1. Introduction

A Microsoft Visio 2010 Add-in Implementation.

 

Microsoft Visio 2010 Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization (Virtualization) uses various new features of Visio 2010 to display the details of servers, racks and colors present in the Data Center. This add-in provides the consolidation of physical servers by allowing many virtual servers to run concurrently on one physical server resulting in the improvement of system utilization, reduction in number of physical servers, lowering costs, increasing flexibility etc. The Visio 2010 Add-in provides users a virtualization picture in addition to the existing picture of the rack based on some parameters to compare the power consumption and space saving before and after consolidation.

 

 

2. Installation Overview

2.1 Permission for Installation

Table 1: Permissions for Installation

2.2 Software Prerequisites

1. .NET Framework 3.5

2. Microsoft Visio 2010 Professional or Premium pro version

2.3 Installation of Prerequisites

1. .NET Framework 3.5

Download and install the .NET framework 3.5 from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6&displaylang=en

2. Microsoft Visio 2010 Professional or Premium pro version

The system should have the Microsoft Visio 2010 Professional or Premium pro version installed.

Installation Flow

The Visio Services Data Provider for Disk Space Monitoring add-in.msi installs the Visio Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization as an Add-in on the machine.

1. Run the Visio Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization.msi

2. The Welcome Screen appears.

 

Figure 1: Welcome Screen

3. Click Next to continue.

4. The License Agreement screen appears.

Figure 2: License Agreement

 

5. If you accept the terms, click I Agree, and then click Next.

6. The Setup Installation Path and Disk Space Information screen appears.

Figure 3: Setup Installation Path and Disk Space Information

• - Click Next, for the default path or click Browseto select the destination folder path.
• - To check the Disk Space Required, click Disk Cost.

Figure 4: Rack Server Virtualization Add-in Disk Space

 

7. Click Next to continue.

8. The Confirm Installation scree appears.

9. Click Next to begin installation or Cancellto exit the setup wizard.

Note: If you want to make any changes to the installation setting or go back to the previous pages, click Back.

Figure 5: Confirm Installation

10. Installing Rack Server Virtualization Add-in screen appears.

Figure 6: Installing Rack Server Virtualization Add-in

Figure 7: Installation Complete

 

3. Getting Started 

3.1 Selecting/Opening the Rack Server Virtualization Template

The Add-in when installed adds a new template Rack Server Virtualization under Add-in Templates Category.

3. Open Visio 2010.
4. Select Add-ins from the Template Categories list.
5. Select Rack Server Virtualizationfrom the Featured Templates group.
6. Click on Createbutton or double click on Rack Server Virtualization from Featured Templatesgroup.

Figure 8: Selecting the templates

7. A new ribbon tab Virtualization is added as the template opens a new document. A stencil Rack Server Virtualization consists of predefined shapes to show Rack Server Virtualization diagram will be also be opened.

 

Figure 9: Virtualization Ribbon

Also, Import wizard dialog of the Add-in will be open. This wizard provides different modes of including the data into the Add-inl.  The wizard can also be open from Virtualizationribbon.

 

Figure 10: Import Wizard, Virtualization Add-in & Menu of Load.

 

The Virtualizationribbon tab consists of the following ribbon items -

• Configure – To configure CPU utilization and logon credentials.

• Import Data – To import data for analyze through various means.

• Analyze – To retrieve server, rack and colo data.

• Virtualize Rack– To virtualize the existing rack servers depending on CPU usage, power rating etc.

• Status Window – To see the status of Analyze.

• Help for Rack Server Virtualization Add-In – User Guide for Visio Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization.

• About Rack Server Virtualization Add-In – About Virtualization Add-In

 

3.2 Import Data

To create the Rack Server Virtualization diagram following are the Import Options:

1. Import data from a Microsoft Office Excel Workbook.
2. Use the Microsoft Excel Sample Template to provide the data.
3. Manual entry of data using the wizard.

 

Figure 11: Source to create Virtualization Diagram

 

3.2.1 Selecting the Microsoft Office Excel Workbook

1. Select the Information that’s stored in Microsoft Office Excel Workbook and click Next.
2. Select an Excel Workbook that consists of Colo, Rack and Server details.

