2010

Rack Server
Virtualization
A Microsoft Visio 2010 Add-In
Implementation
 Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................3
2. Installation Overview................................................................................3
2.1 Permission for Installation......................................................................3
2.2 Software Prerequisites...........................................................................3
2.3 Installing the Prerequisites.....................................................................4
2.4 Installation Flow.....................................................................................4
3. Getting Started.......................................................................................10
3.1 Selecting/Opening the Rack Server Virtualization Template....................10
3.2 Import Data..........................................................................................11
3.2.1 Selecting the Microsoft Office Excel Workbook.......................................13
3.2.2 Using the Microsoft Office Excel Template.............................................18
3.2.3 Using the Manual Wizard......................................................................21
3.3 View Rack Details.................................................................................26
3.4 Configuration.......................................................................................29
3.5 Analyze................................................................................................ 33
3.6 Virtualization.......................................................................................34
4. Consolidation Criteria..............................................................................38
5. Legend Definition....................................................................................39
6. Troubleshooting......................................................................................40
6.1 Error while Importing Data....................................................................40
6.2 Error while Diagram Generation............................................................41
6.3 Error while Analyze...............................................................................43
6.4 Error while Virtualize............................................................................46
6.5 Error while Exporting Data Grid data to Excel........................................47
1. Introduction

A Microsoft Visio 2010 Add-in Implementation.

Microsoft Visio 2010 Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization (Virtualization) uses various
new features of Visio 2010 to display the details of servers, racks and colors present
in the Data Center. This add-in provides the consolidation of physical servers by
allowing many virtual servers to run concurrently on one physical server resulting in
the improvement of system utilization, reduction in number of physical servers,
lowering costs, increasing flexibility etc. The Visio 2010 Add-in provides users a
virtualization picture in addition to the existing picture of the rack based on some
parameters to compare the power consumption and space saving before and after
consolidation.

2. Installation Overview

2.1 Permission for Installation

Permissions required for Installation

Permissions needed Description

Local Administrator on the Server Required for

- Running the Setup.exe
- read/write registry
Table 1: Permissions for Installation

2.2 Software Prerequisites

1. .NET Framework 3.5

2. Microsoft Visio 2010 Professional or Premium pro version
2.3 Installing the Prerequisites

1. .NET Framework 3.5

Download and install the .NET framework 3.5 from

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=333325FD-AE52-4E35-
B531-508D977D32A6&displaylang=en
2. Microsoft Visio 2010 Professional or Premium pro version
The system should have the Microsoft Office Visio 2010 Professional or
Premium pro version installed.

Installation Flow
The Visio Add-In for Rack Server Virtualization.msi installs the Visio
Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization as an Add-In on the machine.

1. Run the Visio Add-In for Rack Server Virtualization.msi.

2. The Welcome screen appears.

Figure 1: Welcome Screen

3. Click Next to continue.

4. The License Agreement screen appears.
 Figure 2: License Agreement
5. If you accept the terms, click I Agree, and then click Next.
6. The Setup Installation Path and Disk Space Information screen appears.
Figure 3: Set Up Installation Path and Disk Space Information

 Click Next, for the default path or click Browse to select

the destination folder path.
 To check the Disk Space Required, click Disk Cost.

Figure 4: Rack Server Virtualization Add-in Disk Space

 7. Click Next to continue.
8. The Confirm Installation screen appears.
9. Click Next to begin installation or Cancel to exit the setup wizard

Note: If you want make any changes to the installation settings or go back to the
previous pages, click Back.

Figure 5: Confirm Installation

10.Installing Rack Server Virtualization Add-in screen appears.

 Figure 6: Installing Rack Server Virtualization Add-in

Note: Please wait while the setup wizard installs Rack Server
Virtualization Add-in. This may take few minutes. The installation bar is
displayed.
To cancel the installation click Cancel

11.Once the installation is successful the Installation Complete screen

appears.
Figure 7: Installation Complete
3. Getting Started

1. This section describes the basic flow of the reference implementation.

2. The Microsoft Office Visio 2010 Add-in for Rack Server Virtualization is a Visio
Add-In that starts up automatically with Visio 2010.

