I/OTest script to check if the disk I/O is causing slow performance
Slow VM Performacne, use IOTest to see if the disk IO is the culprit
This script will test the disk IO by copying 500Mb of data using the same block size as eDir uses and with the same api eDir uses “fdatasync”.
This writes 500 Mb of data each iteration to the iotest.log in the dib directory, usually the /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data/dib/
It will overwrite the previous data in the iotest.log each time it runs. Anything under 100 MB/s is a concern and will cause slowness for eDirectory and possible memory build up. IO causes a bottleneck for events to be written to disk. A build up of memory by ndsd can cause a ndsd to take all available memory (both virtual and resident) causing ndsd to core.
If slow IO writes are seen with the iotest script begin the process of adding hard drives and reducing the… Continue reading
Windows 8 and DSfW
I am still in the process of using Windows 8 with Domain Services for Windows. From what I have seen so far it behaves similar to Windows 7 as a workstation joined to the domain. Logging in, mapping drives, running GPOs, executing login script from a GPO, all seem to work as in Windows 7. The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the Start menu in Windows 8 and that isn’t DSfW related.
Windows 8 with VMWare View 5.1.1 and DSfW OES11SP1 all appear to play well with each other. Making templates and linked clones do not seem to have any gotchyas to look out for. Let me know or the Novell Forums know if you discover a bug with DSfW and Windows 8.
VMWare and best practices for Timekeeping
Lately I’ve been getting a lot of requests for timekeeping best practices for VMWare
VMWare has a great support article on this. Below are the SLES recommendations. The article can be found here
| SLES 11 (All updates) | No additional kernel parameters required. | |
| SLES 10 SP4 on ESX 5.0 and later | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 SP4 on ESX 4.x | Use a VMI enabled kernel. | |
| SLES 10 SP3 on ESXi 5.0 | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 SP3 on ESX 3.5 and 4.x | Use a VMI enabled kernel. | |
| SLES 10 SP3 on ESX 3.0.x and earlier | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 SP2 on ESXi 5.0 | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 SP2 on ESX 3.5 and 4.x | Use a VMI enabled kernel. | |
| SLES 10 SP2 on ESX 3.0.x and earlier | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 SP1 | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 10 | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 9 (All updates) | clock=pmtmr hpet=disable |
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| SLES 8 | No additional kernel parameters required.… Continue reading |
Running Windows 7 on an iPad using VMWare View
Using VMWare View a Apple iPad can run Windows 7. Using Domain Services for Windows as the directory VMWare View can easily be deployed in and existing or new Novell eDirectory environment. This video from Network World demonstrates how Windows 7 can run on a Apple iPad.
Overview of VMWare View 5
VMWare View is one of the most common reasons why Domain Services for Windows is deployed and the most popular app authenticating to Domain Services for Windows. With View workstations can be centrally managed and reside in the data-center. If you are looking at implementing VMWare View, consider DSfW as a replacement for AD. If you are a Novell Shop and want to continue using eDirectory and don’t want to have two directories to administer, DSfW will allow a AD style Domain to be installed into your tree, providing AD style authentication. No CALS, which will saver $, no syncing directories because all the users are in eDirectory. eDirectory is running behind the scenes with DSfW. The users in the DSfW domain are both eDir and DSfW users. AD and NCP authentication will work with DSfW. With applications like VMWare View that require… Continue reading