Figure 12: Select Excel Workbook

3. Click Open.
4. Select a worksheet each for Colo, Rack and Server to get their details. Click Next.

5. All the columns of the Worksheet will be displayed in the combo boxes.
6. Select columns for Server details corresponding to the Shape Field.

 Figure 14: Select Columns for Server Details

7. Select columns for Rack details corresponding to the Shape Field.

 Figure 15: Select Columns for Rack Details

8. Select columns for Colo details corresponding to the Shape Field.

Figure 16: Select Columns for Colo Details

9. Click Finish. A diagram will be auto generated for all the colo(s) present in the Excel Worksheet. This diagram consists of all the racks present in the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.
Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.

Figure 17: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Colo Racks.

3.2.2 Using the Microsoft Office Excel Templates

1. On Import Data Wizard, Select Information that I enter using Excel Templateand click Next.
2. Create a new excel file.

Figure 18: Create excel workbook.

3. A message is displayed to create a new File if the File name entered by you does not exist. Click Ok. A new File will be created at the selected location.

Figure 19: Type Over Sample Data Message box.

4. The new Excel file created with the template will open. Type the Colo, Rack and Server details. Click Save. Click File > Exit.

 

Figure 20: Sample Excel Template

5. As user exits the Excel file, a diagram is auto generated for all the colo(s) present in the Excel Workbook. This diagram consists of all the racks present in the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.
Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.

 

Figure 21: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Col Racks.

3.2.3 Using the Manual Wizard

1. On Import Data Wizard, Select Information that I enter using Excel Templateand click Next.
2. Enter the Colo Nameand Maximum Units.

 

Figure 22: Colo Details.

3. Select Racktab. Enter the Rack Name, Cole Name, Power Rating, Maximum Unitsfor each rack.

Figure 23: Rack Details.

4. Select Server tab. Enter the Network Name, Rack Name, Colo Name, Power Rating, Rack Space Used details.

 

Figure 24: Server Details.

5. After filling the data, Click Finish.

6. Once the user clicks Finish, a diagram is auto-generated for all the colos provided in the data grid by the user.  THis diagram consists of all the racks present in the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.
Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.

Figure 25: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Colo Racks.

7. User can Export the data entered into the manual entry data grid onto an excel spreadsheet.

a. Click Export to Excel.
b. Save As dialog will open.
c. Select the desired path.
Note: Default path will be Installation Path.
Default file name will be RackServerVirtualization-Data-Time.xslx.

 

Figure 26: Format of Excel saved.

3.3 View Rack Details

User can view the details of each Rack in the diagram created as:

1. Hover the cursor on any of the Rack shape of the colo, a smart tag will be visible. The smart tag consists of items View Rack Details, Analyze Rack and Rack Virtualization. Rack Virtualization will be disabled until Analyze is performed.

2. Click View Rack Details.

 

Figure 27: Smart Tag ro View Rack Details.

3. A new page will be created comprising of detailed diagram of that particular Rack. The diagram shows the detailed information of the Rack and the servers consisted by the Rack. The Shape Data consists of Rack’s Name, Power Rating, Maximum Units and Server’s Power Rating, Rack Space Used etc.

Figure 28: View Rack Details.

Figure 29: Rack Shape Properties.

5. Select the Server Shape, Right click Properties. User can view the server shape data.

Figure 30: Server Shape Properties.

3.4 Configuration

Before starting the Analyze process, user can configure the mode of fetching the data of Rack-Server for Rack Server Virtualization. The Add-in uses CPU utilization as the factor to consider a Server as Virtualizable.

1. Click Configure from the Virtual Rack Menu or click Configureicon from Virtual Rack Add-in toolbar.  

 

Figure 31: Configure Menu.

2. User can choose between the Current CPU Utilization (CPU Utilization at the instance) or CPU Utilization of servers over a period of time. 

Note: Current CPU Utilizationuses the WMI query to fetch the data from Rack Servers and CPU Utilization for Durationuses the Operations Managerto get the data. By default, Current CPU Utilization is selected.

Figure 32: Configuration: Current CPU Utilization.

3. Select CPU Utilization for Duration. Type a valid Operations Manager Root Management Server, Operations Manager Database Name, Operations Manager Reporting Server Name and Operations Manager Reporting Database Name. If any of the servers are unavailable user will be prompted for an error. 

