VMware vSphere Install, Configure, Manage [V8]

This course features intensive hands-on training that focuses on installing, configuring, and managing VMware vSphere® 8, which includes VMware ESXi™ 8 and VMware vCenter® 8. This course prepares you to administer a vSphere infrastructure for an organization of any size.This course is the foundation for most VMware technologies in the software-defined data center.

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Responsible	Mustafa Al-Qadi
Last Update	05/25/2025
Completion Time	11 hours 57 minutes
Members	1

Course
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Course Introduction

11Lessons · 14 min
- Importance
- Learner Objectives (1)
- Learner Objectives (2)
- Video: Course Introduction
  
  Preview
- Course Outline
- References (1)
- References (2)
- VMware Online Resources
- VMware Learning Overview
- VMware Certification Overview
- VMware Credentials Overview
vSphere and Virtualization Overview

33Lessons · 48 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- vSphere Virtualization Overview
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Virtualization Overview 1
- Video: vSphere Virtualization Overview 2
- Terminology (1)
- Terminology (2)
- Data Center Physical Infrastructure
- About the Virtual Infrastructure
- About Virtual Machines
- Benefits of Using Virtual Machines
- About vSphere
- Types of Virtualization
- About the Software-Defined Data Center
- About vSphere+
- vSphere+: Accessing Cloud Services
- vSphere User Interfaces
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vSphere Virtualization of Resources
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Virtualization of Resources
- Virtual Machine: Guest and Consumer of ESXi Host
- Physical and Virtual Architecture
- Physical Resource Sharing
- CPU Virtualization
- Physical and Virtualized Host Memory Usage
- Physical and Virtual Networking
- Physical File Systems and Datastores
- GPU Virtualization
- Sharing GPUs with vSphere Bitfusion
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Installing and Configuring ESXi

18Lessons ·
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Learner Objectives
- About ESXi
- ESXi Installation Requirements
- Interactive ESXi Installation
- Configuring an ESXi Host
- Configuring an ESXi Host: Management Network
- Configuring an ESXi Host: Root Access
- Configuring an ESXi Host: Other Settings
- Time Synchronization for the ESXi Host
- Methods for Synchronizing Time
- Configuring NTP
- Configuring PTP
- Controlling Remote Access to an ESXi Host
- Managing User Accounts: Best Practices
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Deploying and Configuring vCenter

74Lessons ·
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Centralized Management with vCenter
- Learner Objectives
- About the vCenter Management Platform
- About vCenter Server Appliance
- vCenter Services
- vCenter Architecture
- About vCenter Single Sign-On
- vCenter Single Sign-On with Built-In Identity Provider
- About Enhanced Linked Mode
- ESXi and vCenter Communication
- vCenter Scalability
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Deploying vCenter Server Appliance
- Learner Objectives
- Preparing for vCenter Server Appliance Deployment
- vCenter Server Appliance Native GUI Installer
- vCenter Server Appliance Installation
- vCenter Server Appliance Installation: Stage 1
- vCenter Server Appliance Installation: Stage 2
- Getting Started with vCenter
- Configuring vCenter Using the vSphere Client
- vCenter Management Interface
- Multi-homing the vCenter Server Appliance
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vSphere Licensing
- Learner Objectives
- About vSphere Licenses
- vSphere Licensing Overview
- vSphere License Service
- Adding License Keys to vCenter
- Assigning a License to a vSphere Component
- Viewing Licensed Features
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Managing vCenter Inventory
- Learner Objectives
- vSphere Client Main Menu
- Navigating the Inventory
- Views for Hosts, Clusters, VMs, and Templates
- Views for Storage and Networks
- Viewing Object Information
- About Data Center Objects
- Organizing Inventory Objects into Folders
- Adding a Data Center and Organizational Objects to vCenter
- Adding ESXi Hosts to vCenter
- Creating Custom Tags for Inventory Objects
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vCenter Roles and Permissions
- Learner Objectives
- About vCenter Permissions
- About Roles
- About Objects
- Assigning Permissions
- Viewing Roles and User Assignments
- Applying Permissions: Scenario 1
- Applying Permissions: Scenario 2
- Activity: Applying Group Permissions (1)
- Activity: Applying Group Permissions (2)
- Applying Permissions: Scenario 3
- Applying Permissions: Scenario 4
- Creating a Role
- About Global Permissions
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Monitoring vSphere Events
- Learner Objectives
- About vSphere Tasks
- About vSphere Events
- About vCenter Log Levels
- Setting Log Levels
- Forwarding vCenter Log Files to a Remote Host
- Forwarding ESXi Host Log Files to a Remote Host
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Configuring vSphere Networking

