VMware vSphere : Operate, Scale and Secure (V8)

The VMware vSphere : Operate, Scale and Secure (V8) course is designed to provide learners with an in-depth understanding of how to manage, optimize, and secure a vSphere V8 infrastructure, which is a cornerstone of modern cloud computing environments. By taking this course, learners will be able to perform advanced Virtual machine operations, manage vSphere clusters, and carry out Network and storage operations with proficiency. Participants will gain knowledge on creating robust Backup solutions, deploying vSphere Replication, and Recovering VMs, as well as mastering Resource pool management and vSphere cluster operations. The course also covers the configuration and management of Advanced network features, including vSphere Distributed Switches and Network I/O Control. In addition, the course delves into storage operations, teaching the use of technologies such as NVMe and vSAN, and emphasizes the importance of Storage policy-based management. Learners will also learn to maintain vCenter and ESXi operations, including backup schedules and high availability configurations, while also managing ESXi configuration compliance and vSphere certificates. The course ensures that students are well-versed in vSphere monitoring tools, Custom alarms, and the benefits of VMware Skyline, along with vSphere security, Access control, Identity federation, VM encryption, and the configuration of vSphere Trust Authority. Overall, this course is an essential step for IT professionals looking to enhance their virtualization skillset and ensure their infrastructure is both performant and secure.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Configure and manage a VMware Tools Repository.

• Configure vSphere Replication and recover replicated VMs.

• Manage VM resource usage with resource pools.

• Configure and manage vSphere networking and storage for a large and sophisticated enterprise.

• Configure VMware vCenter Server® High Availability.

• Use host profiles to manage VMware ESXi™ 8 host compliance.

• Use the vSphere Client and the command line to manage certificates.

• Monitor the performance of vCenter, ESXi, and VMs in the vSphere client.

• Secure VMware vCenter® 8, ESXi, and VMs in your vSphere environment.

• Use Identity Federation to configure the vCenter to use external identity sources.

• Use VMware vSphere® Trust Authority™ to secure the infrastructure for encrypted VMs.

Who Can Benefit

• Experienced system administrators

• System engineers

• System integrators

Prerequisites

This course requires the following:

• Attendance in VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage (V8).

• Equivalent knowledge and administration experience with ESXi and vCenter.

• Experience with working at the command line is highly recommended.

Course Outline

1. Course Introduction

• Introductions and Course Logistics: Overview of participants, course schedule, and logistics.

• Course Objectives: Define the key learning outcomes and skills participants will acquire by the end of the course.

2. Virtual Machine Operations

• Recognize the Role of a VMware Tools™ Repository: Understanding the significance of the repository for VMware Tools.

• Configure a VMware Tools Repository: Steps to set up and manage the repository.

• Recognize the Backup and Restore Solution for VMs: Overview of strategies for backing up and restoring virtual machines.

• Identify the Components in the VMware vSphere® Replication™ Architecture: Understanding the architecture and components involved in vSphere Replication.

• Deploy and Configure vSphere Replication and VMware Site Recovery™ Instances: Hands-on practice in deploying and configuring replication instances.

• Recover Replicated VMs: Techniques for recovering VMs that have been replicated.

3. vSphere Cluster Operations

• Create and Manage Resource Pools in a Cluster: How to effectively create and manage resource pools.

• Describe How Scalable Shares Work: Understanding the functionality and benefits of scalable shares.

• Describe the Function of the vCLS: Overview of the vCenter Cluster Service (vCLS) and its role in cluster operations.

• Recognize Operations That Might Disrupt the Healthy Functioning of vCLS VMs: Identifying actions that could impact vCLS operations.

4. Network Operations

• Configure and Manage vSphere Distributed Switches: Steps for configuring and managing distributed switches.

• Describe How VMware vSphere® Network I/O Control Enhances Performance: Understanding the benefits of Network I/O Control.

• Explain Distributed Switch Features Such as Port Mirroring and NetFlow: Overview of key distributed switch features and their use cases.

• Define vSphere Distributed Services Engine: Understanding the architecture and purpose of the Distributed Services Engine.

• Describe the Use Cases and Benefits of VMware vSphere® Distributed Services Engine™: Practical applications and advantages of utilizing the Distributed Services Engine.

5. Storage Operations

• Discuss vSphere Support for NVMe and iSER Technologies: Overview of support for NVMe and iSER within vSphere.

• Describe the Architecture and Requirements of vSAN Configuration: Understanding the components and requirements for configuring vSAN.

• Describe Storage Policy-Based Management: Overview of managing storage policies within vSphere.

• Recognize Components in the VMware vSphere® Virtual Volumes™ Architecture: Identifying key components within the Virtual Volumes architecture.

• Configure Storage I/O Control: Steps to configure and manage Storage I/O Control.

6. vCenter and ESXi Operations

• Create a vCenter Backup Schedule: Best practices for scheduling vCenter backups.

• Recognize the Importance of vCenter High Availability: Understanding the significance of high availability in vCenter operations.

• Explain How vCenter Server High Availability Works: Overview of the high availability mechanism for vCenter Server.

• Use Host Profiles to Manage ESXi Configuration Compliance: Techniques for using host profiles to ensure configuration compliance.

• Recognize the Benefits of Using Configuration Profiles: Understanding the advantages of configuration profiles for ESXi management.

• Use the vSphere Client and Command Line to Manage Certificates: Managing certificates using both graphical and command-line interfaces.

7. vSphere Monitoring

• Monitor Key Factors That Can Affect a Virtual Machine’s Performance: Identifying performance metrics and monitoring strategies.

• Describe the Factors That Influence vCenter Performance: Understanding the elements that can impact vCenter's performance.

• Use vCenter Tools to Monitor Resource Use: Practical use of vCenter tools for resource monitoring.

• Create Custom Alarms in vCenter: How to set up custom alarms for proactive monitoring.

• Describe the Benefits and Capabilities of VMware Skyline™: Overview of VMware Skyline and its monitoring benefits.

• Recognize Uses for VMware Skyline Advisor™ Pro: Understanding the use cases for the Skyline Advisor Pro.

8. vSphere Security and Access Control

• Recognize Strategies for Securing vSphere Components: Best practices for securing vCenter, ESXi hosts, and VMs.

• Describe vSphere Support for Security Standards and Protocols: Overview of supported security standards within vSphere.

• Describe Identity Federation and Recognize Its Use Cases: Understanding identity federation and its applications in vSphere.

• Configure Identity Federation to Allow vCenter to Use an External Identity Provider: Steps for setting up identity federation with external providers.

9. vSphere Trusted Environments and VM Encryption

• Configure ESXi Host Access and Authentication: Techniques for configuring access and authentication for ESXi hosts.

• Describe Virtual Machine Security Features: Overview of security features available for virtual machines.

• Describe the Components of a VM Encryption Architecture: Understanding the architecture involved in VM encryption.

• Create, Manage, and Migrate Encrypted VMs: Practical steps for managing and migrating encrypted VMs.

• List VM Encryption Events and Alarms: Identifying events and alarms associated with VM encryption.

• Describe the Benefits and Use Cases of vSphere Trust Authority: Overview of vSphere Trust Authority and its applications.