Eric Sloof - NTPRO.NL

Ricky El-Qasem ovet at virtualizeplanet.com has released the Resource Pool Scheduler 1.2, it's an application that is managed with a GUI but runs a service and is used to periodically change the settings of a vSphere Resource Pool for example:

You may require to divert the CPU share allocation of a resource pool to a resource pool which is used for backup servers at 7pm and then revert the CPU share allocation back to how it was at 7am. This is useful to give the backup servers priority between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

At August 31, 2009, you can join VMware's development engineers at the Moscone Center in San Francisco for the first VMware Technology Exchange Developer Day. This event is dedicated to all the developers building solutions on the VMware platforms and is co-located with VMworld 2009. As a "Developer Day", the primary focus is on helping developers integrate with VMware platforms. VMware will cover developer technologies related to all three of VMware's product areas – datacenter, desktop and cloud – in sessions and corresponding demos. A sample of topics to be covered include vSphere Web Services SDK, APIs for managing and automating guest OS, vCloud API introduction, vApps, vStorage, productivity tools and much more. Packaged into beginner and advanced level sessions, the content will be tailored specifically to help developers learn about VMware's integration APIs, understand implementation best practices and see examples. Corresponding demos will provide further opportunity for training and discussion with VMware engineers in small-group settings.

http://communities.vmware.com/community/developer/techexchange/register

     

http://www.youtube.com/user/heyitspablo#play/uploads

Continue reading "VMware Technology Exchange Developer Day" »

David Feathergill, Chief Software Architect, Vizioncore, about the vAPI web service interface. While the vAPI web service interface acts as a facade, exposing services in the vRanger Pro 4.0 DPP platform to the outside world. The main areas that these services cover are: inventory, repositories, connections, and jobs. Developers can choose to expose functionality in their clients as they see fit. For example, an application may choose to observe events relating to jobs and display notifications about their completion and result. Another could create backup and/or restore jobs in vRanger and run them. For the administrator, we’ve created special vAPI clients, the PowerShell cmdlets.

The vAPI web service interface is developer focused, the PowerShell cmdlets are administrator focused. The set of cmdlets that we have created give the administrator open-ended access to the platform. By using these, we allow the administrator to integrate vRanger with third-party software and to create scripts automating the protection of their virtual infrastructure. The administrator’s abilities have been greatly enhanced compared to previous releases. We expose much more of our platform functionality than ever before, with 33 cmdlets covering the main functional areas of the vRanger platform.

Hyper9 officially launched the GA of Hyper9’s Virtualization Optimization Suite™ (VOS) today.  It helps IT managers and administrators gain better business insights into their virtual environment — and helps stem the tide of “VM Sprawl”.

Details from Press Release here - Link: http://community.hyper9.com/blogs/products/archive/2009/07/29/hyper9-announces-virtualization-optimization-suite.aspx

Hyper9’s VOS combines usability and dashboard features with in-depth analytics and reporting to help users find, reclaim and right-size virtual resources. The product provides cross-functional, user-specific views into the virtual infrastructure across myriad data sources, with key features and capabilities that include:

Continue reading "Hyper9 Announces Virtualization Optimization Suite" »

The broadcast will explore the key technical benefits of virtualization, and highlight some of the primary features available in the latest generation of VMware Infrastructure known as vSphere 4. Features covered will include VMware Virtual Machine File System (VMFS), VMotion, Storage VMotion, Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), Distributed Power Management (DPM), High Availability (HA) and Fault Tolerance (FT). The broadcast will also cover the latest news on vSphere training courses and certification.

StorMagic, a fast-growing developer of iSCSI SAN management software for virtualised server environments, today announced the availability of a validated configuration for StorMagic SvSAN™ and VMware Infrastructure 3 for ESX 3.5 software on the Intel® Server Board S5520UR. This server configuration was developed jointly by StorMagic and Intel engineers through the Intel® Enabled Server Acceleration Alliance (Intel® ESAA), a collaborative program that streamlines technical certification and validation of  Intel-based server products and enables Intel OEMs and channel partners to quickly deliver reliable, high-quality server solutions to their customers.

