PRODUC T DATASHEE T

VMware DRS
Dynamic balancing and allocation of resources for virtual machines

at a g l a n c e How Is VMware DRS Used in the Enterprise?

VMware® Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) dynami-
cally allocates and balances computing capacity across a
collection of hardware resources aggregated into logical
resource pools. VMware DRS continuously monitors uti-
lization across resource pools and intelligently allocates
available resources among the virtual machines based
on pre-defined rules that reflect business needs and
changing priorities. When a virtual machine experiences
an increased load, VMware DRS automatically allocates
additional resources by redistributing virtual machines
among the physical servers in the resource pool.
benefits
• Prioritize resources to the highest value applications in
order to align resources with business goals.
• Optimize hardware utilization automatically and con-
tinuously to respond to changing conditions.
• Provide dedicated (virtual) infrastructure to business
units while giving central IT complete control over
hardware.
• Conduct zero-downtime server maintenance.
• Align IT resources with business priorities. Define rules and
policies to decide how resources should be prioritized among
virtual machines. VMware DRS dynamically and intelligently
allocates IT resources to the highest priority virtual machines to
ensure optimal alignment between business and IT.
• Guarantee IT autonomy and service levels to business orga-
nizations. Provide dedicated IT infrastructure to business units
while still profiting from higher hardware utilization through
resource pooling.
• Dramatically increase system administrator productivity.
Enable a single system administrator to monitor and effectively
manage a large pool of infrastructure resources.
• Automate hardware maintenance. Place a physical server in
maintenance mode and VMware DRS will automatically migrate
all virtual machines to other physical servers, allowing server
maintenance with zero downtime.
• Easily add and deploy new capacity. Add new physical serv-
ers to a resource pool and VMware DRS will automatically take
advantage of the additional capacity by redistributing virtual
machines among the servers.

How Does VMware DRS work?

App
App

OS
App VMware DRS dynamically allocates and balances computing
capacity across collections of hardware resources aggregated into
App OS
OS

OS

logical resource pools. VMware DRS continuously monitors utiliza-

tion across the resource pools and intelligently allocates available
App

App App App App App OS App App App

OS OS OS OS OS OS OS OS
resources among virtual machines.
ESX Server ESX Server
ESX Server ESX Server VMware DRS allows users to define the rules and policies that
decide how virtual machines share resources and how these
Resource Pool
resources are prioritized among multiple virtual machines. When
a virtual machine experiences increased load, VMware DRS first
evaluates its priority against the established resource allocation
rules and policies, and if justified, allocates additional resources.
.Resources are allocated to the virtual machine by either migrating it
to another server with more available resources or by making more
Physical Servers
“space” for it on the same server by migrating other virtual machines
to different servers.. The live migration of virtual machines to dif-
VMware DRS automatically and intelligently balances resources among virtual machines. ferent physical servers is executed completely transparent to end-
users through VMware VMotion.
 V M WA R E D R S P R O D U C T D ATA S H E E T

VMware DRS can be configured to operate source pool without impacting other un- machines can run. Based on automation
in either automatic or manual mode. In related resource pools. For example, any mode settings, the virtual machines are
automatic mode, DRS determines the best allocation changes in the resource pool either automatically moved to use the
possible distribution of virtual machines dedicated to a given business unit do not alternative servers, or the system adminis-
among different physical servers and impact other resource pools. trator performs the move manually using
automatically migrates virtual machines the VMware DRS recommendations as a
­ » Access control and delegation.Secure
to the most appropriate physical servers. guideline.
resource allocation at different levels in
In manual mode, VMware DRS provides a the company while eliminating bottle- • Affinity rules. Create rules that govern
recommendation for optimal placement of necks. Virtual machine creation and the allocation of virtual machines to
virtual machines, and leaves it to the system maintenance for a business unit can be physical servers. For example, certain
administrator to decide whether to make delegated to a business unit system ad- virtual machines can always run on the
the change. ministrator thus eliminating reliance on same server for performance reasons.
Flexible hierarchical organization of resource central IT for every routine operation. Alternatively, specified virtual machines
pools allows administrators to match can always run on different servers for
­ » Management of sets of virtual ma-
available IT resources to the needs of the increased availability.
chines running a distributed applica-
business organization. Individual business tion. Optimize the service level of dis-
units can receive dedicated IT resources tributed applications by controlling the How Can I Purchase VMware DRS?
while still benefiting from the efficiency of aggregate allocation of resources for the
resource pooling. Robust access privileges • VMware DRS is included VMware
entire set of virtual machines running the
make it possible to delegate routine infra- Infrastructure 3 Enterprise.
distributed application.
structure tasks for a business unit resource
pool to a business unit system administrator. • Manual and automatic mode. VMware • DRS can also be purchased as a sepa-
DRS collects resource usage information rately licensed product with VMware
from servers and virtual machines, and Infrastructure 3 Standard and VMware
Key features of VMware DRS then generates recommendations to Infrastructure 3 Starter.
• Resource pools with VMware DRS. optimize virtual machine allocation. These
Aggregate disparate hardware resources recommendations can be executed auto-
into unified logical resource pools. With matically or manually. Product Specifications and System
VMware DRS, resource pools are automati- Requirements
­ » Initial placement. When a virtual ma-
cally and intelligently optimized to ensure VMware DRS requires ESX Server,
chine is first powered on, VMware DRS
that IT resource allocation matches busi- VirtualCenter Management Server, and
either automatically places the virtual
ness priorities while maximizing hardware VMotion.
machine on the most appropriate physi-
utilization.
cal server or makes a recommendation. For detailed product specifications and
­ » Abstraction of resources from hard- ­ » Continuous optimization. VMware DRS system requirements refer to the System
ware. Manage resources independently continuously optimizes resource alloca- Requirements chapter in the VMware
of the physical servers that contribute tions based on defined resource alloca- Infrastructure Installation and Upgrade
the resources. tion rules and resource utilization. The Guide and the Resource Management
­ » Flexible hierarchical organization. Or- resource allocation changes can be au- Guide located at http://www.vmware.com/
ganize resource pools hierarchically to tomatically executed by performing live support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.
match available IT resources to the busi- migration of virtual machines through
ness organization. VMware DRS ensures VMotion. Alternatively, in manual mode,
that resource utilization is maximized VMware DRS provides execution recom-
while business units retain control and mendations for system administrators. “The ‘set it and forget it’ automation aspect of VMware
autonomy of their infrastructure. Re- HA and DRS will enable us to automatically allocate
• Maintenance mode for servers. Perform
source pools can be flexibly added, re- resources as needed, whenever needed, all without our
maintenance on physical servers without
moved, or reorganized as business needs intervention.”
disruption to virtual machines and end
or organization change. Systems Engineer, Leading Insurance Company
users. When a physical server is placed in
­ » Isolation between resource pools. maintenance mode, VMware DRS identi-
Make allocation changes within a re- fies alternative servers where the virtual

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