Remote PC Integration
NETLAB+ integrates with 3rd party virtualization products to provide powerful and cost effective remote PC support. The NETLAB+ documentation library includes several guides with extensive detail on the implementation of virtualization with your NETLAB+ system.
VMware Academic Program
The VMware Academic Program enables member organizations worldwide to gain easy access to cutting-edge virtualization technology and resources at no charge. Eligible faculty within educational institutions may easily access and download selected VMware software at no charge. Renewable licenses for your physical ESXi Host servers and vCenter Server are available from the VMware E-academy.
Virtualization Components
Virtualization Product Support Status
| Product | VMware Version |
vCenter Required |
NETLAB+ Support |
Minimum NETLAB+ Version |
NETLAB+ Implementation Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VMware ESXi / vCenter | 5.0 | Delayed | TBD | Not recommended or supported at this time. See note below. | |
| VMware ESXi / vCenter | 4.1 U2 | Yes | Recommended | 2011.R1V | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using ESXi versions 4.01 and 4.1 with vCenter |
| VMware ESXi / vCenter | 4.01 | Yes | Supported | 2011.R1V | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using ESXi versions 4.01 and 4.1 with vCenter |
| VMware ESXi Standalone | 4.01 | No | Supported1 | 2009.R1 | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using VMware ESXi 3.5/4.01 |
| VMware ESXi Standalone | 3.5 | No | Deprecated1 | 2009.R1 | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using VMware ESXi 3.5/4.01 |
| VMware Server | 2.x | No | End of Support Dec. 20111,2 |
2009.R1 | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using VMware Server 2.x |
| VMware Server | 1.x | No | End of Support Dec. 20111,2,3 |
4.0.11 | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using VMware Server 1.x and GSX |
| VMware GSX | 3.x | No | End of Support Dec. 20111,2,3 |
3.7.0 | Remote PC Guide for VMware Implementation Using VMware Server 1.x and GSX |
1NETLAB+ functionality is limited with these products/versions.
2These products are no longer supported by VMware. NETLAB+ technical support will end December 31, 2011.
3The legacy code libraries that support these VMware products are no longer supported or updated by VMware and will not compile on modern Linux systems. NETLAB+ software support for these VMware products may be removed after the EOS date. If you are using these versions, please upgrade to a supported platform as soon as possible.
VMware ESXi 5.0 on physical host servers and vCenter 5.0 for NETLAB+ VM management are not recommended or supported at this time due to several known issues. VMware ESXi 5.0 and vCenter 5.0 are supported as virtual machines running in NDG ICM 5 pods; the physical host servers that host ICM 5 pods must run ESXi 4.1 U2.
Only VMware ESXi is supported. VMware ESX is not supported.
VMware ESXi 4.01 is the last version that can be used with NETLAB+ as a standalone server (i.e. without vCenter management). ESXi 4.1 requires a vCenter implementation.
Server Specifications for Hosting NETLAB+ Pod Virtual Machines
The following table shows the current recommended specifications for ESXi host
servers used to host virtual machines in NETLAB+ pods. These specifications
have been tested by NDG with VMware ESXi 4.0 and 4.1 and have demonstrated
workloads of 40 active virtual machines.
Please check the VMware Compatibility Guide
to verify that all server hardware components are compatible with the version of
VMware ESXi that you wish to use.
Our server recommendations have changed for ICM 5 support (coming soon).
Please note that the Dell PERC H200 RAID controller is no longer recommended due to poor
performance under load. We are in the process of retesting our servers using
Dell PERC H700 controllers in a RAID5 configuration. This configuration is listed
below and initial testing showed positive results. However, final testing is not
completed.