55Lessons · 1 hr 12 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- vSphere Standard Switches
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Standard Switches 1
- Video: vSphere Standard Switches 2
- About Virtual Switches
- Types of Virtual Switches
- Types of Virtual Switch Connections
- Virtual Switch Connection Examples
- About VLANs and Virtual Switch Tagging
- Viewing Standard Switches
- Adding Standard Switches
- VMkernel Adapter Properties
- VMkernel Adapter Properties: Enabled Services
- Physical Adapter Properties
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Virtual Switch Networking Policies
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Virtual Switch Networking Policies 1
- Video: Virtual Switch Networking Policies 2
- Video: Virtual Switch Networking Policies 3
- About Networking Policies
- Configuring Security Policies
- Traffic-Shaping Policies
- Configuring Outbound Traffic Shaping
- Configuring NIC Teaming and Failover
- Load Balancing Method: Originating Virtual Port ID
- Load Balancing Method: Source MAC Hash
- Load Balancing Method: Source and Destination IP Hash
- Detecting and Handling Network Failure
- Physical Network Considerations
- Activity: Networking Security Policy (1)
- Activity: Networking Security Policy (2)
- Activity: Traffic Shaping Policy (1)
- Activity: Traffic Shaping Policy (2)
- Activity: NIC Teaming and Failover Policy (1)
- Activity: NIC Teaming and Failover Policy (2)
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vSphere Distributed Switches
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Distributed Switches 1
- Video: vSphere Distributed Switches 2
- About Distributed Switches
- Distributed Switch Architecture
- Standard and Distributed Switches: Shared Features
- Distributed Switch Features
- Viewing Distributed Switches
- Discovery Protocols
- Configuring CDP or LLDP
- About Port Binding
- Configuring Inbound Traffic Shaping
- Load Balancing Method: Physical NIC Load
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Configuring vSphere Storage

74Lessons · 1 hr 48 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Storage Concepts
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Storage Concepts 1
  
  Preview
- Video: Storage Concepts 2
- Video: Storage Concepts 3
- About Datastores
- Datastore Access Methods
- Datastore Contents
- Datastore Summary
- Storage Overview
- Storage Device Naming Conventions
- Storage Protocol Overview
- About vSphere Virtual Machine File System
- About NFS
- About vSAN
- About vSphere Virtual Volumes
- About Raw Device Mapping
- Physical Storage Considerations
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Fibre Channel Storage
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Fibre Channel Storage
- About Fibre Channel
- Fibre Channel SAN Components
- Fibre Channel Addressing and Access Control
- Multipathing with Fibre Channel
- Review of Learner Objectives
- iSCSI Storage
- Learner Objectives
- Video: iSCSI Storage 1
- Video: iSCSI Storage 2
- iSCSI Components
- iSCSI Addressing
- iSCSI Adapters
- ESXi Network Configuration for Software iSCSI
- Activating the Software iSCSI Adapter
- Discovering iSCSI Targets
- iSCSI Security: CHAP
- Multipathing with Software iSCSI
- Multipathing with Dependent Hardware iSCSI
- Multipathing with Independent Hardware iSCSI
- Binding VMkernel Ports with the iSCSI Initiator
- Review of Learner Objectives
- VMFS Datastores
- Learner Objectives
- Video: VMFS Datastore 1
- Video: VMFS Datastore 2
- About VMFS Datastores
- Creating a VMFS Datastore
- Browsing Datastore Contents
- Increasing the Size of VMFS Datastores
- Datastore Maintenance Mode
- Deleting or Unmounting a VMFS Datastore
- Multipathing Algorithms
- Configuring Storage Load Balancing
- Review of Learner Objectives
- NFS Datastores
- Learner Objectives
- Video: NFS Datastore 1
- Video: NFS Datastore 2
- NFS Components
- NFS 3 and NFS 4.1
- NFS Version Compatibility with Other vSphere Technologies
- Configuring NFS Datastores
- Configuring ESXi Host Authentication and NFS Kerberos Credentials
- Configuring the NFS Datastore to Use Kerberos
- Unmounting an NFS Datastore
- Multipathing and NFS Storage
- Configuring Multipathing for NFS 4.1
- NFSv3 VMkernel Binding
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Deploying Virtual Machines

