAB
Calin DAMIAN TANASE
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Copyright Calin DAMIAN TANASE, Temperfield

2. AGENDA
Why a “mobile” lab?
What’s required versus nice to have?
What if I don’t need mobile?
Vendors? Models?
Trade-offs short introduction
Storage – a& Costs
Nested. How many levels?
Step by step setup and common problems
Live Demo
Resources

3. Why a “mobile” lab
Learn about technologies on the go (@home, while on trips)
More effective than VPN to the office
No dependency on internet connection specs 
Usually access to newer hardware than the gear you would get for test/dev
@work
Easier to transport to PoC/tech meetings
No other external requirements
Comm (switches, routers)
Storage
Cables
Etc
Conclusion: let’s get a power laptop 

4. What’s required versus nice to have
REQUIRED NICE TO HAVE
CPU Intel-VT/ADM-V More cores the better
EPT/RVI for nested 64bit VMs More Hz the better
MEMORY 8GB (16 GB strongly 32GB 
recommended)
DISK SSD (iops) Large SSD 
NETWORK Just the link to outside world 

5. What if I don’t need mobile
REQUIRED NICE TO HAVE
CPU Intel-VT/ADM-V More cores the better
EPT/RVI for nested 64bit VMs More Hz the better
MEMORY 8GB (16 GB strongly 32GB 
recommended)
DISK SSD (iops) Large SSD 
NETWORK Just the link to outside world 
Same requirements; what you’d expect? Dough.. 
Cheaper to get than mobile

6. Vendors? Models?
Which were my requirements
i7 platforms (EPT)
4 dimm slots (4x4 = 16 ); or 4x8 when 8GB dimms will get cheaper
Secondary HDD (drive caddy)
WARNING: CD/DVD bays – lower specs?
Decent FULL HD LED display  That was nice to have
Vendors
Lenovo – W510, W520
Dell Precision M6600
HP 8560w, 8760w
Warning: same model, different CPU than i7 QC & you’ll get only 2
dimms

7. Trade-offs & Costs
It will not be light
Your charger will be heavier than an iPad 
It will not be power-efficient
It will cost more than the same hw components, but not in a laptop
Mobile Desktop
laptop 1200-2000 Case, PSU, MB, 250
CPU
SSD 120GB 200 SSD 200
Drive caddy 30 LCD monitor, Are they needed?
keyboard, mouse Or you’ll install
bare metal
Total ~1450 – 2250 EUR Total 450 EUR
Note: check that your MB will work with ESXi if you’ll install bare-metal;
whitebox HCL

8. Nested. How many levels?
Depends on hardware & software as well
With HW EPT, VMware Workstation 8 & ESXi5 you’ll get 3 levels 
Image source: http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/07/how-to-enable-
support-for-nested-64bit.html

9. Step by step setup & common problems
Decide mobile vs. desktop
Decide ESXi on bare-metal install or OS + VMware Workstation
Choose your software storage appliance (Openfiler; FreeNAS etc)
Mobile (OS+workstation) Bare metal
Install VMware Workstation Install ESXi
Install Storage appliance as VM
Configure Networking (Virtual Configure vNetworking under
Networking Editor) ESXi (not nested yet)
Create ESXi hosts as VM (thin-provisioned on SSD)
Present storage from storage appliance VM
Networking – promiscous mode notes
Cloning & same MACs
etc

10. Demo
Demo time 

11. Resources
http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/07/how-to-enable-support-for-
nested-64bit.html
http://vinf.net/2010/02/25/8-node-esxi-cluster-running-60-virtual-
machines-all-running-from-a-single-500gbp-physical-server/
http://vinf.net/2010/11/04/vtardis-cloud/
http://vinf.net/vtardis/
http://www.vm-help.com//esx40i/esx40_whitebox_HCL.php
http://ultimatewhitebox.com/
http://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/new.html
http://www.veeam.com/blog/nesting-hyper-v-with-vmware-workstation-8-
and-esxi-5.html
http://www.openfiler.com/
http://www.freenas.org/

12. QUESTIONS?

13. THANK YOU!