| Components | Recommended Minimum / Features |
|---|---|
| Server Model | Dell R710 |
| Operating System | Specify NO operating system on order. |
| Hypervisor (installed by you) | VMware ESXi 4.1 U2 |
| Physical CPUs | Two (2) x Intel Xeon E5620 Quad Core @ 2.4GHz1, 2 |
| Hardware Assisted Virtualization Support | Intel-VT and Intel-EPT3 |
| Total CPU Cores/Threads | 8 cores, 16 threads |
| Total System Memory |
Requirements vary based on server role or curriculum. Management Server: 32GB or higher recommended. Cisco NetAcad only: 64GB or higher recommended. VMware ICM 4.1 course: 72GB minimum. VMware ICM 5.0 course: 128GB minimum. Use 16GB quad-ranked DIMMs for maximum expansion. (Kingston part number KTD-PE310Q/16G) See Recommended Memory Configurations for Dell R710 |
| Chassis Hard Drive Configuration | 6 x 3.5" |
| Storage Configuration Options |
1.5TB Internal Direct Attached Storage Option4
3.5TB Internal Direct Attached Storage Option4
Please review the RAID controller section for important performance information. Dell PERC H700 Controllers with 512MB cache are recommended. Dell PERC H200 Controllers are NOT recommended. |
| NIC | Dual Two-Port Embedded Broadcom NetXtreme II 5709 Gigabit Ethernet |
| Riser Card | Riser with 2 PCIe x8 + 2 PCIe x4 Slot |
| BIOS Setting | Performance BIOS Setting |
| Power Supplies | High Output Power Supply, Redundant, 870W |
| Embedded Management | iDRAC6 Express |
| Optical Drive | DVD ROM, SATA, Internal |
1Minimum recommended processor is Intel E5620 @ 2.4Ghz (4 cores, 8 threads per CPU). VMware ICM pods have not been tested on AMD based systems by NDG and are not supported.
2Two (2) physical CPUs per server (i.e. dual-socket) are required for VMware ICM pod support (8 cores, 16 threads per host).
364-bit processors with hardware assisted virtualization (Intel-VT/EPT) are required for good virtual machine performance and to support VMware ICM course offering.
4Internal Direct Attached Storage consists of hard drives that reside on the ESXi server and are connected directly to the host system via a RAID controller.
RAID Arrays and Configuration
If you are storing virtual machines on the ESXi host server's internal Direct Attached Storage, the type of RAID controller and RAID array configuration will have a very significant impact on performance, particularly as the number of active VMs increase. The amount of cache on the RAID controller is very important. A controller with no cache is likely to perform poorly under load and will significantly decrease the amount of active VMs you can run on the server. Keep in mind that many controllers will disable the disk's onboard cache, which is designed for standalone usage.
Recommended RAID Configuration for Dell R710 Servers
- RAID Controller: Dell PERC H700 Internal Integrated RAID Controller with 512MB of onboard cache.
- RAID Configuration: RAID 5 is recommended. It provides excellent read and write performance with data protection if one drive in the array fails.
Important Known Issues
- The amount of cache on the RAID controller significantly affects performance.
- At least 512MB cache is recommended.
- Controllers with no cache will perform unsatisfactory and may significantly reduce the amount of active VMs that can be supported.
- Any cache present on individual hard drives may be disabled by the RAID controller.
- The Dell PERC H200 for the Dell R710 is NOT recommended. It has no onboard cache and disables the cache on hard drives. NDG has tested this card and observed poor I/O performance after about 12 active VMs.
Storage Area Networks
NDG performs all testing on servers with Internal Direct Attached Storage (i.e. RAID arrays and RAID controllers directly attached to each ESXi host server). This is the configuration that most academic institutions are likely to find affordable and adopt.
A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage, that can be used for disk storage in a VMware vSphere environment.
Currently NDG does not provide benchmarks, guidance or troubleshooting for SAN configurations. Our documentation may show an optional SAN in the environment, however this is not a recommendation or requirement to deploy a SAN.
NDG benchmarks and capacity planning guidance do not account for the additional latencies introduced by SAN.
- When compared to Direct Attached Storage, a SAN may introduce additional I/O latency between ESXi server and disk. Therefore, a SAN may reduce the number of active VMs you can run on an ESXi host.
- If you deploy a SAN, you should perform your own benchmarks and determine the number of active VMs you can host on your ESXi server. Your mileage may vary.
- Always configure NETLAB+ Proactive Resource Awareness to ensure that the number of VMs that can be activated will remain within your predetermined performance limits.
Quantity of Physical VMware ESXi Host Servers Required
The following table shows the minimum server configurations recommended for various NDG supported courseware. These configurations are based on the Dell R710 specification above and vary only by memory and active VMs supported. You do not need separate host servers for each curriculum and may run VMs for Cisco, General IT, and Cybersecurity on the same servers. We recommend no more than 40 active VMs per server with 128GB of memory. Always configure NETLAB+ Proactive Resource Awareness to limit the number of scheduled VMs at any one given time and to prevent oversubscription of the host resources.
| Server Role/Courses | Server Type | Processor(s) | Memory | Cores/Threads | Active VMs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Only Setup (8 Active MAP pods) | Dell R710 | 2 X Intel E5620 | 64GB | 8/16 | 24 |
| VMware ICM Course (8 Active ICM Pods) | Dell R710 | 2 X Intel E5620 | 128GB | 8/16 | 40 |
| General IT / Cybersecurity | Dell R710 | 2 X Intel E5620 | 128GB | 8/16 | 40 |
Specifications for Management / vCenter Server
VMware vCenter enables you to manage the resources of multiple ESXi hosts and allows you to monitor and manage your physical and virtual infrastructure. Starting with software version 2011.R1V, NETLAB+ integrates with VMware vCenter to assist the administrator with installing, replicating and configuring virtual machine pods.
