selecting the correct hypervisor boston virtualization deep dive day 2011 tim mackey xenserver...
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Selecting the Correct HypervisorBoston Virtualization Deep Dive Day 2011Tim Mackey XenServer Evangelist
• Balanced representation of each hypervisor
• Where the sweet spots are for each vendor
• No discussion of performance
• No discussion of ROI and TCO
• What you should be thinking of with cloud
What to Expect Today ….
• Virtualization meant mainframe/mini
• x86 was “real mode”
• Until 1986 and the 80386DX changed the world• Now “protected mode” and rings of execution (typically ring 0 and ring 3)
• Real mode OS vs. Protected mode• x86 always boots to real mode (even today)• Kernel takes power on and enables protection models• Early kernels performed poorly in protected mode• Focus was on application virtualization not OS virtualization
The Land Before Time …
• Early 2001 ESX released as first type-1 for x86
• ESX uses an emulation model known as “binary translation” to trap protected mode operations and execute protected operations cleanly in the VMkernel• Heavily tuned over years of experience• Leverages 80386 protection rings and exception handlers• Can result in FASTER code execution
VMware Creates Mainstream x86 Virtualization
• 2005-2006 Intel and AMD introduce hardware assist• Idea was to take non-trappable privileged CPU OP codes and isolate them• Introduced “user mode” and “kernel mode”• Introduced “Ring -1”• Binary translation could still be faster
• 2008-2009 Intel and AMD introduce memory assist• CPU Op code only addressed part of the problem• Memory paging seen as key to future performance
• Hardware + Moore’s Law > Software + Tuning
Enter Hardware Assist
• Shared IO bottlenecks• VM density magnifies problem• Throughput demands impact peer VMs
• Enter SR-IOV in 2010• Hardware is virtualized in hardware• Virtual Function presented to guest
What About IO?
The Core Architectures
• ESX• VMkernel provides hypervisor• Service console is for management• IO is managed through emulated devices
• ESX is EOL long live ESXi• Service console is gone• Management via API/CLI• VMkernel now includes management,
agents and support consoles• Security vastly improved over ESX
vSphere Hypervisor
• Based on Open Source Xen
• Requires hardware assist
• Management through Linux control domain (dom0)
• IO managed using split drivers
XenServer
• Requires hardware assist
• Management through Windows 2008 “Parent partition”
• VMs run as child partitions
• Linux enabled using “Xenified” kernels
• IO is managed through parent partition and enlightened drivers
Hyper-V
• Requires hardware assist
• KVM modules part of Linux kernel
• Converts Linux into type-1
• Each VM is a process• Defined as “guest mode”
• IO managed via Linux and VirtIO
KVM
Commercial Free Contenders for Your Budget
VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi)
•Single server management via vSphere client
Manageability•25
6 GB Host RAM
•2 physical cores
Scalability
•Thin provisioning
Key Features
•Very broad OS support
Guest Support
•Edition and feature based licensing
•Support a percentage of sale
Costs
Microsoft Hyper-V Server R2 SP1
•Single server management via Remote Server Admin Tools
Manageability•1T
B host RAM
•8 Logical CPUs per host
Scalability
•Host clustering
•Live migration
Key Features
•Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 and higher
•RHEL 5.2 and SLES 10 and higher
Guest Support
•Edition and VM based pricing
•Support and SA extra
Costs
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization (KVM)
•Centralized multi-server management
•Resource pools
Manageability
•1TB host RAM – 256 GB guest RAM
•96 Logical CPUs per host – 16 vCPUs per guest
Scalability
•All RHEL 5 devices and storage types
•Memory overcommit (KSM)
Key Features
•Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and higher
•RHEL 3 and higher
Guest Support
•Annual support options priced per six sockets
Costs
Oracle VM
•Centralized multi-server management
•Resource pools
Manageability
•1TB host RAM – 32 GB guest RAM
•128 Logical CPUs per host – 32 vCPUs per guest
Scalability
•Secure live migration using shared storage (NFS, OCFS32 iSCSI)
•Load balancing and Cluster High Availability
Key Features
•Windows 2000 and higher
•Oracle Linux, RHEL
Guest Support
•Annual per host support options priced per socket
Costs
•Centralized multi-server management
•Resource pools
Manageability
•512 GB host RAM – 128 GB guest RAM
•64 logical CPUs per host – 16 vCPUs per guest
Scalability
•Live migration using shared storage (NFS, iSCSI, Fiber)
•VM snapshot and revert
Key Features
•Windows XP and higher
•CentOS, Debian,Oracle, SuSE, RHEL
Guest Support
•Edition based per host licensing
•Support is incident based
Costs
Citrix XenServer
Hypervisor is now a commodity!!
