VMware vSphere Documentation / Handbook

The VMware vSphere Administration Handbook is a comprehensive technical guide for deploying, managing, and optimizing virtualized environments using VMware’s vSphere platform. It covers installation, configuration, networking, storage, security, high availability, and performance tuning, providing system administrators and IT professionals with the foundational reference for enterprise virtualization and cloud infrastructure management.

VMware, Inc. — vSphere Product Management and Technical Publications Team

1. Introduction
• About VMware vSphere
• System Requirements and Architecture Overview
• Key Concepts: ESXi, vCenter, and Clusters

2. Installation and Configuration
• Installing and Configuring ESXi Hosts
• Setting Up vCenter Server
• Licensing and Access Management
• Network and Storage Configuration Basics

3. Virtual Machine Management
• Creating and Managing Virtual Machines
• Snapshots and Templates
• Resource Allocation and Scheduling
• VM Migration (vMotion, Storage vMotion)

4. Storage Management
• Datastores and Storage Types
• Configuring vSAN and iSCSI/NFS
• Storage Policies and Performance Optimization

5. Networking
• Virtual Switches and Distributed Switches
• VLANs, NIC Teaming, and Network Security
• NSX Integration and Network Virtualization

6. High Availability and Fault Tolerance
• vSphere HA Configuration
• Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)
• Fault Tolerance and Clustering Best Practices

7. Security and Access Control
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Secure Boot and Encryption
• Audit Logging and Compliance

8. Monitoring and Performance
• Using vCenter Performance Charts
• Capacity Planning
• Log Insight and vRealize Operations Integration

9. Backup, Restore, and Disaster Recovery
• Backup and Recovery Strategies
• vSphere Replication
• Site Recovery Manager (SRM) Setup

10. Automation and Scripting
• vCenter Command-Line Tools
• PowerCLI and API Integration
• Automating Workflows and Policies

11. Troubleshooting and Maintenance
• Common Configuration Issues
• Log Analysis and Diagnostics
• Patch Management and Updates

12. Appendices
• Configuration Maximums
• Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix
• Glossary of Terms
• Support and Documentation Resources