For performance reasons, a separate physical management server is recommended for vCenter. We list two alternative management server configurations to accommodate different workloads:
| Server Role/Courses | Server Type | Processor(s) | Memory | Cores/Threads | Active VMs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Management Server (vCenter) | Dell R410 | 1 X Intel E5620 | 24GB | 4/8 | 3 |
| High End Management Server (vCenter) | Dell R710 | 2 X Intel E5620 | 32GB | 8/16 | 5 |
- Basic Management Server
- Manage 1 or 2 ESXi host servers.
- Support a NETLAB+ configuration with only Cisco pods and no virtual machines pods.
- Support a NETLAB+ system supporting a small number of virtualized pods.
- High End Management Server
- Manage more than 2 ESXi host servers.
- A NETLAB+ configuration supporting many courses, including VMware ICM course.
- Future compatibility with NDG enhancements.
Please adhere to the vCenter requirements and best practices. vCenter requires at
least two CPU cores. Unsatisfactory results have been observed with older / single
core hardware that did not meet VMware's minimum specifications.
NDG does not support configurations where a virtualized vCenter server instance is running
on a heavily loaded ESXi host and/or an ESXi host that is also used to host virtual
machines for NETLAB+ pods (with the exception of HA failover of the management server).
These configurations have exhibited poor performance and API timeouts that can adversely
affect NETLAB+ operation.
Configuration Options for Management / vCenter Server
The following table shows a subset of configurations supported by VMware and recommended for NETLAB+.
| Option | Host | Operating System | vCenter Version | Database | Host/VM Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VMware ESXi 4.1 U2 | Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) | vCenter 4.1 for Windows | Microsoft SQL Server | --- |
| 2 | VMware ESXi 4.1 U2 | Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) | vCenter 4.1 for Windows | Microsoft SQL Express (built-in database) | 5 / 50 |
| 3 | Bare Metal | Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) | vCenter 4.1 for Windows | Microsoft SQL Server | --- |
| 4 | Bare Metal | Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) | vCenter 4.1 for Windows | Microsoft SQL Express (built-in database) | 5 / 50 |
Option 1 is recommended for any vSphere infrastructure of 50 or more virtual machines.
Option 2 is recommended for small vSphere 4.1 U2 deployments that will not exceed 50 virtual machines.
Option 3/4 are bare metal Windows 2008 server deployments and do not leverage virtualization.
Only one instance of vCenter can be run on the server.
Running vCenter in a virtual machine instance is recommended as it provides additional benefits:
- The vCenter VM can be backed up using vSphere backup utilities.
- The vCenter VM can be easily migrated to another host.
- The vCenter VM can failover to another host.
- You may stand up new versions of vCenter on the management server, in parallel with the production instance, and slowly upgrade components and VMs to newer versions of VMware vSphere as they become available.
Guest Operating Systems (virtual machines)
NDG has tested Windows and Linux as guest operating systems. Novell Netware is not currently supported. Other operating systems that are supported by VMware may work, but have not been tested by NDG. The guest operating system must support VMware tools for the mouse to work within NETLAB+.
If you are using the topologies designed to support Cisco Networking Academy® content, please review this additional information on determining the number of VMware Servers needed >
NDG Equipment Selection Disclaimer
NDG offers no warranties (expressed or implied) or performance guarantees (current or future) for 3rd party products, including those products NDG recommends. Due to the dynamic nature of the IT industry, our recommended specifications are subject to change at any time.
NDG recommended equipment specifications are based on actual testing performed by NDG. To achieve comparable compatibility and performance, we strongly encourage you to utilize the same equipment, exactly as specified and configure the equipment as directed in our setup documentation. Choosing other hardware with similar specifications may or may not result in the same compatibility and performance. The customer is responsible for compatibility testing and performance validation of any hardware that deviates from NDG recommendations. NDG has no obligation to provide support for any hardware that deviates from our recommendations, or for configurations that deviate from our standard setup documentation.