• Single hypervisor model is flawed• Wasted dollars, wasted performance
• Spend your resources where you need to• OS compatibility• VM density• IO performance• Application support models• Application availability
Maximizing Your Budget
Deconstructing Key Functionality
• Objective: Increase VM density and efficiently use host RAM
• Risks: Performance and Security
• Options: Ballooning, Page sharing, Compression, Swap
Memory Over Commit
Ballooning Method Page sharing Compression Performance/Security
vSphere 4.1 •Starts large•Windows and Linux
4k pages only with hash; latent coalesce with CoW
Compression of memory during oversubscribe
•Hash collisions•Recovery from swap•Compatible page scans
XenServer 5.6 •Starts large•Windows and Linux
None None •Doesn’t resize up
Hyper-V SP1 •Starts small•Windows only
None None •Memory space growth
RHEV (KVM) •Linux only Kernel Samepage Merging; CoW
None •B-tree collisions•Can use swap
• Objective: Ensure optimal performance of guests and hosts
• Risks: Performance and Security
• Options: Input metrics, reporting, variable usage models
Load Balancing
Feature name Input metrics Reporting Control points
vSphere 4.1 Dynamic Resource Scheduling
•CPU•Memory
None •Host affinity/anti-affinity•Initial placement 100%
XenServer 5.6 Workload Balancing •CPU•Memory•Disk IO R/W•Network IO R/W
•Pool/Host•VM•Audit
•Consolidation•Schedulable•Historical placement
Hyper-V R2 PRO (SCVMM) •CPU•Memory
SCVMM + SCOM •Initial placement 100%
RHEV (KVM) Load Balancing None None N/A
• Objective: Support data center and cloud networking
• Risks: Data leakage and performance
• Requirement: Make server virtualization compatible with networking
Virtual Networking
Feature name Key features Reporting Dependencies
vSphere 4.1 Virtual Distributed Switch
•Centralized management•Full Cisco Nexus features
NetFlow v9 Cisco Nexus 1000V
XenServer 5.6 FP1 Distributed Virtual Switch
•Centralized management•RSPAN•QoS•ACLs
NetFlow v5 None
Hyper-V R2 Windows network stack N/A N/A N/A
RHEV (KVM) Linux bridge N/A N/A N/A
The Sweet Spots
Key play: Legacy server virtualization• Large operating system support• Large eco-system => experienced talent readily available
Bonus opportunities• Feature rich data center requirements• Cloud consolidation through Cisco Nexus 1000V
Weaknesses• Complex licensing model• Reliance on SQL Server management database
VMware vSphere 4.1
Key play: Desktop virtualization• VM density is key• Memory over commit + deep understanding of Windows 7 => success
Bonus opportunities • Microsoft Server software• Ease of management for System Center customers
Weaknesses• Complex desktop virtualization licensing model• Complex setup at scale• “Patch Tuesday” reputation
Microsoft Hyper-V R2 SP1
Key plays: Linux virtualization• RHEL data centers
Weaknesses• Limited enterprise level feature set • Niche deployments and early adopter syndrome • Support only model may limit feature set
RedHat KVM
Key play: Hosted Oracle Applications• Oracle only supports its products on OVM
Bonus opportunities• Server virtualization • Applications requiring application level high availability• Data centers requiring secure VM motion
Weaknesses• Limited penetration outside of Oracle application suite• Support only model may limit future development
Oracle VM
Key play: Cloud platforms• Largest public cloud deployments
Bonus opportunities• Citrix infrastructure• Linux data centers• General purpose virtualization• Windows XP/Vista desktop virtualization
Weaknesses• Application support statements• HCL gaps
Citrix XenServer 5.6 FP1
Beyond the Data Center and into the Cloud
Hybrid Cloud• On premise• High fixed cost• Full control• Known security
• On/off premise• Low utility cost• Self-service• Fully elastic• Trusted security• Corporate control
• Off premise• Low utility cost• Self-service• Fully elastic
TraditionalDatacenter Public
Cloud
Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid Cloud
• On premise• High fixed cost• Full control• Known security
• On/off premise• Low utility cost• Self-service• Fully elastic• Trusted security• Corporate control
• Off premise• Low utility cost• Self-service• Fully elastic
TraditionalDatacenter Public
CloudHybrid Cloud
TraditionalDatacenter
Issues • Disparate Networks• Disjoint User Experience• Unpredictable SLAs• Different Locations
Transparency is a Key Requirement
Cloud Provider
TraditionalDatacenter
OpenCloud Bridge • Network transparency for Disparate Networks• Latency transparency to preserve the same User Experience• Services transparency to make SLAs predictable• Location transparency to allow Anywhere Access
Enabling Transparency Enables Hybrid Cloud
Hypervisor
LDAP DB Server
Private Public Public Private
Premise Datacenter Cloud
OpenCloud Bridge Use-Case
vSwitch
Hypervisor
vSwitch
Switch Switch
Storage
IP: 192.168.1.100Subnet: 255.255.254.0Reqs: DB, Web and LDAP
Network: 10.2.1.0Subnet: 255.255.254.0
= Netscaler VPX
It’s Your Budget … Spend it Wisely
•Vendor lock-in great for vendor
•Beware product lifecycles and tool set changes
Single Vendor
•ROI Calculators always show vendor author as best
•Use your own numbers
ROI Can be Manipulated
•Over buying is costly; get what you need
•Support call priority with tiered models
Understand Support Model
•Some projects have requirements best suited to specific tool
•Understand deployment and licensing impact
Use Correct Tool
•Blanket purchases benefit only vendor
•Chargeback to project for feature requirements
Leverage Costly Features as Required
• Social Media• Twitter: @XenServerArmy• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CitrixXenServer• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3231138
• Major Events• XenServer Master Class – March 23rd next edition• Citrix Synergy – San Francisco May 25-27 2011 (http://citrixsynergy.com)
Shameless XenServer Plug