RDP special keyboard shortcuts

I always forget the following keyboard shortcuts useful during my RDP sessions:
   
CTRL+ALT+END: Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box (CTRL+ALT+DEL)



ALT+PAGE UP: Switch between programs from left to right (CTRL+PAGE UP)


ALT+PAGE DOWN: Switch between programs from right to left (CTRL+PAGE DOWN)


ALT+INSERT: Cycle through the programs in most recently used order (ALT+TAB)


ALT+HOME: Display the Start menu (CTRL+ESC)


CTRL+ALT+BREAK: Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen


ALT+DELETE: Display the Windows menu


CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-): Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer (ALT+PRT SC)


CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+): Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer (PRT SC).

The case of the ghost LUN 0

Upgrading an ESX 3.5 U4 to vSphere ESX 4.0i U1 I noticed a very strange behaviour.

In my environment, the upgrade task, requires to reinstall ESXi from scratch then replicate the previous configuration using a custom made powershell script.

The ESXi install phase, normally so fast, took a huge amount of time. That forced me to have the server reinstalled again to watch carefully at logs.

That's what I've found:

CLUE #1

On the installation LUN selection screen, from which you chose the LUN holding the hypervisor, appears a "strange" empty DISK 0 with 0 byte size (see figure 1-1)

figure 1-1

CLUE #2

Pressing ALT-F12 on the server console, to switch to VMKernel log screen, reveals a huge number of following warning messages:    

Jan 18 10:19:44 vmkernel: 44:22:15:55.304 cpu3:5453)NMP: nmp_CompleteCommandForPath: Command 0x12 (0x410007063440) to NMP device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" failed on physical path "vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x5 0x25 0x0.

Jan 18 10:19:44 vmkernel: 44:22:15:55.304 cpu3:5453)WARNING: NMP: nmp_DeviceRetryCommand: Device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0": awaiting fast path state update for failover with I/O blocked. No prior reservation exists on the device.

Jan 18 10:19:45 vmkernel: 44:22:15:56.134 cpu6:4363)WARNING: NMP: nmp_DeviceAttemptFailover: Retry world failover device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" - issuing command 0x410007063440

Jan 18 10:19:45 vmkernel: 44:22:15:56.134 cpu3:41608)WARNING: NMP: nmp_CompleteRetryForPath: Retry command 0x12 (0x410007063440) to NMP device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" failed on physical path "vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x5 0x2

Jan 18 10:19:45 5 0x0.

Jan 18 10:19:45 vmkernel: 44:22:15:56.134 cpu3:41608)WARNING: NMP: nmp_CompleteRetryForPath: Logical device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0": awaiting fast path state update before retrying failed command again...

Jan 18 10:19:46 vmkernel: 44:22:15:57.134 cpu5:4363)WARNING: NMP: nmp_DeviceAttemptFailover: Retry world failover device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" - issuing command 0x410007063440

Jan 18 10:19:46 vmkernel: 44:22:15:57.134 cpu3:41608)WARNING: NMP: nmp_CompleteRetryForPath: Retry command 0x12 (0x410007063440) to NMP device "mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" failed on physical path "vmhba2:C0:T2:L0" H:0x0 D:0x2 P:0x0 Valid sense data: 0x5 0x2

You don't need to be a vmkernel storage engineer to correlate cause and effect.

The new vmware storage architecture (PSA) behaves differently from ESX 3.5. During the initial storage scan it finds a "virtual" disk0 device exposed by my storage virtualization appliance (FALCONSTOR NSS) mapped to ESX as LUN 0 device, and it pretends to handle that as all other "real" SAN devices.

This generates a lot of errors and retries, slowing down the boot phase and the vmkernel every time you rescan a storage path again.

