PowerCLI

PowerCLI – Setup Host networking and storage ready for ISCSI LUNs

So I am no scripting master, my PowerShell knowledge is still something I want to expand. During an install last week I had a number of hosts to setup from scratch, so I decided to do this via PowerCLI, as a lot of the tasks were repetitive. Setting up the vSwitch networking and iSCSI configuration for each host

For those of you new to scripting, I’ve included screenshots to accompany the commands so you can see whats going on in the GUI.

Note: the full code without the breaks is at the end of this post

#Setup which host to target 
$VMhost = 'hostname'

Continue reading PowerCLI – Setup Host networking and storage ready for ISCSI LUNs

Paris Tuileries Garden Facepalm statue

Further ESXi 6.0 CBT bug info – Reset your CBT!!!

Following on from the recent (November 2015) ESXi 6.0 CBT bug, which has now been fixed in the latest released patch ESXi600-201511401-BG, some further information has come to light, provided by Anton Gostev, of Veeam.

You can read the snippet of important information from the Veeam forum post following the issue (Official Veeam KB2075);

All, we have completed the first day of testing in the same exact lab and using the same heavy write I/O test that made the original issue easily reproducible. After a few TB of increments, the above-mention patch appears to fully resolve the original issue when installed on ESX 6.0 Update 1a build 3073146.

However, we found that simply installing the patch is not sufficient, and CBT reset is required for all of your VMs. This is because existing CBT map files may contain issues created earlier due to the original bug, which may result in inconsistent full backups in future. Having CBT reset will also force the following job run use "full scan" incremental pass, thus fixing any existing inconsistencies in backups and replicas, as discussed earlier in this topic.

Provided CBT reset has been performed, Active Full backups is not required.

Performing Active Full backups by itself cannot be considered as a substitute to CBT reset with this particular CBT issue.

Thanks!

You can either follow the CBT Reset instructions from Veeam or look over to Chris Wahl’s latest blog post “Resetting VMware’s Changed Block Tracking (CBT) File with PowerCLI”.

Regards

Dean

troubleshooting

[Quick Post] Sharing a generic Troubleshooting poster I found online #vDM30in30

I found this post on Reddit, where a user had created a generic troubleshooting poster. It’s not aligned to any tech, but can be very useful, especially those getting started in IT.

RrdwDgd

Source: Reddit post

Regards

Dean

[Quick Post] Citrix Receiver – Clean uninstall tool – #vDM30in30

The issue

On my work based Windows 8.1 VM, I was finding that Citrix Receiver would crash any time I opened an ICA file from a Web Interface/StoreFront website, this meant that any desktop or application would not work.

  • I removed Citrix Receiver
  • I upgraded Citrix Receiver
  • I installed as the actual local admin
  • I installed the plugins for other browsers

But every time, the same, the process would stop responding.

The Fix

Occasionally software vendors release “clean up” tools, to remove their pesky applications completely, to fix underlying issues. And Citrix are the same.

Citrix Receiver Clean-up Tool

So I ran this, rebooted my machine. Installed the latest Citrix Receiver, connected up to my customers environment, and voila, it worked!

So this is a quick post incase anyone didn’t know this tool existed.
Regards

Dean

VCP merch

Exam Experience – VMware VCP6-DT #vDM30in30

Today I took the VCP6-DT exam. It will be retired on 30th November 2015. And is replaced by the VCP6-DTM exam, as part of the VMware exam overhaul.

So why take an expiring exam?

Well VMware is kindly going to upgrade it to the VCP6-DTM anyway.

2015-11-26_21-31-47

I’ve spent a number of years as a VMware customer running a large VDI deployment, from administration to re-architecture of the environment. I never took the exam due to a number of reasons. One being the course requirement, and the fact my employer would not send me on a £2500+ training course. Since then I’ve done my VCP6-NV and my VCP5-DCV, so slowly I’ve chiselled away at going through the topics and preparing myself for the VCP6-DT, so with them offering to upgrade it, and the fact I don’t really touch some of the newer products (app volumes, air watch etc). I decided to stick with the VCP6-DT.

So whats the difference between the VCP6-DT and VCP6-DTM?

Continue reading Exam Experience – VMware VCP6-DT #vDM30in30