With virtual machines now playing a vital role in managing network infrastructure, it is crucial that all VM’s perform optimally. Simply implementing servers and vitalizing them isn’t enough, it requires some planning. Below is a list of the top 10 tips to follow for optimal VMware performance.

1- Make sure your hardware meets compatibility requirements:

• Before purchasing any hardware, make sure the hardware meets the ESX compatibility requirements. This includes NIC, CPU and storage capacity.  http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/1032

2- Correct sizing of hardware:

• Make sure that your hardware will support 32-bit or 64-bit CPU’s and the amount of RAM. Properly configure the server for resources and future expansion possibilities.

3- Know your operating systems:

• Properly configure your guest OS to fit application installations. Determine which applications and resources will be running on each guest operating system.

4- Benchmark your hardware:

• This will help to determine which system configuration best meets the needs for your VM environment. There are plenty of free VM benchmark tools that can be downloaded. https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info/slug/other/vmware_vmmark/2_x

5- DRS:

• DRS is an interesting tool that gathers information from the guest OS and determines on which VM servers should best be applied on. Enabling DRS is required.

6- Best Practices:

• Use the recommended best practices offered by VMware http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources

7- Stay up to date:

• Make sure all the guest OS have their VMware tools updates and check periodically for VM updates, also verify if you can remove any unneeded hardware ,such as a floppy drive.

8- Beware of sprawls:

• Keep track of the number of guest OS that are installed per VM environment, it is easy to loose track of installed VM for resources.

9- Keep server up to date:

• The physical hardware it is running on should be up to date. The ESX server should have the latest patches applied for optimal performance.

10- Check online documentation:

• Online references are always helpful, check for any new articles or blogs being posted online for any tips or how tos http://blogs.vmware.com/performance/