3.1 Selecting/Opening the Rack Server Virtualization

Template
The Add-In when installed adds a new template Rack Server Virtualization
under Add-ins Templates Category.

3. Open Visio 2010.

4. Select Add-ins from the Template Categories list.
5. Select Rack Server Virtualization from the Featured Templates group.
6. Click on Create button or double click on Rack Server Virtualization from
Featured Templates group.

Figure 8: Selecting the template

7. A new ribbon tab Virtualization is added as the template opens a new

document. A stencil Rack Server Virtualization consists of predefined shapes
to show Rack Server Virtualization diagram will be also be opened .
 Figure 9: Virtualization Ribbon

Also, Import wizard dialog of the Add-in will be open. This wizard provides
different modes of including the data into the Add-in. The wizard can also be
open from Virtualization ribbon.

Figure 10: Import Wizard, Virtualization Add-in & Menu on Load.

The Virtualization ribbon tab consists of the following ribbon items –

 Configure – To configure CPU utilization and logon credentials.
 Import Data – To import data for analyze through various means.
 Analyze – To retrieve server, rack and colo data.
 Virtualize Rack– To virtualize the existing rack servers depending on CPU usage,
power rating etc.
 Status Window – To see the status of Analyze.
 Help for Rack Server Virtualization Add-In – User Guide for Visio Add-in for Rack
Server Virtualization.
 About Rack Server Virtualization Add-In – About Virtualization Add-In

3.2 Import Data

To create the Rack Server Virtualization diagram following are the Import
Options:
1. Import data from a Microsoft Office Excel Workbook.
2. Use the Microsoft Excel Sample Template to provide the data.
3. Manual entry of data using the wizard.

Figure 11: Source to create Virtualization Diagram.

3.2.1 Selecting the Microsoft Office Excel Workbook

1. Select the Information that’s stored in Microsoft Office Excel

Workbook and click Next.

2. Select an Excel Workbook that consists of Colo, Rack and Server details.

Figure 12: Select Excel Workbook.

3. Click Open.

4. Select a worksheet each for Colo, Rack and Server to get their details. Click
Next.
 Figure 13: Select Worksheets.

5. All the columns of the Worksheet will be displayed in the combo boxes.

6. Select columns for Server details corresponding to the Shape Field.

 Figure 14: Select Columns for Server Details.

7. Select columns for Rack details corresponding to the Shape Field.

 Figure 15: Select Columns for Rack Details.

8. Select columns for Colo details corresponding to the Shape Field.

Figure 16: Select Columns for Colo Details.

9. Click Finish. A diagram will be auto generated for all the colo(s) present
in the Excel Worksheet. This diagram consists of all the racks present in
the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.

Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks
exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.

Figure 17: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Colo Racks.

3.2.2 Using the Microsoft Office Excel Template

1. On Import Data Wizard, Select Information that I enter using Excel

Template and click Next.
2. Create a new excel file.

Figure 18: Create excel workbook.

3. A message is displayed to create a new File if the File name entered by you
does not exist. Click Ok. A new File will be created at the selected location.
 Figure 19: Type Over Sample Data Message box.

4. The new Excel file created with the template will open. Type the Colo, Rack
and Server details. Click Save. Click File > Exit.

Figure 20: Sample Excel Template.

5. As user exits the Excel file, a diagram is auto generated for all the colo(s)
present in the Excel Workbook. This diagram consists of all the racks present
in the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.

Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks
exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.
Figure 21: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Colo Racks.
3.2.3 Using the Manual Wizard
1. On Import Data Wizard, Select the Information that I enter manually in
the wizard and click Next.
2. Enter the Colo Name and Maximum Units.

Figure 22: Colo Details.

