VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms and WebSphere Virtual Enterprise
WebSphere® Virtual Enterprise uses the VMware Infrastructure SDK (VI SDK) to communicate through Web services with VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms. Any VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms that expose the VMware Infrastructure SDK (VI SDK) as a Web service and can work with WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, such as VMware ESX or VMware VirtualCenter.VMware software provides operating system level virtualization, while WebSphere Virtual Enterprise provides virtualization at an application level.
WebSphere Virtual Enterprise and virtualization technologies
When you use virtualization technologies with WebSphere Virtual Enterprise, a node is no longer a representation of a physical computer. Because several virtual machines can be created on a single physical computer, you can create multiple WebSphere Virtual Enterprise nodes on the same physical computer.
WebSphere Virtual Enterprise communicates withVMware Infrastructure 3 platforms that expose the VMware Infrastructure SDK (VI SDK) as a Web service. With this integration, the runtime environments can communicate with each other though Web services. By using the SDK, WebSphere Virtual Enterprise can make decisions about the placement of servers with the knowledge about where nodes are running in the cell. This integration is only supported if you are using VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms.
VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms and WebSphere Virtual Enterprise function
With the support added in WebSphere Virtual Enterprise Version 6.1.0.3, WebSphere Virtual Enterprise is aware that nodes are not necessarily distinct, standalone resources. In some cases, a node might be sharing memory and processor space with other nodes, with parameters specified that control and manage the systems.
When you have multiple nodes running on a physical computer with VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms, WebSphere Virtual Enterprise can communicate with the VMware product through Web services. You can configure this communication in the administrative console by creating cell-wide custom properties. These custom properties define the URL, user ID, and password for a VMware VirtualCenter or VMware ESX server. You configure the custom properties with information about all of the virtual machines and physical servers in your environment. For example, if you are running VMware VirtualCenter, you can create a custom property for the VMware VirtualCenter server.
Virtual machines and nodes are correlated by Media Access Control (MAC) addresses.
By configuring WebSphere Virtual Enterprise to know about the VMware VirtualCenter or VMware ESX servers, the application placement controller can use the VMware settings to properly set the maximum processor utilization limits for each node. WebSphere Virtual Enterprise sets the processor utilization limit for a given virtual machine to be the minimum of either the processor utilization limit that is configured in VMware VirtualCenter or VMware ESX, or the number of processors that are assigned to the virtual machine divided by the actual number of processors on the physical workstation. For example, if the physical computer has 3 processors, and the virtual machine is assigned 1 processor, then the processor utilization limit for the virtual machine is 33% of the total processor on the physical workstation.
Benefit of using WebSphere Virtual Enterprise in addition to VMware VirtualCenter or VMware ESX
Although VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms provide service differentiation and management, you cannot control performance at an application level. WebSphere Virtual Enterprise adds the capability to define application level goals. The autonomic managers work to maintain the defined goals.
Sample topology
The following sample topology shows how multiple virtual machines can be created on a single physical workstation. In this topology, the deployment manager and on demand router (ODR) are on the same physical workstation, but two different virtual machines. Figure 1. Virtual machines integrated into a WebSphere Virtual Enterprise environment
Related tasks
Configure VMware Infrastructure 3 platforms and WebSphere Virtual Enterprise
Related reference
VMware custom properties