"Virtualization, A Beginner's Guide" by Nelson Ruest, Danielle Ruest (Repost)

Transform your IT infrastructure into a leaner, greener datacenter with expert guidance from a pair of industry professionals. Through clear explanations, examples, and a five-step deployment plan, this book shows you how to maximize the latest technologies from Citrix, Microsoft, and VMware. Consolidate your servers, set up virtual machines and applications, and manage virtual desktop environments. You'll also learn how to implement reliable security, monitoring, and backup procedures.


Brief Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: Architect for Virtualization
1 The Move to Virtualization
2 Begin the Five-Step Process
3 Complete the Five-Step Process
Part II: Build Your Virtualization Infrastructure
4 Perform a Comprehensive Analysis
5 Build the Resource Pool
6 Begin with the Testing Environment
7 Work with Server Virtualization
8 Work with Virtual Workloads
9 Provision Virtual Machines
10 Work with Desktop Virtualization
11 Work with Application Virtualization
12 Work with AppV
Part III: Consolidate the Benefits
13 Secure Your Virtual Infrastructure
14 Protect Your Virtual Infrastructure
15 Prepare for Business Continuity
16 Update Your Management Structure
Afterword
Index

CONTENTS
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I. Architect for Virtualization
▼ 1 The Move to Virtualization
In Comes Virtualization
Before You Begin
Use a Five-Step Process
▼ 2 Begin the Five-Step Process
Step One: Discovery
Inventory, Inventory, Inventory
Scan for Potential Virtualization Candidates
Categorize Server Resources
Rationalize Everything
Step 2: Virtualization
Defining Virtualization
What Is a Virtual Machine?
Server Virtualization Models
Major Server Virtualization Vendors
Desktop Virtualization
Application Virtualization
Work with the First Two Steps
▼ 3 Complete the Five-Step Process
Step 3: Hardware Maximization
Move to 64-Bit
Rely on Shared Storage
Be Aware of Licensing Costs
Rely on New Server Form Factors
Step 4: Architectures
Step 5: Manage Virtualization
Focus on VM Management
Rely on the Virtualization Decision Flowchart
Part II. Build Your Virtualization Infrastructure
▼ 4 Perform a Comprehensive Analysis
Begin the Analysis
Perform a Storage Consolidation Study
Review Existing Network Bandwidth
Perform a Power and Cooling Audit
Rely on Other Tools
Perform a Server Consolidation Study
Identify Appropriate Performance Metrics
Interpret the Results
Rationalize Everything Again
▼ 5 Build the Resource Pool
Planning and Preparation
What to Virtualize
Replace Anything Beige
Choose the Implementation Method
Prepare the Network Layer
Networking in Virtual Layers
Prepare Storage
Prepare Storage Configurations
Virtualize Storage
Create a Backup Plan
Best-in-Breed Storage
Prepare Host Servers
Server Sizing for Resource Pools
Sizing Recommendations for Resource Pools
Upgrading Host Servers
Rely on Hardware-Integrated Hypervisors
Build Your Own Hypervisor Hardware
The Next Step
▼ 6 Begin with the Testing Environment
Work with Different Testing Levels
Rely on Virtual Machine Software
Physical Versus Logical Workspaces
Define Lab Requirements
Host Server Configurations
Virtual Machine Configurations
VM User Accounts
Required Server and Workstation Roles
Requirements for Each Testing Level
Create the Lab Environment
Virtual Machines and Software Licensing
Build Complete Environments
Virtual Laboratory Deliverables
Reuse of the Lab Deliverables
Reuse of Deliverable 1: Core Machines
Reuse of Deliverable 2: Depersonalized Machines
Reuse of Deliverable 3: The Base Environment
Reuse of Deliverable 4: The Core Environment
Virtual Infrastructure Laboratory Management Practices
Security Practices
Special Build Procedures
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Lab Maintenance Procedures
Virtual Lab Best Practices Summary
Move On to the Virtual Datacenter
