Partition alignment VMFS and VM

I want to take a bookmark for the article that I find on the web for the partition alignment.

For VMFS partition when you create a partition with the VI client or the vCenter the partition in alignment itself, but if you create the partition with the cmd line (ESX) in the COS the partition is not alignment. For the alignment you need to make some othe command when you are in the fdisk tool. after you create the partition whit the n command you need to change the type of the partition (fd for vmware filesystem) and than use the X command and set the start of the partition; 128 is the value for the most cases, but check the SAN manual for the best configuration. Then you can create the vmfs filesystem on that partition with this command Example: vmkfstools -C vmfs3 /vmfs/devices/disks/vmhba0:0:0:10

- Create VMFS volumes from the command-line from Duncan Edding. Thanks!
- ESX3 Recommendations for VMFS Partition alignment from VMware doc site. PDF directly
- Performance whit partition alignment

Upon the VMFS there are the VM and the vmdk file: The VM disk: for this there are a difference from windows to linux configuration.

For windows before win 2008 server you need to make the alignment by hand with diskpart.exe. Here an article that explain how to create also a Windows boot disk alignment. There is a Microsoft Technet article that explain how to verify the alignment of the partition.
This is an article that expalin how to create the volume and than format it in an alignment state. It refers to Exchange but is a standard for all the product, also for SQL. Other link of this kind are:
- Luca Bianchi blog reference for SQL server and alingnment partition
- Win 2008 disk alignment
- PowerCLI script for chech the Windows VM disk alignment from Arne Fokkena

UPDATE

- Another document from Technet for SQL partition and alignment!

Bye

aLex

32 bit application on Win 2008 r2 Core

For running 32 bit application on win 2008 r2 core you need to enable the 32 bit support.

use this command

start /w ocsetup ServerCore-WOW64

On the full Win 2008 r2 server the WOW64 susystem is enable in the default mode.

Here the source of the news.

Italian

Per eseguire applicazioni a 32 bit su un server Win 2008 r2 Core bisogna abilitare il sottosistema WOW64, mentre nella versione noramle è attivo di default

aLex

V2P

I find a great document on VMware website for the rollback of a vm into a physical machine.

Italian

documenti che spiega come tornare indietro da una vm ad una macchina fisica!

aLex

ESXi 4 and Jumbo Frame

ESXi now supports the Jumbo Frame on the VMKernel Network! Not from now but also in the past. The alarm is just an error on the documentation and many blogs like this expand the notice. Now the ESXi blog says that was just an error in the documetation and you can turn on jumbo frame on the VMKernel Network.

It's a very good news for the free version of the vSphere suite.

Italian

Il problema del Jumbo frame per ESXi sull'interfaccia di networking VMKernel era solo un errore nella documentazione! I Jumbo Frame sono pienamente supportati non soltanto nella interfaccia normali, ma anche quelle VMKernel usate per raggiungere le SAN iSCSI e per il VMotion!

aLex

vSphere vReference Card version 2

Here the new version for the vReference Card with the note for the new verion of vSphere 4 update 1.

Thanks Forbes Guthrie!

Italian
Nuova versione della reference card con riflessi gli ultimi aggiornamenti per la versione vSphere 4 update 1.

aLex

Upgrade ESX3.5 tu vSphere 4.01

Monday I upgraded one ESX 3.5 host to vSphere 4 Update 1 with Host Update Utility: All OK.
The host was an IBM X3650 with local storage. The only issue that I find is the management station that can't upgrade the client inside. The station is a old Win2000 server with a fax server software. When I tried to install the client this message appeared

I used another client for the management.

Italian
Lunedì ho agggiornato un server ESX3.5 a vSphere 4U1. Tutto ok a parte il server di management he era un vecchio win 2000 server: il client di vsphere richiedce almeno un win xp sp2 per l'installazione

aLex

ESX 3.5U5

Yesterday vmware relase the new update for the VI3. The new verion is 3.5 update 5. Here the release notes. Now supports win 2008 R2 and Win 7.

Italian

Rilasciata la versione aggiornata di VI3. La nuova versione supporta Windows Server 2008 R2 e Windows 7.