The output provided by the following esxcli command, confirms the suspects:

# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD nmp device list

mpx.vmhba3:C0:T0:L0

  Device Display Name: Local VMware Disk (mpx.vmhba3:C0:T0:L0)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_LOCAL

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba3:C0:T0:L0;current=vmhba3:C0:T0:L0}

  Working Paths: vmhba3:C0:T0:L0

eui.000b080080002001

  Device Display Name: Pillar Fibre Channel Disk (eui.000b080080002001)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba2:C0:T3:L63;current=vmhba2:C0:T3:L63}

  Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T3:L63

eui.000b08008a002000

  Device Display Name: Pillar Fibre Channel Disk (eui.000b08008a002000)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba2:C0:T1:L60;current=vmhba2:C0:T1:L60}

  Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T1:L60

mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0

  Device Display Name: FALCON Fibre Channel Disk (mpx.vmhba2:C0:T2:L0)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba2:C0:T2:L0;current=vmhba2:C0:T2:L0}

  Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T2:L0

mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0

  Device Display Name: Local Optiarc CD-ROM (mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_LOCAL

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba0:C0:T0:L0;current=vmhba0:C0:T0:L0}

  Working Paths: vmhba0:C0:T0:L0

naa.6000d77800005acc528d69135fbc1c44

  Device Display Name: FALCON Fibre Channel Disk (naa.6000d77800005acc528d69135fbc1c44)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_RR

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {policy=rr,iops=1000,bytes=10485760,useANO=0;lastPathIndex=0: NumIOsPending=0,numBytesPending=0}

  Working Paths: vmhba1:C0:T2:L68, vmhba2:C0:T2:L68

naa.6000d77800008c5576716bd63f8f9901

  Device Display Name: FALCON Fibre Channel Disk (naa.6000d77800008c5576716bd63f8f9901)

  Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA

  Storage Array Type Device Config:

  Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_RR

  Path Selection Policy Device Config: {policy=rr,iops=1000,bytes=10485760,useANO=0;lastPathIndex=1: NumIOsPending=0,numBytesPending=0}

  Working Paths: vmhba1:C0:T2:L3, vmhba2:C0:T2:L3

Watching carefully through the output you should see mpx.vmhba2 and mpx.vmhba3 referring to a runtime name somewhat different compared to the more traditional naa. and eui. shown for the other paths (to have a clear idea about vmware disk identifiers see the Identifying disks when working with VMware ESX KB article).

I don't know why Falconstor IPStor NSS is exposing those fake LUNs (I'll open s SR), probably this is related to the fact that I don't map, for an internal standard, any LUN number 0 to my ESX servers. Mapping a LUN 0 will hide for sure the issue.

Anyway, I've found another workaround.

The following script add two new claim rules that MASK (hide) all the fake LUN 0 paths using the usual esxcli command line:

# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD corestorage claimrule add -P MASK_PATH -r 109 -t location -A vmhba2 -C 0 -T 2 -L 0

# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD corestorage claimrule add -P MASK_PATH -r 110 -t location -A vmhba3 -C 0 -T 0 -L 0

to check the result type the corestorage claimrule list command

# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD corestorage claimrule list

Rule  Class   Type      Plugin    Matches

----  -----   ----      ------    -------

0     runtime transport NMP       transport=usb

1     runtime transport NMP       transport=sata

2     runtime transport NMP       transport=ide

3     runtime transport NMP       transport=block

4     runtime transport NMP       transport=unknown

101   runtime vendor    MASK_PATH vendor=DELL model=Universal Xport

101   file    vendor    MASK_PATH vendor=DELL model=Universal Xport

109   runtime location  MASK_PATH adapter=vmhba1 channel=0 target=0 lun=0

109   file    location  MASK_PATH adapter=vmhba1 channel=0 target=0 lun=0

110   runtime location  MASK_PATH adapter=vmhba2 channel=0 target=0 lun=0

110   file    location  MASK_PATH adapter=vmhba2 channel=0 target=0 lun=0

65535 runtime vendor    NMP       vendor=* model=*

Be sure to specify:

The correct (new) Rule number (if you start from number 102 will be ok)

The correct location (vmhba number followed by Channel (C) : Target (T) : Lun (L) corresponding to the fake path)

and then reboot the ESX host.

Why VMware PSA is helping me "to save the day" (part 2)

During my last post (part 1) I shared some background info about the new VMware vSphere PSA architecture.
Having a clear (basic) understanding about the subject, I can now explore how to make a vSphere admin (or a storage admin) life a little bit easier than before.

