Connection dropping for a split second to ESX Host when in VI Client

[Fox1977]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone can helpme out with a pretty major problem we are having with out ESX server (3.0.2 build 52542) and VI Client 2.0.2 (Build 50618). We are currenly running about 5 vm machines running windows 200, 2003 and 2008 server. One of the servers is used to store people's windows roaming profile andworks fine without a problem most of the time.

I have major problems when i try and do anything in the VI Client from my desktop. I recently tried to build another couple of machines in there and every so often the VI client hangs for a few seconds and the whole office's (50 users) desktops disappear and they have to log out and back in again. As you can imagine i get a lot of stick for this. The drop outs happen when i try and reboot any of the new virtual machines I am trying to put together.

Admittedly the server isn't finely performance optimised. The server is a 2 x quadcore xeons with 8 gb of ram and I dont think the VM's put the hardware under considerable amount of stress.

This is increasingly becoming a big problem as we have had to build a couple of new servers as VMs and ended up having to get a couple of desktops and install VMware server to get them up and running. As we have left the ESX server alone for two weeks it has been working fine.

Anyone any ideas? I know it is a broad subject but i would appreciate any tips. I was thinking about upgrading the client and esx box to the latest edition.

Thanks in advance

 

[ste52653]

Just a thought. Do you have your service console on a separate adapter? if you have more than one nic in the esx host, configure your service console on one adapter and the vm network on the other.

Also the server seems to have enough horse power with those cpu's but it's memory seems a little on the low side, however it should still work providing the virtual machines running aren't configured to use too much of the ram.

You could also configure your service console to use more memory as well, maybe 500MB would be better than the default configuration.

-Steve

 

[TheLad]

Some good ideas above, esxtop may also give you some ideas as to whether the memory in your host is insufficient.

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[Fox1977]

How do i go about setting up the interfaces so that the machines are bound to one interface and the management console is running on the other one?

I have just had a look around the web console but i cannot see any config options. I will have a look in the VI console later on when no one is on the office.

Thanks in advance

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

Here is the configuration document on how to set up virtual switches, and seperate networks within the configuration tab of your host.

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_301_201_server_config.pdf

 

[Fox1977]

i tried setting up the second network card to run on a different vswitch.

I was able to connect to the server on the new IP address and I could see the virtual machines. The problem was i could not see the remote consoles. Is to so with them running on two different switches?

I have made a number of changes to the server. I have now added the second NIC to load balance on the vswitch. It wasnt even in use! I changed a bios setting on the Dell 2950 to enable virtualisation technology and I have upgraded the VI Client to 2.5. So far so good although i have been a bit weary to poke about in the VI client too much!

I now need to look into upgrading the ESX server from 3.0.2 to 3.5 so i can start using the update manager. Any tips on where to start for the upgrade?

thanks for the advice