Cannot log into VI client- "The server could not interpret the communication from the client. (The remote server returned an error: (503) Server Unavailable)".

Here's a good one. I created a 2 ESX Server "Sandbox environment" for my lab testing with 1 Windows 2008 VM providing DNS to the test servers. The idea was to use the 2 ESX servers with a Dell EqualLogic iSCSI SAN to test replication and failover from the prodcution tot the DR site of the Windows 2008 server. I ran into some trouble when I rebooted the ESX severs I could not log back in to either of the ESX servers with the VI client. I came accross this article below which helped me out tremendously and put an end to this madness. I know that normally this would not be a problem since a DNS server would be up and running at both the production and DR sites however, in my sanbox this was not the case. I changed the Windows 2008 VM to automatically startup with the ESX host so that I would have a DSN server available to the ESX servers.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1012942

Anyway...The moral of the short story is to make sure your DNS server is up and running before you try to login to the ESX servers otherwise you could be waiting a while to login to the VI client.

VMware Introduces Enhanced Virtualization Offerings for Small and Midsize Businesses

On July 13th, 2010 VMware introduced VSphere 4.1 with supposedly over 150 new features.
Read the news here http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/vsphere-4-1.html

Great news for SMB's VMotion in now available for Essentials Plus!
Read the news here http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/vsphere-4-1-smb.html

How do I get my USB to be recognized on a VM?

First of all you need to be running VSpshere ESX 4 update 1
and your VSphere Host needs to support passthrough configuration
1. You can set this feature in the BIOS if it is a newer chipset if you do not have this option then it is most likely not going to work- Look in the BIOS for something like Intel vt-d or VT IO
2. If your machine has passthrough configured in the BIOS then go to the VI Client – Select the Host, select configuration tab then select the Advanced Settings under Hardware area.
3. You will then have to select the USB and check off for passthrough for the USB device
4. Also make sure you upgrade the virtual machine hardware to version 7 and upgrade the vm tools
5. Add a USB controller to VM- the VM needs to be powered off to add this device
You should now be able to see the USB device on the VM

Vista and Windows 7 desktop icons

Right Click on the Desktop
Select Personalize
Select Change Desktop Icons
Check Mark the Desktop icons you wish to show and Select OK

How to Increase the VMFS datastore default 1MB block size of the local storage during the installation of ESX 4.0

I needed to create a VM with a 600GB vmdk. Therefore, I needed to increase the default 1MB block size of the local datastore during installation to support the block change of 4MB that I wanted. I found the VMware KB below as my reference and I was finally able to do what I needed.
I have modified the steps below that I took to make it a bit easier.

VMware KB Reference
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1012683

1. Boot to the ESX installation DVD
2. Wait for the installation process to begin once it does Press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to switch to the shell
3. # ps grep Xorg
4. Kill the PID where 590 is the PID.For example: # kill 590 or kill 509
5. # cd /usr/lib/vmware/weasel
6. Edit the config file: # vi fsset.py
7. Locate class vmfs3FileSystem(FileSystemType):
8. Edit the blockSizeMB parameter to the block size that you want it to be. It is currently set to 1. The only values that work correctly are 1, 2, 4, and 8
9. Press i for insert mode
10. To save Esc, then :wq! and press Enter. The exclamation mark is required to save a file that is in red-only mode
11. You can verify that file has been modified by typing the following command bleow:
# grep -i blockSizeMB fsset.py
12. # cd /
13. Now launch the ESX4 installer with the new configuration of the new block size. # /bin/weasel
14. At this point you can continue your ESX4 installation
Done!