Note: Here OperationsManagerand OperationManagerDW are the default Operations Manager and Reporting database respectively. If you have any trouble in accessing Operations Manager please ask administrator for a valid Operations Manager Server name, Operations Manager Database name, Operations Manager Reporting Server name and Operations Manager Reporting Database name.

 

Figure 33: Configuration: CPU Utilization for Duration.

4. User can set the value of number of severs to be consolidated (default 3) for virtualization. 

5. User can change the % CPU Threshold value (default 10%) below which servers can be considered as underutilized and can be proposed for Virtualization (consolidated into other Servers of the same Rack). 

6. User can change the Logon credentials (default Windows Authentication.)

 

Figure 34: Configuration: Logon Credentials.

3.5  Analyze

1. Users can Analyze Rack from Virtualization Ribbon --> Analyze. 

2. If user hover the cursor over the Rack shape of the colo, a smart tag will be visible. The smart tag consists of items View Rack Details, Analyze Rack and Rack Virtualization. Rack Virtualization will be disabled until Analyze is performed.

Figure 35: Smart Tag to Analyze Rack.

3. By selecting the Analyze Rack item from the smart tagmenu will start analyzing the Rack of the Colo. User can also select multiple Racksand click Analyze Rack, will analyze multiple racks.

4. If user selects the Analyzefrom virtualization ribbon, will analyze all the Racks of the drawing.

5. A Status window is displayed showing the status of the Analysis. User can cancel the Analyze process by clicking Cancel.

 Figure 36: Virtualization Status Window.

6. Color of Racks will change after analyzing based on the color codes in Legend (see 3.6 Virtualization for Legend definition). Rack will be considered as underutilized or over utilized based on the % CPU Usage of Servers in the Rack. If any Server in a Rack has CPU Utilization below threshold value it will be considered as underutilized and the Rack is considered as Virtualizable.

Figure 37: Rack Color After Analyzing.

7. User can close the Status Window and Open it again from the Status Window in Virtualizationribbon in the Visio ribbon tab.

 

Figure 38: Status Window ribbon button.

 

3.6  Virtualization

This section describes the Virtualization of Rack Servers:
1. After successfully completing the Analyzethe External Data window adds the fetched IP Address, Operating System, Processor, % CPU usage, Total Physical Memory, Available Physical Memory details of the analyzed servers.

Figure 39: External Data.

 

2. Users can View the Rack Detailsof the analyzed racksfrom smart tag on a Rack Shape.

Figure 40: View Rack Details of the Analyzed Racks.

3. After Analyze, smart tag item Rack Virtualization will be enabled. Click Rack Virtualization.

Figure 41: Smart Tag to Rack Virtualization.

4. Proposed Rack Status after Virtualization will be displayed along with the Existing Rack Status. The after virtualization diagram shows the Power Dropand Rack Space Saved.

Figure 42: Virtualization of Servers.

5. User can see the Virtual Servers consolidated under a Physical Server. Select the Physical Server; right click Proferties, Virtual Server Shape Field.

 

Figure 43: Virtual Servers in Shape Data Window.

4.  Consolidation Criteria

Consolidation is done based on the following parameters according to the priority as below:

1. Power Rating: The server with higher Power Rating is considered to be a better candidate than server with lower Power Rating.
2. Rack Space Userd: A Server that occupies more space is merged into the Server that occupies less space to minimize the space occupied by the Servers within a Rack.
3. CPU Utilization: A Server with lower CPU Utilization is merged into the Server with higher CPU Utilization.
4. Physical Memory: Server with lower Physical Memory will be merged into the Server with higher Physical Memory.
5. Network Usage: A Server with lower Network Usage is merged into the Server with higher Network Usage.

5.  Legend Definition

The legend is defined according to the analysis done.

Figure 44: Legend Definition.

Grey: No analysis is done.
Green: Virtualizable (Rack contains a server whose CPU Utilization is less than the thresholde.)
Orange: Non-Virtualizable (Rack contains no server whose CPU Utilization is less than the threshold.)
Red: There is an error while analyzing the Servers in the Rack. 

6.  Toubleshooting

This section describes the errors user may get.

6.1 Erro with Importing Data

Error scenario 1:
On the Import wizard form of Rack Server Virtualization when user selects Information that’s stored in Microsoft Office Excel Workbook option, click Next then the following error appears:

 

Error Description:
The selected option requires either Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or Microsoft Office Excel 2007 installed on the user machine.