There seems to be some confusion about the availability of the VCP410 exam at VUE. The VUE website states the VCP on vSphere4 (VCP4) certification exam will be publically available on August 8th.  The VMware certification website said it was August 1st until a week ago, but now it’s also at August 8th. The VMware Partner Central has announced a VCP 4 EXAM UPDATE: The VCP on vSphere 4 (VCP 4) exam will be available publically on August 1st, 2009. But when you’re trying to register at VUE, the first available date is August 31th.

Official response from VUE: The VCP410 exam is not available to take until 31st August. There for you will not find any dates for this exam prior to that date.

Official response from Jon C. Hall over at VMware: The exam is open for registration beginning August 8th, which is reflected on the Certification page on the VMware website. This means you can register with VUE to take the exam. However, the first date you can actually take the exam is dependent on the time needed to process the results of the beta, so if you are seeing a date further out, they are allowing time for that. Once the exam is actually posted in their system, I imagine new schedule dates will become available between the 8th and the 31st.

I assume because VUE has enough information about the exam to start taking registrations now, they are. Since they know we will have the exam ready early August, they probably figured that they could just open registration now but set dates pretty far out just in case. That being said, once the 8th gets here we will probably start seeing some additional dates between then and the 31st become available.

Folks - there is a process involved here. We have to evaluate and process the Beta results (which will happen next week). Then, VUE has to publish the form, a process that I have seen take 1-2 weeks. If it takes a week, then the exam will be ready by the 8th and some dates pretty close to that should become available. If it takes two weeks, then some dates between mid August and the 31st should become available. The only part I can personally tell you for sure is that the beta results will be processed by the end of next week.

Since EDA and UDA are still in their beta phase and there aren’t much alternatives available for installing a VMware ESX4 or ESX4i server unattended, I thought “let’s build one myself”. I’m not a Linux guy so I had to create a Windows distribution server. In my search I’ve discovered a great little piece of software called CCBoot. This windows application enables a diskless boot of an ESX4i with iSCSI. Diskless boot makes it possible for ESX server to be operated without a local disk. The 'diskless' server is connected to a VMDK file over a network and boots up the hypervisor from the remotely located VMDK file. CCBoot is the convergence of the rapidly emerging iSCSI protocol with gPXE diskless boot technology. Remote boot over iSCSI, or CCBoot, pushes the iSCSI technology even further, opening the door to the exciting possibility of the diskless computer.

Here are the steps to set it up:

The first thing to do is create a VMDK file with ESX4 in it, I’ve used VMware Workstation. Don’t forget to choose a Linux 64 bit guest OS and add the two following additional lines to the VMX file.

monitor.virtual_exec = "automatic"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

When ESX4 is installed we’re going to set-up the distribution server, go to http://ccboot.com and download the CCBoot v1.7 Build 20090527(5 users free version). When you’ve installed it, create an entry for you physical ESX4 server.

  

Continue reading "Diskless Boot of ESX4 and ESX4i with PXE and iSCSI" »

Learn how to install an evaluation license for the Cisco Nexus 1000V.

Ensure consistent, policy-based network capabilities to virtual machines across your data center with the Cisco Nexus 1000V, a pure software implementation of a Cisco Nexus switch. Cisco Nexus 1000V integrates with VMware vSphere to deliver VN-Link, virtual machine-aware network services.

http://www.vmware.com/products/cisco-nexus-1000V/

Pearson announced today through InformIT, (www.informit.com), the website of Pearson's technology imprints, the release of new VMware titles under the Prentice Hall (PH), Pearson Certification, and Cisco Press imprints. These titles describe how to plan, implement, secure, maintain and monitor VMware software, and serve as guides to planning, deploying and managing today’s leading virtual infrastructure platform in mission-critical environments. Titles such as VCP Exam Cram: VMware Certified Professional and VEP VMware 310 Cert Flash Cards Online provide information readers need to know for the VCP exam published in formats that enhance memory retention and study effectiveness.