The Problem
In a VMware VI 3.5 world no PSA is available. That means that, working with an ALUA storage array, you have to configure as Fixed the multipath policy and then set the Preferred Path (between those available) to the optimized Storage Processor (SP). If you don't do that you'll have an non-optimized access to data and, in my environment, a large performance penalty array side.

figure 1-1 VI 3.X Policy Path selection

That is a very tedious task when you have to do it for more than a few paths!
In my environment, having 70 ESX hosts and 10 LUNs, I repeated the "Set the Preferred path" monkey job 700 times! (to tell the truth, I scripted it using Powershell, but you get the point).

SATP Rules to the rescue
Reading carefully the Fibre Channel SAN Configuration Guide (mentioned in my last post) I've found a new way to manage it.
The trick here is to change the default "STORAGE ARRAY TYPE" associated by vSphere to my Pillar
Axiom 500 ALUA arrays.
That is not something we can change using vCenter Client (UI), but using the command line esxcli tool.
Dealing with vSphere ESX 4.0i U1 installable version, I run that command remotely using vSphere management assistant appliance (vMA).

First thing to do is to check which ALUA type storage arrays are directly recognized by vmkernel:
# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD nmp satp listrules -s VMW_SATP_ALUA

Name Vendor Model Driver Transport Options Claim Options Description
---- ------ ----- ------ --------- ------- ------------- -----------
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV101 tpgs_on EVA 3000 GL with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV111 tpgs_on EVA 5000 GL with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV200 tpgs_on EVA 4000/6000 XL with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV210 tpgs_on EVA 8000/8100 XL with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV300 tpgs_on EVA 4100/4400 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV400 tpgs_on EVA 6400 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV450 tpgs_on EVA 8400 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA NETAPP tpgs_on NetApp with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HP ^MSA2* tpgs_on HP MSA A/A with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HP MSA 3G SAS Cntlr tpgs_on HP MSA A/A with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSVX700 tpgs_on active/passive HP StorageWorks SVSP with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSVX740 tpgs_on active/active HP StorageWorks SVSP with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA Intel Multi-Flex tpgs_on Intel Promise
VMW_SATP_ALUA FUJITSU tpgs_on ETERNUS with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV340 tpgs_on EVA 4600 with ALUA
VMW_SATP_ALUA HSV360 tpgs_on EVA 6600 with ALUA

Next add a new SATP rule that will add support for a new storage vendor
# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD nmp satp addrule --vendor="Pillar" --claim-option="tpgs_on" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA" --description="Pillar Axiom ALUA Support"

The previous SATP rule defines a new vendor (Pillar).
The --claim-option string is passed to the SATP when the SATP claims a path. The contents of this string, and how the SATP behaves as a result, are unique to each SATP. If tpgs_on is specified, the SATP will claim the path only if the ALUA Target Port Group support is enabled on the storage device. To verify the presence of the new rule check the output provided by previous esxcli nmp satp listrules command.

Finally define "Round Robin" path selection as the new default psp policy for all the ALUA arrays
# esxcli --server $HOST --username $USER --password $PASSWD nmp satp setdefaultpsp --psp="VMW_PSP_RR" --satp="VMW_SATP_ALUA"

Migrate VMs and Reboot your host.
You should be able to see the huge improvement comparing figure 1-1 with 1-2 and output provided by esxcli nmp device list commad pre and post policy modification.
figure 1-2 vSphere Policy Path selection

# esxcli nmp device list
eui.000b080039002001
Device Display Name: Pillar Fibre Channel Disk (eui.000b080039002001)
Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA
Storage Array Type Device Config:
Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_FIXED
Path Selection Policy Device Config: {preferred=vmhba2:C0:T1:L0;current=vmhba2:C0:T1:L0}
Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T1:L0


# esxcli nmp device list
eui.000b080039002001
Device Display Name: Pillar Fibre Channel Disk (eui.000b080039002001)
Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_ALUA
Storage Array Type Device Config: {implicit_support=on;explicit_support=off;explicit_allow=on;alua_followover=on;{TPG_id=2,TPG_state=ANO}{TPG_id=1,TPG_state=AO}}
Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_RR
Path Selection Policy Device Config: {policy=rr,iops=1000,bytes=10485760,useANO=0;lastPathIndex=0: NumIOsPending=0,numBytesPending=0}
Working Paths: vmhba2:C0:T1:L0

Conclusion.
Moving from VI 3 to vSphere you can make the most of the new Pluggable Storage Architecture with some easy tricks and a basic understanding of architecture.
Making the path selection policy aware of my storage arrays behaviour resulted in a new highly automated (and well balanced) storage environment.

