Troubleshooting guide

CHAPTER

1-1

Cisco Wide Area Application Services Configuration Guide

OL-26579-01

Configuring Virtual Blades

This chapter describes how to configure virtual blades, which are computer emulators that reside in a

WAE or WAVE device. A virtual blade allows you to allocate WAE system resources for use by

additional operating systems that you install on the WAE hardware. You can host third-party applications

in the isolated environment provided by a virtual blade. For example, you could configure a virtual blade

in a WAE device to run Windows printing and domain lookup services.

For detailed information on installing and configuring Windows on a virtual blade, see the Cisco WAAS

Installation and Configuration Guide for Windows on a Virtual Blade.

Virtual blades are supported on all WAVE devices and on certain models of WAE devices. Virtual blades

are not supported on WAVE devices operating as AppNav Controllers. On unsupported WAE devices,

the virtual blade configuration screens are nonfunctional.

Note Throughout this chapter, the term WAAS device is used to refer collectively to the WAAS Central

Managers, WAEs, and WAVEs in your network. The term WAE refers to WAE and WAVE appliances,

WAE Network Modules (the NME-WAE family of devices), and SM-SRE modules running WAAS.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• About Virtual Blades, page 1-1

• Preparing to Use Virtual Blades, page 1-3

• Configuring Virtual Blades, page 1-4

• Enabling and Disabling Virtual Blades, page 1-8

• Copying a Disk Image to a Virtual Blade, page 1-10

• Backing Up and Restoring a Virtual Blade, page 1-11

About Virtual Blades

Virtual blades act as computer emulators within your WAAS device. You can install a guest operating

system and applications on the virtual blade to work with your WAAS system and provide additional

services for the users on your network.

Note WAAS virtual blades can host Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2008 R2 operating systems with a broad

range of services including, but not limited to, Windows services like Active Directory, Print Services,

DHCP, SCCM, and DNS services, plus third-party and custom developed applications.