Second, i can understand Duncan's remarks on the vSphere design part.

It looks like the “V” part in VCE initiative is a bit underexposed, or at least it was when designing the Vblock 1 minimum config. The Vblock 1 minimum UCS Configuration offers only 2 chassis with blades, which, imho, is similar to offering a storage array with only the possibility to support Raid 0 or 1 (just a little comparisson to appeal to the EMC guys).

So on that part of the configuration it does not look like VMware was in the drivers seat, which is not tobe expected when you are in a threesome with Giants like EMC and Cisco. Allthough.. looking at the blade configuration there must have been an idea behind this, why else would one choose for the chassis configuration with 6x48GB RAM blades and 2x96GB RAM blades…? I can't imagine that it was done to provide an entry level vblock Can anyone shed some light on this ?

Furthermore i am missing the numbers on IOPS, how can they say “we support a 1000 vms in our vblock X” when they don't know what is running in the VMs? I found that there is a so-called “Vblock validated Applications list” but that still doesnot say much about the load.

To the Author, Gabe, thanx for sharing the Vblock story.
One remark about the table, shouldn't the RAM size of the vblock 1 minimum UCS configuration be 960GB instead of 480GB?
I also have a remark on the Bottleneck you describe, the last paragraph about the vCenter cluster design, I think when
you have only two chassis you should always span your vSphere cluster(s) across both the chassis. Building a vSphere cluster inside one chassis is comparable to using Raid 0 in a storage array (but without the speed advantage ). Another thing is, if you build your cluster in one chassis the fysical placement of your HA primary is the least of your worries, in fact its not one at all.

First, with regard to the Cisco VIC (aka “Palo”)–it is available today on the Vblock BoM. The Cisco UCS M2 blades (with the Intel “Westmere” processors) are on the exception list and in the process of being validated by Vblock product engineering. This means that you *can* get Cisco VIC and Westmere in Vblock configurations and have it officially supported as a Vblock.

As for the design recommendations for running VMware vSphere on a Vblock (especially a Type 1, where the RAM difference in the blades seems to be a point of contention) I am working with Vblock product management to make that information available. I will post something on my site as soon as that information is available. I can't make any promises with regard to timelines, but rest assured that I will make it available as quickly as humanly possible.

Thanks to everyone for their outstanding comments–I know that the VCE Coalition and the Vblock product management teams are keen to hear your feedback.

1. I think that what the VCE alliance might be doing is to start lego-style vBlock components – as they stated – to later easier integrate with the Cloud and to automate the whole cloud-idea and to facilitate long-term planning especially with a view to “auto-cloud” your infrastructure.

2. Imagine the next stage: mini-vBlocks bought for the VMware-GO initiative that auto-moves vm's from the web to your datacenter and no configuration is needed – it's all done from VMware-GO – hence auto-Cloud

3. Imagine the next stage: branch-vBlocks with build-in WAN-optimization and View-clients – again, auto-configured from web-based shopping list

4. Imagine the next stage: vBlocks with built-in email functionality – also auto-provisioned from your GO-shopping webpage.

I think it's an imaginative and long-view initiative – i would think 5-7 yrs

My 2c
Louw Pretorius

Compare this with your current systems, which have been purchased bit by bit and each one “tested” in the live environment before buying the next piece.

I think VCE is trying to change the way you purchase equipment. Buy one big lump of hardware that will provide your IT for say 1 year ( or two or three) and then run it. Buy more blades, buy more memory, buy more spindles as you need. Then plan for another big purchase when next years budget is approved.

VCE is a marketing / business topic, not a technical topic. For me, it's solves the problem of raising hundreds of purchase orders in a year and all of the those approvals and budgets.