Why VMware PSA is helping me "to save the day" (part 1)

With the coming of vSphere 4.0 I have the opportunity to rethink my approach to storage multipathing in vmware world. To justify my post title, I need to share some storage background.  

Following concepts and descriptions are grabbed from the well written vSphere Fibre Channel SAN configuration guide that is a "must read"  

Backgrounds

Storage System Types

Storage disk systems can be active-active and active-passive.

ESX/ESXi supports the following types of storage systems:

• An active-active storage system, which allows access to the LUNs simultaneously through all the storage ports that are available without significant performance degradation. All the paths are active at all times,unless a path fails.

• An active-passive storage system, in which one port is actively providing access to a given LUN. The other ports act as backup for the LUN and can be actively providing access to other LUN I/O. I/O can be successfully sent only to an active port for a given LUN. If access through the primary storage port fails, one of the secondary ports or storage processors becomes active, either automatically or through administrator intervention.

ALUA, Asymmetric logical unit access

ALUA is a relatively new multipathing technology for asymmetrical arrays. If the array is ALUA compliant and the host multipathing layer is ALUA aware then virtually no additional configuration is required for proper path management by the host. An Asymmetrical array is one which provides different levels of access per port. For example on a typical Asymmetrical array with 2 controllers it may be that a particular LUN's paths to controller-0 port-0 are active and optimized while that LUN's paths to controller-1 port-0 are active non-optimized. The multipathing layer should then use paths to controller-0 port-0 as the primary paths and paths to controller-1 port-0 as the secondary (failover) paths. Pillar AXIOM 500 and 600 is an example of an ALUA array.  A Netapp FAS3020 with Data ONTAP 7.2.x is another example of an ALUA compliant array.

Understanding Multipathing and Failover

To maintain a constant connection between an ESX/ESXi host and its storage, ESX/ESXi supports multipathing. Multipathing lets you use more than one physical path that transfers data between the host and external storage device.

In case of a failure of any element in the SAN network, such as an adapter, switch, or cable, ESX/ESXi can switch to another physical path, which does not use the failed component. This process of path switching to avoid failed components is known as path failover.

In addition to path failover, multipathing provides load balancing. Load balancing is the process of distributing I/O loads across multiple physical paths. Load balancing reduces or removes potential bottlenecks.

Host-Based Failover with Fibre Channel

To support multipathing, your host typically has two or more HBAs available. This configuration supplements the SAN multipathing configuration that generally provides one or more switches in the SAN fabric and the one or more storage processors on the storage array device itself.

In Figure 1-1, multiple physical paths connect each server with the storage device. For example, if HBA1 or the link between HBA1 and the FC switch fails, HBA2 takes over and provides the connection between the server and the switch. The process of one HBA taking over for another is called HBA failover.

Figure 1-1. Multipathing and Failover

Similarly, if SP1 fails or the links between SP1 and the switches breaks, SP2 takes over and provides the connection between the switch and the storage device. This process is called SP failover. VMware ESX/ESXi supports HBA and SP failover with its multipathing capability.

Managing Multiple Paths inside VMware PSA (Pluggable Storage Architecture)

To manage storage multipathing, ESX/ESXi users a special VMkernel layer, Pluggable Storage Architecture (PSA). The PSA is an open modular framework that coordinates the simultaneous operation of multiple multipathing plug-ins (MPPs).

The VMkernel multipathing plug-in that ESX/ESXi provides by default is the VMware Native Multipathing Plug-In (NMP).