106Lessons · 2 hr 12 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Creating Virtual Machines
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine 1
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine 2
- About Provisioning Virtual Machines
- Creating VMs with the New Virtual Machine Wizard
- New Virtual Machine Wizard: Name, Folder, Compute Resource
- New Virtual Machine Wizard: Storage, Compatibility
- New Virtual Machine Wizard: Guest Operating System
- New Virtual Machine Wizard: Virtual Hardware
- Installing the Guest Operating System
- About VMware Tools
- Installing VMware Tools
- Downloading VMware Tools
- Deploying OVF Templates
- Removing VMs
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive 1
- Video: Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive 2
- Video: Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive 3
- Video: Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive 4
- Virtual Machine Encapsulation
- About Virtual Machine Files
- About VM Virtual Hardware
- Virtual Hardware Versions
- About CPU and Memory
- Compute Maximums
- About Virtual Storage
- About Thick-Provisioned Virtual Disks
- About Thin-Provisioned Virtual Disks
- Managing Datastores Containing Thin-Provisioned Disks
- Thick-Provisioned and Thin-Provisioned Disks
- About Virtual Networks
- About Virtual Network Adapters
- About PCI Passthrough Devices
- Other Virtual Devices
- About the Virtual Machine Console
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Modifying Virtual Machines
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Modifying Virtual Machines
- Modifying Virtual Machine Settings
- Hot-Pluggable Devices
- Dynamically Increasing Virtual Disk Size
- Inflating Thin-Provisioned Disks
- VM Options: General Settings
- VM Options: VMware Tools Settings
- VM Options: VM Boot Settings
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Creating Templates and Cloning VMs
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Creating Templates and Cloning VMs
- About Templates
- Creating a Template: Clone VM to Template
- Creating a Template: Convert VM to Template
- Creating a Template: Clone a Template
- Updating Templates
- Deploying VMs from a Template
- Cloning Virtual Machines
- Guest Operating System Customization
- About Customization Specifications
- Customizing the Guest Operating System
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Introduction to Content Libraries
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Introduction to Content Libraries
- About Content Libraries
- Benefits of Content Libraries
- Content Library Types
- Content Library Interface
- Creating a Local Content Library
- Populating the Content Library with Templates
- Adding VM or OVF Templates to a Content Library
- Adding OVF Templates to a Content Library
- Viewing Content Library Items
- Deploying VMs from a Content Library
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Subscribing to Content Libraries
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Subscribing to Content Libraries
- Content Libraries: Local, Published, and Subscribed
- Publishing a Content Library
- Subscribing to a Content Library
- Viewing Content Libraries
- Viewing Subscribed Content Library Templates
- Creating a Subscription to Publish VM Templates
- Synchronizing Libraries With or Without Enhanced Linked Mode
- Advanced Configuration
- Content Library Maximums
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Managing Templates in a Content Library
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Managing Templates in a Content Library
- Benefits of Using a Content Library to Manage VM Templates
- Overview of the Template Versioning Process
- Checking Out a VM from the Template
- Making Changes to the VM
- Checking In the VM to the Template
- Viewing Template Versions
- Deleting and Reverting to Template Versions
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Managing Virtual Machines

