(Part 2) Best products from r/vmware

Good answer though, free is free.

My lab had 5 of these sitting around when I started working here: https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Clip-Fan-306-CFM/dp/B00IGFJFSY

Super handy, I bring them around back behind the racks whenever I need to do some wiring to stay a little cooler. Also nabbed one for my desk. They were a life-saver when we lost AC for 6 hours one day... recommend if you're looking for a fan or two to replace the USB ones.

I didn't even think of that! That's a great idea.

This is what we've been getting for employees to use as mobile remote clients so they can RDP into their desks at work. The bios does have virtualization support settings too. With 4gb of ram that should be enough to install the free ESXi and build a DC on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Essential-B575e-Notebook-59360210/dp/B00GDM2L6U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395853133&sr=8-1&keywords=lenovo+b575e

Thanks. So it's really worth getting an SSD or another HDD? Do you have any that you could recommend?

Edit: This seems to be enough to run OSX?

Thanks. I appreciate that. I find the vmware site to be a behemoth. The designers could benefit from reading Don't Make Me Think.

Or maybe it's just me.

I liked these books:

• Mastering vSphere
  
• vSphere Instant Reference
  
• vSphere Quick Start Guide
  
• vSphere Implementation
  
  Some of those are more quick reference style, I guess it all depends on what you are trying to learn. It might not be a bad idea to print out the Basic System Administration guide and the Resource Management guide from the docs and read those as well.
  
  Edit: Clarity.

Managing and Optimizing VMware VSphere Deployments: Lessons Learned on the Virtualization Journey (IT Best Practices)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Managing-Optimizing-VMware-VSphere-Deployments/dp/0321820479

SSD in a USB 3.0 enclosure and share with your friends or move between systems. Just make sure you power off and not suspend.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07997QV4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_QDsKBbFAA1VKB

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Enclosure-EC-UK30/dp/B00LS31KQG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1536267383&sr=8-8&keywords=external+usb3+enclosure

(links are for for example, I have CoolMax enclosures and who knows what SSDs.)

I ended up going through the same thing except I had some cheap leftover SSDs I was using for a 3 node vsan all flash cluster and wanted to get something for cache tier that was a little faster and had more write endurance. After a lot of research, I ended up going with a Silicon Power 512GB NVMe SSD and getting a NVMe to PCIe adapter card for my HP DL360 G7. Silicon Power 512GB NVMe M.2 PCIe... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L6DKM8V?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I picked that as it had decent performance, had no manufacture specified write endurance so it is under warranty for the full 3 or 5 years it was and was pretty cheap. I am trying it out in one of my hosts before pulling the trigger on the other 2 or might try a crucial drive as well.

Mainly, that drive was very cheap for the performance and alleged write endurance and warranty.

I am also interested in this thread and open to suggestions for cache drives for HomeLab use as well.

I can do all that now I think...In fact I'm going to build some useful functions using some of those requirements as those building blocks will be useful for many scripts

I found a good book too
http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-PowerCLI-Reference-Administration/dp/0470890797/

VMware vSphere 4.1 HA and DRS Technical deepdive is a technical but very nice read!

I just bought the following based on some recommendations I had found. Hopefully, they're good, but either way I think they'll help in my job.

http://www.amazon.com/vSphere-Design-Practices-Brian-Bolander-ebook/dp/B00KLAJ618

http://www.amazon.com/VMware-vSphere-Datacenter-Design-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00I2ORN8S

Wireshark works on Windows and even has a pretty GUI. It can save packet captures in a tcpdump-compatible format (among others). It even has a portable version if you don't want to install programs.

Aside from Wireshark, you can mirror a port in your switch, or if you can't do that, get a hardware network tap (like this) and then run Wireshark/tcpdump/whatever on a laptop connected to the tap port.

>Should I install Cygwin on my DC?

No.

I can’t recommend enough:

VDI Design Guide: A comprehensive guide to help you design VMware Horizon, based on modern standards https://www.amazon.com/dp/1977535526/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7P.uCbJJ5X4SB

Home, Licensing in your vSphere client will tell you what license type is applied if you're using vCenter.

Otherwise, if it's standalone, click on the host and go to the configuration tab, under "Software" and "Licensed Features".

I highly recommend the Sybex book by Brian Atkinson as well. You'll have to look to see if there's a newer version out.
http://www.amazon.com/VMware-Certified-Professional-vSphere-Study/dp/1118181123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395248631&sr=8-1&keywords=vcp+vmware+certified+professional+on+vsphere+5+study+guide

EDIT: I missed that you are on vSphere 4.1. Maybe this one?
http://www.amazon.com/VMware-Certified-Professional-vSphere-Study/dp/0470569611/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395248693&sr=8-2&keywords=vcp+vmware+certified+professional+on+vsphere+4+study+guide

This is the one I used - highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/VMware-Certified-Professional-vSphere-Study/dp/1118181123/ref=sr_1_2/189-6632719-3410357?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394146584&sr=1-2&keywords=vcp5

I just passed it too, i read/noted everything in this + had my lab..

http://www.amazon.com/VMware-Certified-Professional-vSphere-Study/dp/1118181123