▼ 7 Work with Server Virtualization
Choose a Server Virtualization Technology
Technologies and Scenarios
Server Virtualization Scenarios
Other Vendor Offerings
VMware Technology Components
Citrix Virtualization Technologies
Microsoft Virtualization Technologies
Virtual Machine Formats
VM Disk Types
Virtualization Technology Pricing
Market-Leader Hypervisor Metrics
Market-Leader Hypervisor Positioning
▼ 8 Work with Virtual Workloads
The Server Virtualization Decision Process
Virtual Service Offerings Structure
Virtual Resource Allocation Rules
Rely on Placement Rules
Single Versus Multi-VM Hosts
Work with the Network Layer
Best Practices in Server Virtualization
▼ 9 Provision Virtual Machines
Before You Begin
Provision New Virtual Machines
Create Seed Virtual Machines
Provision Using Seed Machines
Physical Versus Virtual Provisioning
Rely on Virtual Appliances
Virtual Appliance Benefits
Create Virtual Appliances of Your Own
Perform Physical-to-Virtual Conversions
P2V Preparation Tasks
Perform the P2V
Work with VMware Converter
Work with PlateSpin PowerConvert
Rely on the Ultimate-P2V Plug-in for BartPE
Microsoft Conversion Tools
Provisioning Best Practices
▼ 10 Work with Desktop Virtualization
Work with a System Stack
Desktop Management Issues
Vista State of the Union
The Anatomy of a Desktop
Move to Desktop Virtualization
Available Desktop Virtualization Products
Virtual Desktop Licensing
Potential Desktop Virtualization Scenarios
Identify Desktop Virtualization Audiences
Centralized Desktop Virtualization Infrastructures
VMware Virtual Desktop Manager
Citrix XenDesktop
Other Technologies
Profit from VDI
Major Vendor Positioning
Make the Desktop Virtualization Decision
▼ 11 Work with Application Virtualization
Application Management Issues
Traditional Application Management Solutions
Redesign Application Management
Work with a Virtualization Layer
Application Streaming: A New Distribution Strategy
Benefits of AppV for the Organization
▼ 12 Work with AppV
Compare Application Virtualization Products
Citrix XenApp
InstallFree Bridge
Microsoft Application Virtualization
Symantec SVS Pro
VMware ThinApp
Major Vendor Positioning
Use the AppV Decision Process
Key Points on AppV
Integrate Application, Profile, and Desktop Virtualization
Assign Applications on Demand
Use a Volatile Desktop VM
Virtualize User Profiles
Create the Personality Protection Strategy
Finalize the Personality Protection Strategy
Key Points on the Perfect Desktop
Part III. Consolidate the Benefits
▼ 13 Secure Your Virtual Infrastructure
The Castle Defense System
Resource Pools Versus Virtual Service Offerings
Secure Resource Pools
Secure Virtual Service Offerings
Apply the Castle Defense System to the Resource Pool
Layer 1: Critical Information
Layer 2: Physical Protection
Layer 3: Operating System Hardening
Layer 4: Information Access
Layer 5: External Access
Complete the Resource Pool Security Policy
▼ 14 Protect Your Virtual Infrastructure
Develop your System Protection Strategies
Use Standard System Recovery Strategies
Hypervisor Manufacturer Offerings
Data Protection Strategies for Virtual Service Offerings
Select a Third-Party Backup Tool
Complete the Recovery Strategy
▼ 15 Prepare for Business Continuity
Business Continuity Essentials
Make the Resource Pool Highly Available
Protect Your Virtual Service Offerings
Make Virtual Desktops Highly Available
Make Virtual Applications Highly Available
Make Profiles Highly Available
Build Your Business Continuity Strategy
Provide Multisite Redundancy
Adjust Your Service Level Agreements
Business Continuity Management
Through Replication
Choose the Proper Replication Tool
Prepare for Site-Based Disasters
▼ 16 Update Your Management Structure
Look to New Administrative Roles
Move to Policy-Based Workloads
Policy-Based Resource Management
Look to Third-Party Management Tools
Update Your Management Practices
▼ Afterword
Calculate Your Return on Investment
▼ Index