3. Select Rack tab. Enter the Rack Name, Colo Name, Power Rating,
Maximum Units for each rack.
 Figure 23: Rack Details.

4. Select Server tab. Enter the Network Name, Rack Name, Colo Name,
Power Rating, Rack Space Used details.
 Figure 24: Server Details.

5. After filling the data, Click Finish.

6. Once the user clicks Finish, a diagram is auto-generated for all the colos
provided in the data grid by the user. This diagram consists of all the racks
present in the Colo.

Note: There will be a separate page created for each Colo.

Note: Each page can contain up to 120 racks, if the number of racks
exceed 120, a new page will be added to the drawing.
 Figure 25: Auto-Generated Diagram of the Colo Racks.

7. User can Export the data entered into the manual entry data grid onto an
excel spreadsheet.
a. Click Export to Excel.
b. Save As dialog will open.
c. Select the desired path.
Note: Default path will be Installation Path.
Default file name will be RackServerVirtualization-Data-Time.xslx.
 Figure 26: Format of Excel saved

1.1.1.1
3.3 View Rack Details

User can view the details of each Rack in the diagram created as:
1. Hover the cursor on any of the Rack shape of the colo, a smart tag will be
visible. The smart tag consists of items View Rack Details, Analyze
Rack and Rack Virtualization. Rack Virtualization will be disabled until
Analyze is performed.

2. Click View Rack Details.

Figure 27: Smart Tag to View Rack Details.

3. A new page will be created comprising of detailed diagram of that

particular Rack. The diagram shows the detailed information of the Rack
and the servers consisted by the Rack. The Shape Data consists of Rack’s
Name, Power Rating, Maximum Units and Server’s Power Rating, Rack
Space Used etc.
 Figure 28: View Rack Details.

4. Select the Rack Shape, Right click Properties. User can view the Rack
shape data.

Figure 29: Rack Shape Properties.

5. Select the Server shape, Right click Properties. User can view the
Server shape data.
Figure 30: Server Shape Properties.
3.4 Configuration
Before starting the Analyze process, user can configure the mode of fetching the data
of Rack-Server for Rack Server Virtualization. The Add-in uses CPU utilization as the
factor to consider a Server as Virtualizable.

1. Click Configure from the Virtual Rack Menu or click Configure icon from
Virtual Rack Add-in toolbar.

Figure 31: Configure Menu

2. User can choose between the Current CPU Utilization (CPU Utilization at
that instance) or CPU Utilization of servers over a period of time.
Note: Current CPU Utilization uses the WMI query to fetch the data from
Rack Servers and CPU Utilization for Duration uses the Operations
Manager to get the data. By default, Current CPU Utilization is selected.
 Figure32: Configuration: Current CPU Utilization.

3. Select CPU Utilization for Duration. Type a valid Operations Manager

Root Management Server, Operations Manager Database Name,
Operations Manager Reporting Server Name and Operations Manager
Reporting Database Name. If any of the servers are unavailable user will
be prompted for an error.

Note: Here OperationsManager and OperationsManagerDW are the

default Operations Manager and Reporting database respectively. If you have
any trouble in accessing Operations Manager please ask administrator for a
valid Operations Manager Server name, Operations Manager Database name,
Operations Manager Reporting Server name and Operations Manager
Reporting Database name.
 Figure33: Configuration: CPU Utilization for Duration.

4. User can set the value of number of servers to be consolidated (default 3) for
virtualization.
5. User can change the % CPU Threshold value (default 10%) below which servers
can be considered as underutilized and can be proposed for Virtualization
(consolidated into other Servers of the same Rack).
6. User can change the Logon credentials (default Windows Authentication.)
Figure34: Configuration: Logon Credentials.
3.5 Analyze

1. Users can Analyze Rack from Virtualization Ribbon --> Analyze.

2. If user hover the cursor over the Rack shape of the colo, a smart tag will
be visible. The smart tag consists of items View Rack Details, Analyze
Rack and Rack Virtualization. Rack Virtualization will be disabled until
Analyze is performed.

Figure 35: Smart Tag to Analyze Rack.

