Tools to manage a sprawling VMWare environment

tom

We've got virtualization sprawl and would love recommendations on great tools for managing and securing the environment. What are you using and what should we be looking at?

Topic: Software
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Vote Up (17)

Have you looked at DynamicOps or Cloud.com?

 

DynamicOps helps to prevent VMSprawl by automating the enterprise consoles - essentially giving you one view into provisioning and reporting.

 

Cloud.com is a great way to automate tasks both at the enterprise, as well as in the cloud. By creating templates, and allowing different business units to "shop" for services using pre-defined "buckets" you created, you can allow different departments to "right-size" the VM for their own use, without over-allocating resources.

Hope this helps,

 

Mark Vinokur

Twitter:  @mleptor

 

 

mstrauss
Vote Up (25)

Have you tried SolarWinds Virtualization Manager? I've used several of SolarWinds' tools for managing more traditional LANs and they seemed to be fairly stable and full-featured.

JOiseau
Vote Up (26)

I've heard good things about VMware Lab Manager 4 (http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/VMware-vCenter-Lab-Manager-4-DS-EN.pdf). Key features include on-demand access to internal cloud resources, while still ensuring IT control; repurposing of hardware as needed; storage growth and reduced storage footprints; and optimizing resource utilization of the shared infrastructure. Of course, it's important to have a qualified and organized IT staff overseeing the management of your system as well, but programs like LM eliminate some of the more time-consuming tasks for them, freeing up their time for other important tasks. However, it should be noted that LM4 requires a subscription to Enterprise Plus, because Distributed Switch technology is a must. Also, Cisco1000v isn't supported with it. 

rcasselb
Vote Up (26)

In the spririt of full disclousre, I'm biased.....

 

The best way to deal wiht vmsprawl is siimply not to allow it. We use (and develop) a tool that forces IT admins to register all new machines (virtual or physical) and to get all of the approvals. before it's allowed on the network. Once the form is all filled out though the network role is automatically provisionsed and the role follows the server if it moves in the network. We call it data center manager...

 

More info on www.enterayss.com or http://blogs.enterasys.com/2011/03/security-tips-for-virtualization.html

 

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