VMware ESX question

xenodamus

I have company that wants to interview me for a system admin position. Here's the job description they provide:

Oversee the building and maintenance of Windows and ESX server equipment. Responsible for day-to-day operation and support of server infrastructure, which include Windows Servers, Active Directory, Virtual Machines within VMware ESX environment. Also responsible for backups; system health checks; risk; security; reporting; storage and capacity management; maintenance; file sharing concepts; and SharePoint.

I have experience with Windows servers, but when it comes to ESX I know nothing at the moment. So, could I realistically expect to self-educate myself on this topic to the point of carrying on an intelligent conversation in less than a week? I haven't even started to read up on it, but would like some input from folks who work with it regularly. How deep is this topic for someone with previous server knowledge?

Hyper-Me

Have you worked with any enterprise virtualization? (hyperV or Xen)

The core concepts mostly hold over between the different products, but of course there are lots of product specific details.

If you can swing it, the trainsignal VCP 4 course should get you moving quickly.

RouteThisWay

Just don't lie and say you have professional experience with it, if you don't.

I think what you are doing is perfectly fine and a good plus. Explain that you are interested in it, have done some self study on it, etc just didn't have the opportunity to work with it in a professional environment at your current employer.

I think honesty will come off much better than trying to fumble your way around as if you do have the experience for it.

Fumbling around in IT, pretending you know what you are doing can be extremely costly for a company.

I think you are handling it right, and trying to know enough to, as you put it, "hold an intelligent conversation". Just don't exaggerate it too much and end up in a trap. Or worse, a job you can't do and have been given too high expectations. They will be much more tolerant of an honest candidate who works hard, than someone who misrepresents themselves.

xenodamus

RouteThisWay wrote: »

They will be much more tolerant of an honest candidate who works hard, than someone who misrepresents themselves.

This is what I figure as well. I don't know it all, but can learn whatever I need to if given the opportunity. Maybe I'll just camp out at Borders for an evening or two. Or better yet, sign up for the safari books account that I've been trying to justify

Edit to answer the previous question - I don't have any virtualization experience at all. So I'm starting from the ground up.

astorrs

Have a look at the Intro to Virtualization and the QuickStart series VMware did a while ago, the QuickStart's are four free webcasts "that uses live product demonstrations to teach administrators how to install, configure and manage VMware vSphere 4" and together with the Intro will give you quite a solid foundation to understand what the pieces are. Like others said be honest about your current skills, but be keen to learn/grow.

Intro to Virtualization

• Learn about virtualization solutions such as server consolidation, green IT, business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR), and cloud computing
• Understand how the benefits of virtualization are extending beyond servers to simplify desktop deployment and management
• Find out how virtualization can help you save time, money and energy while achieving more with the computer resources you already own
• Gain an overview understanding of VMware vSphere and its capabilities

VMware vSphere 4 QuickStart Series Part 1: Install and Configure ESXi

• The deployment architecture of VMware vSphere 4
• Installing and configuring ESXi
• Configuring networking and iSCSI, NAS and Fibre Channel shared storage
• Creating a virtual machine and installing VMware Tools

VMware vSphere 4 QuickStart Series Part 2: Managing Virtual Machines

• Installing and configuring VMware vCenter™ Server and the backend database connection
• Controlling user access to VMware vSphere
• Managing existing VMware® ESX™ and ESXi hosts with VMware vCenter Server
• Creating and managing virtual machines, including the usage of templates, snapshots and thin provisioning for virtual machine storage disks

VMware vSphere 4 QuickStart Series Part 3: Cluster Setup, Availability and Load Balancing

• Set up a virtual machine cluster, also known as a resource pool
• Live migrate virtual machines and their storage files
• Configure VMware® High Availability to provide application high availability
• Configure VMware DRS to enable automatic load balancing across the cluster

VMware vSphere 4 QuickStart Series Part 4: Monitoring, Availability, Back Up and Next Steps

• Monitor virtual machine performance for basic troubleshooting
• Use alarms and reports to manage a dynamic virtualized environment with VMware vCenter™ Server
• Configure VMware® Fault Tolerance to provide continuous application high availability
• Configure VMware® Data Recovery Manager to back up and restore virtual machines
• Choose the right VMware vSphere edition for your organization

xenodamus

Wow...that looks like a great place to start. Thanks a lot.

aethereos

ESXi is not that difficult to figure out; grab yourself a whitebox PC with compatible parts (Google for them) and the free license from VMWare. Once you have installed it go get yourself a book to understand the concepts behind the GUI.