3. By selecting the Analyze Rack item from the smart tag menu will start
analyzing the Rack of the Colo. User can also select multiple Racks and
click Analyze Rack, will analyze multiple racks.
4. If user selects the Analyze from Virtualization ribbon, will analyze all
the Racks of the drawing.
5. A Status window is displayed showing the status of the Analysis. User can
cancel the Analyze process by clicking Cancel.

Figure 36: Virtualization Status Window.

6. Color of Racks will change after analyzing based on the color codes in
Legend. Rack will be considered as underutilized or over utilized based on
the % CPU Usage of Servers in the Rack. If any Server in a Rack has CPU
Utilization below threshold value it will be considered as underutilized and
the Rack is considered as Virtualizable.
 Figure 37: Rack Color After Analyzing.

7. User can close the Status Window and Open it again from the Status
Window in Virtualization ribbon in the Visio ribbon tab.

Figure 38: Status Window ribbon button.

3.6 Virtualization

This section describes the Virtualization of Rack Servers:

1. After successfully completing the Analyze, the External Data window
adds the fetched IP Address, Operating System, Processor, % CPU usage,
Total Physical Memory, Available Physical Memory details of the analyzed
servers.
 Figure 39: External Data.

2. Users can View the Rack Details of the analyzed racks from smart tag
on a Rack shape.

Figure 40: View Rack Details of the Analyzed Racks.

3. After Analyze, smart tag item Rack Virtualization will be enabled. Click
Rack Virtualization.
 Figure 41: Smart Tag to Rack Virtualization.

4. Proposed Rack Status after Virtualization will be displayed along with the
Existing Rack Status. The after virtualization diagram shows the Power
Drop and Rack Space Saved.

Figure 42: Virtualization of Servers.

5. User can see the Virtual Servers consolidated under a Physical Server.
Select the Physical Server; right click Properties, Virtual Server Shape
Field.

Figure 43: Virtual Servers in Shape Data Window.

4. Consolidation Criteria
Consolidation is done based on the following parameters according to the
priority as below:

1. Power Rating: The server with higher Power Rating is considered to be a

better candidate than server with lower Power Rating.
2. Rack Space Used: A Server that occupies more space is merged into the
Server that occupies less space to minimize the space occupied by the
Servers within a Rack.
3. CPU Utilization: A Server with lower CPU Utilization is merged into the
Server with higher CPU Utilization.
4. Physical Memory: Server with lower Physical Memory will be merged
into the Server with higher Physical Memory.
5. Network Usage: A Server with lower Network Usage is merged into the
Server with higher Network Usage.
5. Legend Definition
The legend is defined according to the analysis done.

Figure 44: Legend Definition.

Grey: No analysis is done.

Green: Virtualizable (Rack contains a server whose CPU Utilization is less than
the threshold.)
Orange: Non-Virtualizable (Rack contains no server whose CPU Utilization is less
than the threshold.)
Red: There is an error while analyzing the Servers in the Rack.
6. Troubleshooting
This section describes the errors user may get.

6.1 Error while Importing Data

Error scenario 1:
On the Import wizard form of Rack Server Virtualization when user selects Information
that’s stored in Microsoft Office Excel Workbook option, click Next then the
following error appears:

Error Description:
The selected option requires either Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or Microsoft Office Excel
2007 installed on the user machine.

Error scenario 2:
On Select columns form of Rack Server Virtualization when user selects the default text
for Excel columns <Select a column name> and click Finish then the following error
appears:

Error Description:
The selected item is not a valid excel column name. This text is selected by default when
the form loads and Excel Column name doesn’t match with the Shape Field.

Error scenario 3:
On the Manual data entry form of Rack Server Virtualization when grid columns get blank
and doesn’t have any value and user clicks Finish, then the following error appears:
“Column Name” column cannot be blank. Please provide any value.

Error Description:
Data Grid columns cannot contain blank values. User has to provide some values for rack
diagram to be created.