111Lessons · 2 hr 50 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Video: Managing Virtual Machines
- Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion 1
- Video: Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion 2
- Video: Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion 3
- About VM Migration
- Migration Types
- About vSphere vMotion
- Configuring vSphere vMotion Networks
- Networking Best Practices for vSphere vMotion
- vSphere vMotion Migration Workflow
- VM Requirements for vSphere vMotion Migration
- Host Requirements for vSphere vMotion Migration (1)
- Host Requirements for vSphere vMotion Migration (2)
- Performing a vSphere vMotion Migration
- Checking Migration Errors
- Migrating Encrypted VMs
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Configuring Enhanced vMotion Compatibility
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Configuring Enhanced vMotion Compatibility 1
- Video: Configuring Enhanced vMotion Compatibility 2
- CPU Constraints on vSphere vMotion Migration
- About Enhanced vMotion Compatibility
- EVC Cluster Requirements for CPU Mode
- Configuring EVC CPU Mode on an Existing Cluster
- Changing the EVC CPU Mode for a Cluster
- Virtual Machine EVC CPU Mode
- Enhanced vMotion Compatibility for vSGA GPUs
- EVC Cluster Requirements for Graphics Mode
- Configuring EVC Graphics Mode on an Existing Cluster
- Virtual Machine EVC Graphics Mode
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Migrating VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion
- Learner Objectives
- Video: VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion 1
- Video: VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion 2
- About vSphere Storage vMotion
- vSphere Storage vMotion In Action
- Identifying Storage Arrays That Support vSphere Storage APIs – Array Integration
- vSphere Storage vMotion Guidelines and Limitations
- Changing Both Compute Resource and Storage During Migration
- Use Cases for Changing Both Compute Resource and Storage
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Cross vCenter Migrations
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Cross vCenter Migrations
- About Cross vCenter Migrations
- Cross vCenter Migration Requirements
- Performing a Cross vCenter vMotion in Same SSO Domain
- Performing a Cross vCenter vMotion in Different SSO Domain (1)
- Performing a Cross vCenter vMotion in Different SSO Domain (2)
- Network Checks for Cross vCenter Migrations
- VMkernel Networking Layer and TCP/IP Stacks
- vSphere vMotion TCP/IP Stacks
- About Long-Distance vSphere vMotion Migration
- Networking Prerequisites for Long-Distance vSphere vMotion
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots 1
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots 2
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots 3
- Video: Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots 4
- About VM Snapshots
- Taking Snapshots
- Types of Snapshots
- VM Snapshot Files
- VM Snapshot Files Example (1)
- VM Snapshot Files Example (2)
- VM Snapshot Files Example (3)
- Managing Snapshots
- Deleting VM Snapshots (1)
- Deleting VM Snapshots (2)
- Deleting VM Snapshots (3)
- Deleting All VM Snapshots
- About Snapshot Consolidation
- Discovering When to Consolidate Snapshots
- Consolidating Snapshots
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts 1
- Video: Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts 2
- Memory Virtualization Basics
- VM Memory Overcommitment
- Memory Overcommit Techniques
- Configuring Multicore VMs
- About Hyperthreading
- CPU Load Balancing
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Resource Controls
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Resource Controls 1
- Video: Resource Controls 2
- Reservations, Limits, and Shares
- Resource Allocation Reservations: RAM
- Resource Allocation Reservations: CPU
- Resource Allocation Limits
- Resource Allocation Shares
- Resource Shares Example (1)
- Resource Shares Example (2)
- Resource Shares Example (3)
- Resource Shares Example (4)
- Defining Resource Allocation Settings for a VM
- Viewing VM Resource Allocation Settings
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Deploying and Configuring vSphere Clusters