The NMP is an extensible module that manages sub-plug-ins. There are two types of NMP

sub-plug-ins, Storage Array Type Plug-Ins (SATPs), and Path Selection Plug-Ins (PSPs). SATPs and PSPs can be built-in and provided by VMware, or can be provided by a third party.

If more multipathing functionality is required, a third party can also provide an MPP to run in addition to, or as a replacement for, the default NMP.

When coordinating the VMware NMP and any installed third-party MPPs, the PSA performs the following tasks:

• Loads and unloads multipathing plug-ins.
• Hides virtual machine specifics from a particular plug-in.
• Routes I/O requests for a specific logical device to the MPP managing that device.
• Handles I/O queuing to the logical devices.
• Implements logical device bandwidth sharing between virtual machines.
• Handles I/O queueing to the physical storage HBAs.
• Handles physical path discovery and removal.
• Provides logical device and physical path I/O statistics.

Figure 1-2. Pluggable Storage Architecture

The multipathing modules perform the following operations:

• Manage physical path claiming and unclaiming.
• Manage creation, registration, and deregistration of logical devices.
• Associate physical paths with logical devices.
• Process I/O requests to logical devices:
• Select an optimal physical path for the request.
• Depending on a storage device, perform specific actions necessary to handle path failures and I/O command retries.
• Support management tasks, such as abort or reset of logical devices.

VMware Multipathing Module

By default, ESX/ESXi provides an extensible multipathing module called the Native Multipathing Plug-In (NMP).

Generally, the VMware NMP supports all storage arrays listed on the VMware storage HCL and provides a default path selection algorithm based on the array type. The NMP associates a set of physical paths with a specific storage device, or LUN. The specific details of handling path failover for a given storage array are delegated to a Storage Array Type Plug-In (SATP). The specific details for determining which physical path is used to issue an I/O request to a storage device are handled by a Path Selection Plug-In (PSP). SATPs and PSPs are sub-plug-ins within the NMP module.

VMware SATPs

Storage Array Type Plug-Ins (SATPs) run in conjunction with the VMware NMP and are responsible for array specific operations.

ESX/ESXi offers an SATP for every type of array that VMware supports. These SATPs include an active/active SATP and active/passive SATP for non-specified storage arrays, and the local SATP for direct-attached storage.

Each SATP accommodates special characteristics of a certain class of storage arrays and can perform the array specific operations required to detect path state and to activate an inactive path. As a result, the NMP module can work with multiple storage arrays without having to be aware of the storage device specifics. After the NMP determines which SATP to call for a specific storage device and associates the SATP with the physical paths for that storage device, the SATP implements the tasks that include the following:

• Monitors health of each physical path.
• Reports changes in the state of each physical path.
• Performs array-specific actions necessary for storage fail-over. For example, for active/passive devices, it can activate passive paths.

VMware PSPs

Path Selection Plug-Ins (PSPs) run in conjunction with the VMware NMP and are responsible for choosing a physical path for I/O requests.

The VMware NMP assigns a default PSP for every logical device based on the SATP associated with the physical paths for that device. You can override the default PSP.

By default, the VMware NMP supports the following PSPs:

Most Recently Used (MRU)

Selects the path the ESX/ESXi host used most recently to access the given device.

If this path becomes unavailable, the host switches to an alternative path and

continues to use the new path while it is available.

Fixed

Uses the designated preferred path, if it has been configured. Otherwise, it uses

the first working path discovered at system boot time. If the host cannot use

the preferred path, it selects a random alternative available path. The host

automatically reverts back to the preferred path as soon as that path becomes

available.

Round Robin (RR)

Uses a path selection algorithm that rotates through all available paths enabling

load balancing across the paths.

VMware NMP Flow of I/O

When a virtual machine issues an I/O request to a storage device managed by the NMP, the following process takes place.

1. The NMP calls the PSP assigned to this storage device.
2. The PSP selects an appropriate physical path on which to issue the I/O.
3. If the I/O operation is successful, the NMP reports its completion.
4. If the I/O operation reports an error, the NMP calls an appropriate SATP.
5. The SATP interprets the I/O command errors and, when appropriate, activates inactive paths.
6. The PSP is called to select a new path on which to issue the I/O.