Error scenario 4:
On the Import Wizard form of Rack Server Virtualization when the user selects existing
Microsoft Office Excel Workbook option or Microsoft Office Excel Template and
click Next, file dialog opens and select an invalid excel, then the following error appears:

Error Description:
The input excel used for these options must be a valid excel file.

6.2 Error while Diagram Generation

Error scenario 1:
During the diagram generation process when the user tries to close the document on
which the diagram is being generated. The following error message appears.
Error Description:
The diagram generation process needs to be terminated if user wants to close the
document. Click Yes to stop the diagram generation process and close the document,
click No to continue the diagram generation without closing the document.

Error scenario 2:
During the diagram generation process user tries to delete a page from the document on
which the diagram is being generated, the following error message appears.

Error Description:
Page cannot be deleted until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 3:
During the diagram generation process, if user tries to delete shape(s) from the
document on which the diagram is being generated, the following error message
appears.

Error Description:
Shape(s) cannot be deleted until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 4:
During the diagram generation process user tries to Analyze the Racks either from
Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.
Error Description:
Analyze cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.

Error scenario 5:
During the diagram generation process user tries to Virtualize the Racks either from
Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.

6.3 Error while Analyze

Error scenario 1:
During the Analyzing process user tries to close the document on which the analyzing is
in progress. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
The analyzing process need to be terminated if user wants to close the document. Click
Yes to stop the analyzing process and close the document, click No to continue the
analyzing without closing the document.
Error scenario 2:
During the analyzing process user tries to delete a page from the document on which the
analyzing is in progress. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
Page cannot be deleted until the analyzing process is complete.

Error scenario 3:
During the analyzing process user tries to delete shape(s) from the document on which
the analyzing is in progress. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
Shape(s) which are present on Colo pages cannot be deleted until the analyzing process
is complete.

Error scenario 4:
During the Analyzing process user tries to start the Analyzing process again for the same
document. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
Only one analyzing session is allowed at any given point of time for a particular
document. To restart analyzing process, stop the current analyzing session and start new
analyzing session.
Error scenario 5:
Before the diagram generation process starts, user tries to Analyze the Rack shapes on
the document. The following error message appears.

Error Description:
Analyze process cannot start before diagram generation is performed.

Error scenario 6:
After diagram generation process completed, user deletes all the Rack shapes from the
page and tries to Analyze the Rack shapes on the document. The following error
message appears.
No rack(s) found to analyze on colo page “Page Name”

Error Description:
Rack shapes are required for Analyze even if the data record set (Rack Details) is
present.

Error scenario 7:
After diagram generation process completed, when user tries to Analyze, the following
error message appears.
No such host is known. Please provide a valid Operations Manager Root
Management Server name.
Error Description:
A valid Operations Manager Root Management Server name is required to perform
analysis. Please ask your administrator for a valid Operations Manager Root Management
Server name.

6.4 Error while Virtualize

Error scenario 1:
During the Analyze process user tries to virtualize the Rack shape(s) either from
Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the Analyze process is complete.

Error scenario 2:
During the diagram generation process user tries to virtualize the Racks either from
Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears.

Error Description:
Virtualize cannot be started until the diagram generation process is complete.
Error scenario 3:
User tries to Virtualize without selecting a Rack shape, the following error message
appears:

Error Description:
Selection of a rack is must for virtualization.

Error scenario 4:
Before diagram generation process is performed user tries to virtualize the Rack
shape(s) either from Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears:
Data record set “Record Set Name” not found.

Error Description:
Virtualize process cannot start before Diagram generation is performed.

Error scenario 5:
Before Analyze process is performed user tries to virtualize the Rack shape(s) either from
Virtualization Ribbon, the following error message appears:

Error Description:
Virtualize process cannot start before Analyze is performed.
6.5 Error while Exporting Data Grid data to Excel

Error scenario 1:
On Rack Virtualization Summary form user clicks on Export to Excel and the following
error message appears:

Error Description:
To save the data to an Excel File, installs either Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or Microsoft
Office Excel 2007.