106Lessons · 2 hr 9 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- vSphere Clusters Overview
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Clusters Overview 1
- Video: vSphere Clusters Overview 2
- Video: vSphere Clusters Overview 3
- About vSphere Clusters
- Creating a vSphere Cluster
- About Cluster Quickstart
- Cluster Quickstart: Activating Services
- Cluster Quickstart: Adding Hosts
- Cluster Quickstart: Configuring the Cluster
- Configuring a Cluster: Distributed Switches
- Configuring a Cluster: vSAN and vMotion Traffic
- Configuring a Cluster: Advanced Options
- Viewing Cluster Summary Information
- Monitoring Cluster Resources
- vSphere Cluster Services VMs
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler 1
- Video: vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler 2
- About vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler
- vSphere DRS: VM Focused
- About the VM DRS Score
- VM DRS Score List
- vSphere DRS Cluster Requirements
- vSphere DRS Settings: Automation Level
- vSphere DRS Settings: Migration Threshold
- vSphere DRS Settings: Predictive DRS
- Viewing vSphere DRS Settings
- vSphere DRS Settings: VM-Level Automation
- vSphere DRS Settings: VM Swap File Location
- vSphere DRS Settings: VM Affinity
- vSphere DRS Settings: DRS Groups
- vSphere DRS Settings: VM-Host Affinity Rules
- VM-Host Affinity Preferential Rules
- VM-Host Affinity Required Rules
- Viewing vSphere DRS Cluster Resource Utilization
- Viewing vSphere DRS Recommendations
- Maintenance Mode and Standby Mode
- Removing a Host from the vSphere DRS Cluster
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Introduction to vSphere High Availability
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Introduction to vSphere High Availability 1
- Video: Introduction to vSphere High Availability 2
- Protection at Every Level
- About vSphere High Availability
- vSphere HA Scenario: ESXi Host Failure
- vSphere HA Scenario: Guest Operating System Failure
- vSphere HA Scenario: Application Failure
- vSphere HA Scenario: Datastore Accessibility Failures
- Importance of Heartbeat Networks
- vSphere HA Scenario: Protecting VMs Against Network Isolation
- Heartbeat Network Redundancy Using NIC Teaming
- Heartbeat Network Redundancy Using Additional Networks
- Review of Learner Objectives
- vSphere HA Architecture
- Learner Objectives
- Video: vSphere HA Architecture
- vSphere HA Architecture: Agent Communication
- vSphere HA Architecture: Network Heartbeats
- vSphere HA Architecture: Datastore Heartbeats
- vSphere HA Failure Scenarios
- Failed Secondary Hosts
- Failed Primary Hosts
- Isolated Hosts
- VM Storage Failures
- Protecting Against Storage Failures with VMCP
- vSphere HA Design Considerations
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Configuring vSphere HA
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Configuring vSphere HA 1
- Video: Configuring vSphere HA 2
- Video: Configuring vSphere HA 3
- Video: Configuring vSphere HA 4
- vSphere HA Prerequisites
- Configuring vSphere HA Settings
- vSphere HA Settings: Failures and Responses
- vSphere HA Setting: Default VM Restart Priority
- vSphere HA Settings: VM-Level Restart Priority
- About vSphere HA Orchestrated Restart
- Orchestrated Restart In Action
- Configuring Orchestrated Restart
- vSphere HA Settings: VM Monitoring
- vSphere HA Settings: Admission Control
- Example: Admission Control Using Cluster Resources Percentage
- Example: Admission Control Using Slots (1)
- Example: Admission Control Using Slots (2)
- vSphere HA Settings: Performance Degradation VMs Tolerate
- vSphere HA Settings: Heartbeat Datastores
- vSphere HA Settings: Advanced Options
- Network Configuration and Maintenance
- Monitoring vSphere HA Cluster Status
- Using vSphere HA with vSphere DRS
- About vSphere Fault Tolerance
- vSphere Fault Tolerance Checkpointing
- vSphere Fault Tolerance with vSphere HA and vSphere DRS
- vSphere Fault Tolerance Features
- Configuring vSphere Fault Tolerance on a VM
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points
Managing the vSphere Lifecycle

56Lessons · 44 min
- Importance
- Module Lessons
- Video: Managing the vSphere Lifecycle Introduction
- Managing the vCenter Life Cycle
- Learner Objectives
- Managing the vCenter Life Cycle
- About Upgrades, Updates, and Patches
- Planning for vCenter Updates and Upgrades
- Generating the Interoperability Report
- Updating and Patching vCenter
- Upgrading vCenter Server Appliance
- Overview of the vSphere Upgrade Process
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
- About vSphere Lifecycle Manager
- About Images
- About Image Depots
- Importing Content Into the Image Depot from Online Sources
- Specifying the Download Source
- Importing Content Into the Image Depot from Offline Sources
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Managing the Life Cycle of ESXi Hosts and Clusters
- Learner Objectives
- Video: Managing the Life Cycle 1
- Video: Managing the Life Cycle 2
- Creating a Cluster and Specifying an Image
- Viewing Cluster Image Information
- Overview of Managing Clusters with vSphere Lifecycle Manager
- Checking Compliance of Hosts Against an Image
- Running a Remediation Pre-check
- Staging the Cluster
- Remediating a Cluster Against an Image
- Reviewing Remediation Impact
- Parallel Remediation
- vSphere Lifecycle Manager Integration with vSphere DRS
- Recommended Images
- Viewing Recommended Images
- Customizing Cluster Images
- Hardware Compatibility
- Managing vSphere Configuration Profiles
- Configuration Document
- Using vSphere Configuration Profiles
- vSphere Lifecycle Manager for Standalone Hosts
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Managing the Life Cycle of VMware Tools and VM Hardware
- Learner Objectives
- Keeping VMware Tools Up To Date
- Upgrading VMware Tools (1)
- Upgrading VMware Tools (2)
- Keeping VM Hardware Up To Date
- Upgrading VM Hardware (1)
- Upgrading VM Hardware (2)
- Review of Learner Objectives
- Key Points