VCP VMware 310 Cert Flash Cards Online is a custom flash card application loaded with 300 total questions that test skills and enhance retention of exam topics.
Pearson Certification, www.informit.com/title/0789742144

VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security Securing the Virtual Environment provides guidance for identifying and mitigating virtualization-related security threats on all VMware platforms.
Prentice Hall, www.informit.com/title/0137158009

VCP Exam Cram VMware Certified Professional helps users plan, install, deploy, and configure ESX Server 3.5, manage and monitor virtual resources, and implement effective backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
Pearson Certification, www.informit.com/title/0789738058

VMware ESX Server in the Enterprise Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers touches on the entire lifecycle of virtualization servers: planning, installation, system monitoring, tuning, clustering, security, disaster recovery, and more.
Prentice Hall, www.informit.com/title/0132302071

Interconnecting Data Centers Using VPLS (Ensure Business Continuance on Virtualized Networks by Implementing Layer 2 Connectivity Across Layer 3) describes Cisco's break-through solutions that solve network traffic problems.
Cisco Press, www.informit.com/title/1587059924

VMware V13 Implementation and Administration is the most comprehensive guide to planning for, implementing, securing, maintaining, monitoring, and troubleshooting VMware VI3 in any IT environment.
Prentice Hall, www.informit.com/title/0137007035

Continue reading "Pearson Launches New VMware and Virtualization..." »

Jon C. Hall, Technical Certification Developer at VMware has given a heads up on the Enterprise Administration Mock Exam and Live Lab Activity -> the demonstration is posted.

Certification has posted the Enterprise Administration Mock Exam and a demonstration of a Live Lab Activity from the exam!! The mock exam is available from the certification website, and when you take the exam the live lab activity is available as a resource. Additionally, I have posted the live lab activity demonstration to the documents section of the forum. Keep in mind that the mock exam only contains multiple choice items, so the demonstration is the only way to see what the live lab portion looks like.

http://mylearn.vmware.com/quiz.cfm?item=11292

Via William Lam

According to the abstract of the following VMworld 2009 session, VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console-based ESX in the near future.

Session ID: TA4060
Title : The Path to COS-less ESX: Migrating Server Operations from ESX to ESXi

VMware ESXi is the next generation hypervisor architecture from VMware, offering improved reliability, security, and a simplified operational model. Due to the superior nature of ESXi, VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console-based ESX in the near future. If you are a long-time user of ESX and have developed your management procedures around the Service Console, then come to this session to learn how to migrate to a new, improved operational model. We will show how to adapt your process for all aspects of management, including: hardware monitoring, backup, systems management, user management, logging, troubleshooting, and more. You should be able to leave this session armed with the tools necessary to be prepared for the transition to ESXi.

Update : Changes to the ESX Service Console for ESX 4.0

This technical paper discusses incompatibilities between the ESX 3.5 service console and the ESX 4.0 service console. Included are suggestions of what you might do to upgrade your existing  environments that depend on the ESX service console. This document also discusses how you might bridge the gap to support ESXi, which does not include a service console. And finally, if you are currently writing applications that run in the ESX service console, this document suggests some possible options you have for transitioning away from it.

Show support for VMware and add a twibbon to your twitter profile image. A support Tweet will posted be on your behalf "Support VMware, add a #twibbon to your avatar now!" http://twibbon.com/join/VMware

@virtualprouk >> @jtroyer @esloof poor eric only has half a face on his avatar now!

Flex your movie-making muscles and win big! Grand Prize: $5000 Cash. Four $1000 Second Prizes. The fve winning videos will be displayed at VMworld 2009 in San Francisco to determine the VMworld attendee favorite for an additional $1000 cash prize! All participants will get one free limited edition Run It with VMware T-shirt!

http://www.vmware.com/customers/video-contest.html