Module Details

Module Code: COMP9076
Title: Virtual Environments
Long Title: Virtual Environments
NFQ Level: Expert
Valid From: Semester 1 - 2020/21 ( September 2020 )
Duration: 1 Semester
Credits: 5
Field of Study: 4811 - Computer Science
Module Delivered in: 1 programme(s)
Module Description: Over the past decade the IT industry has been revolutionised by virtualisation technology
which is the process of creating a software based representation of applications, servers, storage or network resources, while optimising utilisation and improving the availability and scalability of the resources. In this module students will learn about the key underpinning technologies and concepts related to virtualisation and how to create, manage, troubleshoot and scale a virtualised environment.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Evaluate key underpinning virtualisation concepts and their benefits in providing increased IT productivity, efficiency, agility and responsiveness.
LO2 Design and configure a virtualised environment providing shared compute, storage and network resources.
LO3 Manage, scale and optimise the performance of a virtualised environment.
LO4 Identify, troubleshoot and resolve configuration, performance and security issues that may occur in a virtualised infrastructure.
LO5 Combine container infrastructure with virtual machines to optimise resource usage, availability and scalability.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is strongly recommended before enrolment in this module. You may enrol in this module if you have not acquired the recommended learning but you will have considerable difficulty in passing (i.e. achieving the learning outcomes of) the module. While the prior learning is expressed as named MTU module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module. You may not earn additional credit for the same learning and therefore you may not enrol in this module if you have successfully completed any modules in the incompatible list.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.
No requirements listed
 
Indicative Content
Virtualisation Concepts
Full versus para virtualisation. Hosted vesus bare-metal hypervisors. Virtual machines versus containers. Virtual networking concepts - vSwitches, virtual port types, VLANs. Configuration of storage in a virtualised environment - datastores, IP storage, fibre channel, vSAN, object-based storage, virtual volumes.
Design and Configuration of Virtualised Environments
Configuration and management of compute, networking and storage resources in a software-defined datacentre. Creating and configuring HA, DRS and datastore clusters. Enabling Fault Tolerance for critical VMs. Creating resource pools to manage the resource allocations to virtual machines.
Scalability in a Virtualised Environment
Network scalability - load-based NIC teaming, traffic filtering, bandwidth aggregation for network resource pools, distributed virtual switches. Storage scalability - datastores, storage APIs (e.g. vSphere Array Integration), storage policies, vSAN, vVols. Host and management scalability - content libraries, host profiles, vSphere Auto Deploy.
Performance Monitoring and Troubleshooting in a Virtual Environment
Key performance metrics for CPU, memory, networking and storage. Optimising the number of cores per socket for VMs. Memory considerations with vNUMA. Resolving host/guest CPU saturation. Memory reclaimation techniques. Monitoring memory activity. Resolving host-level swapping. Dedicating memory to critical VMs. Monitoring disk latency.
Securing a Virtualised Environment
Configuring host access, authentication and hypervisor firewall. Securing VMs - VM encryption, vTPM, encrypted vMotion. Certificate and key management.
Deploying and Managing Containers within a Virtualised Environment
Install and manage a Kubernetes cluster on VMware vSphere. Automate the deployment and configuration using cloud automation technologies such as Terraform.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework100.00%

Assessments

Coursework
Assessment Type Project % of Total Mark 40
Timing Week 7 Learning Outcomes 1,2,3
Assessment Description
Design and configure a virtualised environment according to performance best practises.
Assessment Type Practical/Skills Evaluation % of Total Mark 30
Timing Week 10 Learning Outcomes 3,4
Assessment Description
Identify, troubleshoot and resolve a series of configuration and performance issues in a virtualised environment.
Assessment Type Project % of Total Mark 30
Timing Sem End Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,5
Assessment Description
Deploy and manage containterised applications within a software-defined datacentre, and discuss the benefits in terms of resource optimization, availability, and scalability.
No End of Module Formal Examination
Reassessment Requirement
Coursework Only
This module is reassessed solely on the basis of re-submitted coursework. There is no repeat written examination.

The University reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Lecture delivering theory underpinning learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Lab Contact Practical computer-based lab supporting learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent & directed learning Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Lecture delivering theory underpinning learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Lab Contact Practical computer-based lab supporting learning outcomes. Every Week 2.00 2
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent & directed learning Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • Nick Marshall, Mike Brown, G. Blair Fritz, Ryan Johnson. (2018), Mastering VMware vSphere 6.7, 1st. Sybex, [ISBN: 9781119512943].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • Mike Brown, Hersey Cartwright, Martin Gavanda, Andrea Mauro, Karel Novak, Paolo Valsecchi. (2019), The Complete VMware vSphere Guide: Design a virtualized data center with VMware vSphere 6.7, 1st. Packt Publishing, [ISBN: 9781838985752].
  • Mike Brown, Hersey Cartwright. (2019), VMware vSphere 6.7 Data Center Design Cookbook: Over 100 practical recipes to help you design a powerful virtual infrastructure based on vSphere 6.7, 3rd. Packt Publishing, [ISBN: 9781789801514].
  • Martin Gavanda, Andrea Mauro, Paolo Valsecchi, Karel Novak. (2019), Mastering VMware vSphere 6.7: Effectively deploy, manage, and monitor your virtual datacenter with VMware vSphere 6.7, 2nd. Packt Publishing, [ISBN: 9781789613377].
  • Matt Liebowitz, Christopher Kusek, Rynardt Spies. (2014), VMware vSphere Performance: Designing CPU, Memory, Storage, and Networking for Performance-Intensive Workloads, 1st. Sybex, [ISBN: 9781118008195].
  • Luc Dekens, Jonathan Medd, Glenn Sizemore, Brian Graf, Andrew Sullivan, Matt Boren. (2016), VMware vSphere PowerCLI Reference: Automating vSphere Administration, 2nd. Sybex, [ISBN: 9781118925119].
  • Brendan Burns, Joe Beda, Kelsey Hightower. (2019), Kubernetes: Up and Running: Dive into the Future of Infrastructure, 2nd. O'Reilly Media, [ISBN: 9781492046530].
  • Yevgeniy Brikman. (2019), Terraform: Up & Running: Writing Infrastructure as Code, 2nd. O'Reilly Media, [ISBN: 9781492046905].
This module does not have any article/paper resources
Other Resources
 
Module Delivered in
Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CR_KCLDC_9 Master of Science in Cloud Computing 1 Mandatory