I hope this could help to have the initial background needed to understand why PSA architecture provides an incredible steps forward for customers, like me, that are using ALUA storage arrays.

In my next post I'll share my experiences moving from a manually FIXED PSP path to a new automatically balanced ROUND ROBIN path.

Upgrading VAIO VGN-SZ3XP SATA HD with Intel X25-M SSD Drive

A very good friends of mine, for Christmas, gave me a brand new X25-M Intel Performance Solid State Drive (SSD).
This little jewell promises very good capacity (160GB) in 2.5" standard form factor and amazing performances.
If you're interested in details see the product overview at Intel Mainstream SATA SSD Drives page.
I couldn't wait any longer to see the improvements with my aged (three years old) Vaio VGN-SZ3XP laptop.
This post describes the upgrade path I've chosen and an initial feedback about the disk.

Upgrade Steps:

1. Windows 7 "image" backup 
2. HD swap 
3. Windows 7 "bare metal" restore 
4. SSD Firmware Upgrade 

Upgrade Tools:

• 1 blank dvd 
• 1 blank cd-rom 
• 1 "large enough" external USB 2.0 drive 
• 1 good screw driver 
• at least an entire free afternoon 

So, let's start.

Step 1 - Windows 7 image backup

I'm LAZY and I hate to spend too much time rebuilding my laptop OS from scratch during OS upgrades. That's why, few months ago, I trusted Microsoft and decided to do an in-place upgrade from the "not-so-beautiful" Vista to the newly revised Windows 7.
I was really impressed by the quality of the new upgrade procedure and the stability and performance gained after the upgrade.

My only regret was paying Microsoft more than an hundred euro just to have Vista as it should be!
Anyway, since then, my laptop worked perfectly so I did not feel the need to reinstall it just because I would upgrade my drive.
In the past, when I needed to restore a full OS image, I've used "Ghosting" tools and BartPE to have the job done.
This time I would like to see what's inside the new powerful backup methods integrated (should you read free?) into Windows 7.

As you can see from the following picture

the new Backup And Restore control panel applet provides us all we need to "Create a system image" and then "Create a system repair disc" useful to boot the laptop with the new uninitialized SSD drive and restore the system image

Creating the system image is very simple. Just make sure to connect an external reliable USB 2.0 drive with enough free space to store all the backup data (the imaging program is smart enough to include just the used space and not the whole partitions space).

The imaging process uses VSS, so no problem with open files, and creates one VHD file for each partition that you select (you can read more on that later in restore step). In my situation, having to backup 2 partitions (C: and D: drives) with almost 60GB data size, has taken me four hours to complete the task (using a decently slow iomega 2.5" external USB target drive).

During the backup phase I inserted a blank DVD in my laptop DVD Drive just to create the "System Repair Disk" (something that I should have done well before this time...).

Step 2 - Disk drive swap

Changing VAIO laptop hard drive was harder than it should be. No easy way to quickly access the drive via any possible visible outside cage.

Knowing my poor tendency towards mechanical stuff, I've done a quick search through the web (can you imagine a life without google?) and, as I suspected, almost immediately appeared an amazing guide (Sony VAIO VGN-SZ Hard Drive Installation Guide) written by Thai Tan that allowed me (armed with a couple of good screw drivers) to swap my two drives !

Step 3 - Windows 7 bare metal restore

Restoring my laptop image on the new SSD was an easy task (and much much faster than the backup part).
When you boot from the previously created system repair disk, you're allowed to run the recovering task.
Select the right keyboard layout:

and then the select the Restore from a system image option

Tools is able to auto discover the last image backup just scanning the external USB drive

Last restore options allows you to Exclude disks during the restore and change two "simple" Advanced options (see that from the following pict.)

So,  all this is in perfect classic "Next, Next, Yeah, Yeah" Microsoft style!

Just press a couple of confirm buttons and, one hour later, I had my partitions restored and my VAIO perfectly running again!

