My virtualization toolbox

What comprises a VMware vExpert’s virtualization toolbox? I actually think there are several different layers of tools depending on the particular VMware virtualization administrators job role. Mine, for example, has a number of security tools that most people would not normally need, but I do. So below is a list of what comprises my virtualization toolbox.

Administration Tools

• VMware‘s VI Toolkit w/Microsoft PowerShell
• VMware’s VI Perl Toolkit
• VMware’s Remote CLI
• VMware Update Manager Plug-in for VMware Infrastructure Client
• Andrew Kutz’s Storage VMotion VMware Infrastructure Client Plug-in
• Hyper9‘s Search Toolbar VMware Infrastructure Client Plug-in
• Tripwire Opscheck (a must for solving VMware VMotion issues)
• PuTTY (a must for accessing host via secure shell (SSH) from Window’s systems)
• PowerGUI (GUI for PowerShell and VI Toolkit)
• Snaphunter (hunt for and destroy snapshots)
• Snapalert (find and commit snapshots with Remote CLI support)
• Adobe Acrobat (for reading VMware whitepapers, hardware compatibility lists and other documents)
• Twhirl (for Twitter access)
• Firefox for access to the VMware Communities Forums and Google Search

Performance/Monitoring Tools

• VMware Infrastructure Client for real time performance graphs
• VMware’s esxtop for details on server utilization
• vmktree
• Vizioncore‘s vFoglight
• Nagios for service monitoring

Reporting

• VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client Mapping capability
• Veeam Reporter
• Alan Renouf’s (http://www.virtu-al.net) vDiagram

Backup Tools

• VMware Consolidated Backup
• VMware Converter
• If only ESX, then one of either Vizioncore vRangerPro, PHD Technologies’ esXpress, or Veeam Backup
• If only ESXi, then Veeam Backup 3.0
• VMware’s vcbMounter

P2V Tools

• VMware Capacity Planner
• VMware Converter 4.0

Security Tools

• Ultimate Boot CD for Darik’s Boot and Nuke utility (in ISO form)
• Tripwire ConfigCheck
• My own Virtual Security Management Suite (still in pre-beta with a hope to get it out soon!)
• Hardening Script from VMware Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment, available first half of 2009.
• DISA STIG for ESX SRR
• Nessus
• Nmap
• Backtrack for Penetration Testing (in ISO form)
• Helix for Forensics (in ISO form)
• Nuclues Kernel Linux for Data Recovery
• Virtual Firewall (smoothwall, IPcop, etc.)

General Tool

• Ulli Hankeln’s MOA

There you have it: the contents of my virtualization toolbox. I am sure there are many more that I have missed as I do not use them very much or have never used them. Which of these tools will prove to be the most useful in the future? I believe it will be the VI Toolkit but I will keep all these tools within the toolbox, cleaned, and ready for use.

Editor’s note: Readers, any suggestions for other helpful tools? Comment and add to the list.