VMware ESX Manual

A SERVICE OF

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ESX Server 3 and VirtualCenter Installation Guide

24 VMware, Inc.

Enhanced Performance Recommendations

ThelistsinprevioussectionssuggestabasicESX Server 3configuration.Inpractice,

youcanusemultiplephysicaldisks,whichincludeSCSIdisks,FibreChannelLUNs,

RAIDLUNs,andsoon.

Herearesomerecommendationsforenhancedperformance:

 RAM–HavingsufficientRAMforallyourvirtualmachinesisimportantto

achievinggoodperformance.ESX Server 3hostsrequiremoreRAMthantypical

servers.AnESX Server 3hostmustbeequippedwithsufficientRAMtorun

concurrentvirtualmachines,plusruntheserviceconsole.

For example,operatingfourvirtualmachineswithRed Hat Enterprise Linuxor



Windows XPrequiresyourESX Server 3hostbeequippedwithoveragigabyteof

RAMforbaselineperformance:

 1024MBforthevirtualmachines(256MBminimumperoperatingsystemas

recommendedbyvendors × 4)

 272MBfortheESX Server 3serviceconsole

Runningtheseexamplevirtualmachineswithamorereasonable512MBRAM

requirestheESX Server 3hosttobeequippedwithatleast2.2GBRAM.

 2048MBforthevirtualmachines(512MB × 4)

 272MBfortheESX Server 3serviceconsole

Thesecalculationsdonottakeintoaccountvariableoverheadmemoryforeach

virtualmachine.See theResourceManagementGuide.

 DedicatedfastEthernetadaptersforvirtualmachines–Dedicatedgigabit

Ethernetcardsforvirtualmachines,suchasIntelPRO/1000adapters,improve

throughputtovirtualmachineswithhighnetworktraffic.

 Disklocation–Forbestperformance,alldatausedbyyourvirtualmachines

shouldbeonphysicaldisksallocatedtovirtualmachines.Thesephysicaldisks

shouldbelargeenoughtoholddiskimagestobeusedbyallthevirtualmachines.

 VMFS3partitioning–Forbestperformance,useVI ClientorVIWebAccesstoset

upyourVMFS3partitionsratherthantheESX Server 3installer.UsingVI Clientor

VIWebAccessensuresthatthestartingsectorsofpartitionsare64K‐aligned,

whichimprovesstorageperformance.

N

OTETheESX Server 3hostmightrequiremoreRAMfortheserviceconsoleif

youarerunningthird‐partymanagementapplicationsorbackupagents.