Last simple thing I had to do was to "EXTEND" my D: partition to use the more space that came with the new Intel SSD drive. This task is now easy thanks to the new capabilities offered by the Windows 7 DISKPART command line tool. Just open a cmd prompt, and type:

DISKPART

SELECT DISK 0

SELECT PARTITION 2

EXTEND

To find out the correct disk number and partition number remember to use the LIST DISK and LIST PARTITION commands. Pressing "?" at DISKPART prompt will show you a brief help

DISKPART ?

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7600

ACTIVE      - Mark the selected partition as active.

ADD         - Add a mirror to a simple volume.

ASSIGN      - Assign a drive letter or mount point to the selected volume.

ATTRIBUTES  - Manipulate volume or disk attributes.

ATTACH      - Attaches a virtual disk file.

AUTOMOUNT   - Enable and disable automatic mounting of basic volumes.

BREAK       - Break a mirror set.

CLEAN       - Clear the configuration information, or all information, off the

              disk.

COMPACT     - Attempts to reduce the physical size of the file.

CONVERT     - Convert between different disk formats.

CREATE      - Create a volume, partition or virtual disk.

DELETE      - Delete an object.

DETAIL      - Provide details about an object.

DETACH      - Detaches a virtual disk file.

EXIT        - Exit DiskPart.

EXTEND      - Extend a volume.

EXPAND      - Expands the maximum size available on a virtual disk.

FILESYSTEMS - Display current and supported file systems on the volume.

FORMAT      - Format the volume or partition.

GPT         - Assign attributes to the selected GPT partition.

HELP        - Display a list of commands.

IMPORT      - Import a disk group.

INACTIVE    - Mark the selected partition as inactive.

LIST        - Display a list of objects.

MERGE       - Merges a child disk with its parents.

ONLINE      - Online an object that is currently marked as offline.

OFFLINE     - Offline an object that is currently marked as online.

RECOVER     - Refreshes the state of all disks in the selected pack.

              Attempts recovery on disks in the invalid pack, and

              resynchronizes mirrored volumes and RAID5 volumes

              that have stale plex or parity data.

REM         - Does nothing. This is used to comment scripts.

REMOVE      - Remove a drive letter or mount point assignment.

REPAIR      - Repair a RAID-5 volume with a failed member.

RESCAN      - Rescan the computer looking for disks and volumes.

RETAIN      - Place a retained partition under a simple volume.

SAN         - Display or set the SAN policy for the currently booted OS.

SELECT      - Shift the focus to an object.

SETID       - Change the partition type.

SHRINK      - Reduce the size of the selected volume.

UNIQUEID    - Displays or sets the GUID partition table (GPT) identifier or

              master boot record (MBR) signature of a disk.

Digging inside the "image backup" taken, I discovered that Microsoft tool creates one .VHD file for each partition selected. That's really fine because you can mount them as disks using the new "ATTACH VHD" option present in Windows 7 disk management applet.

Step 4 - SSD Firmware Upgrade and Intel SSD Optimizer

Reading the following interesting Intel whitepaper Intel SSD Optimizer and the FAQ on Intel web site I learned about the availability of a new firmware release that (as usual) provides improvements and optimizations.   

"Is there a firmware update for the Intel SSD?

Yes. There is a firmware update currently available for X25-M, X18-M, X25-E and the X25-V. This firmware upgrade has several continuous improvement optimizations intended to provide the best possible user experience with the Intel SSD drives. A new firmware is available at the following Web site:>www.intel.com/go/ssdfirmware"  

Intel did a very good job providing an ISO download from which you should create a bootable cd-rom to upgrade the firmware disk.

In the same download page you'll find the Intel SSD optimizer tool (a nice MSI package that is necessary so that my Windows 7 laptop without an HACI enabled SATA controller can manage in the correct way - or should I say SSD compatible way - any file erase).

I hope to find some time to report back in a following post the performance improvements and some other details about SATA II and HACI drivers/controllers and SSA idiosyncrasies.

My first post!

Happy New Year's Day!

This is my first blog post ever.

During 2010 (is this the last year of the past decade or the first of the new one?) I would try to post about any experience regarding my job (I'm an ITC Architect) that can be really useful to someone else.

At the same time I'll try to use this blog to improve my english.

In the meantime, please, forgive me for my poor grammar and errors.