Error scenario 2:
On Select columns form of Rack Server Virtualization when user selects the default text for Excel columns <Select a column name> and click Finish then the following error appears:  

 

 

Error Description:
The selected item is not a valid excel column name. This text is selected by default when the form loads and Excel Column name doesn’t match with the Shape Field.

Error scenario 3:
On the Manual data entry form of Rack Server Virtualization when grid columns get blank and doesn’t have any value and user clicks Finish then the following error appears: 

“Column Name” column cannot be blank. Please provide any value.

 

Error Description:
Data Grid columns cannot contain blank values. User has to provide some values for rack diagram to be created.

Error scenario 4:
On the Import Wizard form of Rack Server Virtualization when the user selects existing Microsoft Office Excel Workbook option or Microsoft Office Excel Templateand click Next, file dialog opens and select an invalid excel, then the following error appears:

 

Error Description:
The input excel used for these options must be a valid excel file.

6.2  Error while Diagram Generation

Error scenario 1:
During the diagram generation process when the user tries to close the document on which the diagram is being generated. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
The diagram generation process needs to be terminated if user wants to close the document. Click Yes to stop the diagram generation process and close the document, click No to continue the diagram generation without closing the document.

Error scenario 2:
During the diagram generation process user tries to delete a page from the document on which the diagram is being generated, the following error message appears.

 

 

Error Description:
Page cannot be deleted until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 3:
During the diagram generation process, if user tries to delete shape(s) from the document on which the diagram is being generated, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Shape(s) cannot be deleted until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 4:
During the diagram generation process user tries to Analyze the Racks either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Analyze cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 5:
During the diagram generation process user tries to Virtualize the Racks either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.

6.3  Error while Analyze

Error scenario 1:
During the Analyzing process user tries to close the document on which the analyzing is in progress. The following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
The analyzing process need to be terminated if user wants to close the document. Click Yes to stop the analyzing process and close the document, click No to continue the analyzing without closing the document.

Error scenario 2:
During the analyzing process user tries to delete a page from the document on which the analyzing is in progress. The following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Page cannot be deleted until the analyzing process is complete.

Error scenario 3:
During the analyzing process user tries to delete shape(s) from the document on which the analyzing is in progress. The following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Shape(s) which are present on Colo pages cannot be deleted until the analyzing process is complete.

Error scenario 4:
During the Analyzing process user tries to start the Analyzing process again for the same document. The following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Only one analyzing session is allowed at any given point of time for a particular document. To restart analyzing process, stop the current analyzing session and start new analyzing session.

Error scenario 5:
Before the diagram generation process starts, user tries to  Analyze the Rack shapes on the document. The following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Analyze process cannot start before diagram generation is performed.

Error scenario 6:
After diagram generation process completed, user deletes all the Rack shapes from the page and tries to Analyze the Rack shapes on the document. The following error message appears.
No rack(s) found to analyze on colo page “Page Name”

 

Error Description:
Rack shapes are required for Analyze even if the data record set (Rack Details) is present.

Error scenario 7:
After diagram generation process completed, when user tries to Analyze, the following errorr message appears.
No such host is known. Please provide a valid Operations Manager Root Management Server name.

 

Error Description:
A valid Operations Manager Root Management Server name is required to perform analysis. Please ask your administrator for a valid Operations Manager Root Management Server name.

6.4  Error while Virtualize

Error scenario 1:
During the Analyze process user tries to virtualize the Rack shape(s) either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the Analyze process is complete.

Error scenario 2:
During the diagram generation process user tries to virtualize the Rack either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 3:
User tries to Virtualize without selecting a Rack shape, the following error message appears:

 

Error Description:
Selection of a rack is must for virtualization.

Error scenario 4:
Before diagram generation process is performed user tries to virtualize the Rack shape(s) either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

Data record set "Record Set Name" not found.

 

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot start before Diagram generation performed.

Error scenario 5:
Before Analyze process is performed user tries to virtualize the Rack shape(s) either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be start before Analyze is performed.

6.5  Error while Exporting Data Grid data to Excel

Error scenario 1:
On Rack Virtualization Summary form user clicks on Export to Excel, the following error message appears.

 

Error Description:
To save the data to an Excel File, installs either Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or Microsoft Office Excel 2007.