Inquisitive

Google Opens up it's data center and server secrets

Google recently hosted the "Efficient Data Center Summit" to discuss the best practices to improve the data center energy efficiency

All Videos and presentations are posted in the following Google official site >>

http://www.google.com/corporate/green/datacenters/summit.html

The summit also includes a good April fool joke

VMware snippets : How to enable root SSH access in ESX

The Basics :

To enable or disable remote ssh access modify the sshconfiguration file (etc/ssh/sshd_config file ) : PermitRootLogin yes – to enable remote access and PermitRootLogin no – to disable it. Restart the sshd service: # service sshd restart

How to do it if you don't have console access:

If there is a remote ESX server with SSH access to root disabled which is default. If there is no other way to get into the box as it may be at remote location etc. Root access can be gained using the following ways: 

1. Connect to the web interface of the ESX server using the VI Client with root credentials
2. Create a user level account on the host
3. SSH using the newly created user account & type su and press enter.
4. Enter the root password and get root user access

A Simple Solution:

Use this free tool from Veeam : http://www.veeam.com/vmware-esx-server/root_access/

Beware of the security implication of enabling access to root!!

VMware tip 3: Powershell Resources part 1

The VI toolkit based on Microsoft Powershell provides a powerful yet simple command line interface for task based management of the VMware platforms. It's gaining a lot of acceptance, community support and great tools making it a powerful ecosystem for administrators and power users.

In this post, I had tried to consolidate and list some of the best Powershell resources for newbies. Here we go..

It's better to start with MS Powershell basics as it will help in mastering Powershell scripting and aid in developing advanced scripts for VMware infrastructure

           

Microsoft Technology Center for Powershell :

The one stop place for MS powershell resources. Remember mastering powershell basics will help in administrating MS products like Exchange, SQL, Windows server, AD etc

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/powershell/default.mspx

 

VMware blog on VI Toolkit :

This is VMware's official blog and a great place for demos, tips, powershell product anouncements etc. There is a very active community that every newbie should participate atleast as a active listener to get a grasp of how people are solving administration problems through VI powershell.

http://blogs.vmware.com/vipowershell/

 

Blogs to watch

http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/categories/10-VMware-PowerShell

http://halr9000.com/  (Has both VMware and generic powershell stuff)

http://www.virtu-al.net/2009/02/23/vi-toolkit-quick-reference-guide/ (get this and print it out)

http://dmitrysotnikov.wordpress.com/ (Power GUI - a great tool that powers powershell)

http://www.virtu-al.net/

http://vmguru.com/index.php/articles-mainmenu-62/scripting/85-5-new-powergui-for-vmware-videos   (Videos on Powergui with VMware)

http://vinternals.com/powercli-mastery/ (simply great..)

 

Starter Toolkit :

Download Windows Powershell 1.0 or 2 CTP >>

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/powershell/download.mspx

Download VI Toolkit >>

http://www.vmware.com/sdk/vitk_win/index.html

Download PowerGUI & VI infrastructure Powerpack >>

www.powergui.org

Download free tools from Primal (Primal forms, iPowershell for your iphone etc) >>

http://www.primaltools.com/freetools/

Have fun learning Powershell for VMware !!