Archive for the ‘homelab’ Category

HOW TO: Perform storage performance tests on VMware vSphere vSAN, using the VMware Hyper-converged Infrastructure Benchmark fling (HCIBench)

Monday, August 14th, 2023

In this video presentation which is part of the Hancock’s VMware Half Hour HOW TO Video Series I will show you HOW TO:  Perform storage performance tests on VMware vSphere vSAN, using the VMware Hyper-converged Infrastructure Benchmark fling (HCIBench).

HCIBench is a storage performance testing automation tool that simplifies and accelerates customer Proof of Concept (POC) performance testing in a consistent and controlled way. VMware vSAN Community Forum provides support for HCIBench.

HCIBench

The storage devices we are using in this video are the Intel® Optane™ SSD DC P4800X Series 375GB, 2.5in PCIe x4, 3D XPoint™, but this procedure can be use to add any compatible storage devices in ESXi to a vSAN datastore.

This video follows on from the follow video in this series

Part 36: HOW TO: Select an inexpensive HCL Certified 10GBe network interfaces for vSphere ESXi 7.0 and vSphere ESXi 8.0 for VMware vSphere vSAN

Part 37: HOW TO: Change the LBA sector size of storage media to make it compatible with VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 7.0 and ESXi 8.0.

Part 39: HOW TO: Create a VMware vSphere Distributed Switch (VDS) for use with VMware vSphere vSAN for the VMware vSphere vSAN Cluster.

If you are creating a design for VMware vSphere vSAN for a Production environment, please ensure you read the  VMware Cloud Foundation Design Guide 01 JUN 2023 – this should be regarded as The Bible!

References

HOW TO: FIX the Warning System logs on host are stored on non-persistent storage, Move system logs to NFS shared storage.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH INTEL OPTANE? – Mr vSAN – Simon Todd

Matt Mancini blog

VMware vSAN 8.0 U1 Express Storage Architecture Deep Dive

VMware vSAN 7.0 U3 Deep Dive Paperback – 5 May 2022

The results generated from this video are available here in these PDFs for download

FIO Benchmarks

4K/70%Read/100%Random

4K/100%Read100%Random

8K/50%Read/100%Random

256K/100%Write/100%Sequential

VDBENCH Benchmarks

4K/70%Read/100%Random
4K/100%Read100%Random
8K/50%Read/100%Random
256K/100%Write/100%Sequential

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It’s A Proper Job! – Low Profile PCIe Bracket for Dell 0XYT17 Intel X520-DA2 Dual Port 10GB SFP+ NIC

Sunday, July 2nd, 2023
 

So I recently blogged here – about the network interfaces I’ve chosen for my #intel #optane #vSAN #homelab, but I cam across a small snag, in the Dell PowerEdge R730 I’m using as one of the #homelab servers uses low profile PCIe cards so I need to purchase a low profile bracket from eBay for it, so it will fit nicely.  I could have swapped the bracket from another network interface card but that then leaves that card I cannot use in the future!

Low profile bracket

flapping in the breeze

So one purchased from the UK, I could purchase one from China, but I’m in a hurry, I could leave the PCIe card floppy around in the breeze, but I do like to do things proper!

R730 riser with Intel-DA2 fitted with low profile bracket

It’s a Proper Job!

oh for those that don’t know, it’s a lovely tipple from Cornwall! A Cornish IPA from St Austell Brewery !

 

 

 

 

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#intel #optane demo units as part of the @vExpert program

Saturday, July 1st, 2023

I was able to take part in the fantastic offer of free #intel #optane demo units as part of the vExpert Program to create a #vSAN #homelab project which I will document here on this blog. It has taken me a while to obtain all the parts for the #homelab BOM, so here goes….. the #homelab will be based on VMware vSphere 7.0 and 8.0 vSAN.

So one of the many benefits of the vExpert Program , so if you have an interest in VMware Products, reach out to me as a vExpert Pro, for help with applying to the program!

So many Thanks to fellow #vExperts –  Mr vSAN, and Matt Mancini, vCommunity Guy for organising this. 

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