Entries from Eric Sloof

Ideas International just released a functional evaluation which compares three x86 server virtualization platforms: VMware Infrastructure 3, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer 5.0. The evaluation uses their online Collaborative Product Evaluation (CPE) system, a community-driven site that is accessible for free over the web. The CPE interface allows visitors to weight any functional level by priority to get a customized ranking of the products based on their own needs. Moreover, if you want, you can add your own ratings of specific product attributes should you agree or disagree with their “expert” assessment.

The new evaluation compares VI3 with Hyper-V and XenServer based on a scorecard with 60 functional details in five categories, the most in-depth functional assessment yet of the leading x86 hypervisor technologies. The link to the CPE evaluation on x86 hypervisors is http://ideasint.eval.com/hyper.

I’ve the opportunity to invite you to the Hyper9 beta program, when you’re interested please drop me a note.

Beta Program

A Vision of Virtualization Nirvana.   At Hyper9, we believe virtualization administrators shouldn't be stuck with an "un-dynamic" approach for managing highly dynamic and dimensional environments. It's why we're creating our new product, and why we're asking for your help.

Are You a Rock Star? If you spend more time contemplating your virtual world than the one in which you're late for dinner right now, get online and reserve your spot for our beta program. Our private, limited beta is full right now as we work out the kinks, but if you're a virtualization expert that is ready to rock your world, you can join our waitlist today and we'll keep you posted as spots open up!

Together, we can build a product, ignite a community and transform the world of virtualization administration forever.

Beta Product

Hyper9 is based on the premise that your Virtual Infrastructure management should be as easy to use as a Web-based consumer application. The rapid growth and dynamic nature of virtual environments clearly requires a different approach. The Hyper9 beta:

•         Rapidly searches and filters across your virtual infrastructure and inside Windows guests
•         Leverages VM DNA to track configuration changes to VMs over time - help diagnose problems
•         Compares configurations between VMs for drift
•         Understands conflicts between the guest and the virtual hardware layer (e.g. MAC address conflicts)
•         Gets “at a glance” performance and health information for all of your VMs
•         Collaborates – share critical searches and leave notes for team members
•         Generates instant reports to track connected media and active Snapshots

The VMware Infrastructure Management Assistant (VIMA) allows administrators and developers to run scripts and agents to manage ESX and ESXi systems. VIMA is a virtual machine that includes prepackaged software, a logging component, and an authentication component that supports non-interactive login. You can use VIMA to perform most of the tasks commonly performed in the ESX service console. Via Rick Blythe over at VMwarewolf.

http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vima/index.html

VIMA is a virtual machine that includes prepackaged software. Administrators and developers can use VIMA to run scripts and agents to manage ESX and ESXi systems. VIMA includes the VI Perl Toolkit and the VMware Infrastructure Remote CLI. VIMA also includes the vi-fastpass authentication component and the vi-logger logging component. vi-fastpass allows direct connection to established target servers. vi-logger allows you to collect logging information from ESX and ESXi hosts and store the information on VIMA for analysis.

The beta is over ... the first reporting solution specifically designed for documentation and change management in large VMware Infrastructure 3 environments is now generally available.
 
Features include:
• Unattended data collection & ad hoc reporting
• Change management support
• Help for "VM sprawl"
• Client/server architecture with SQL Server backend 

Veeam Reporter Enterprise is the first reporting solution specifically designed for large VMware Infrastructure 3 (VI3) virtual environments. Veeam Reporter Enterprise provides unattended data collection and scheduled or ad hoc reporting, as well as centralized data storage to help you discover, document and report on all the objects within your VMware virtual infrastructure right now, and at any point in the past.

Reporter Enterprise collects information about your VI3 environment, its components and configuration settings, on an ongoing basis. Using this data, it provides comprehensive and easy-to-understand reports for analysis, documentation and change control.

Designed for use by VI3 administrators, system integrators and datacenter managers, it is fully integrated with VMware VirtualCenter and supports change control for both ESX and ESXi servers.

Quick reference guide to commonly-used Windows PowerShell commands. For best results, open the file in Microsoft Word, print the contents to legal-sized paper (8 inches by 14 inches), and fold the resulting printout in half, making a four-page booklet.

In my former test environment I was running a few HP D530 desktop’s. Those machines were perfectly compatible with ESX 3.5U2. I’m now participating in the ESX.Next beta and the D530 desktops can’t run ESX.Next because the D530’s CPU is 32 bits. I had to find an alternate machine. This new machine must contain a compatible motherboard with a supported SATA controller and NIC. I’ve tried the HP7700 but the SATA controller and NIC aren’t detected. Finally I tried a three year old desktop (Fujitsu Siemens Scaleo P) that was getting a cold in my garage. My Fujitsu Siemens (ASUS) A8NE-FM with a dual core AMD Athlon processor functions perfectly (out of the box). This machine contains a CK804 Serial ATA Controller connected to a SAMSUNG_HD501LJ Local ATA Disk. The only downside is the nVidia NForce Netrwork Controller with a maximum speed of 100 Mb. Btw ESX.Next is running in WS 6.5 but you can’t start a virtual machine. WS 6.5.1 is ESX.Next compatible.

The VMworld Team made the VMworld2008 Screen Saver in normal and wide format available for download. This is the same screen saver displayed on the big screens before the start of the keynotes.

VMworld 2008 Screen Saver

VMworld 2008 Program Guide VMworld 2008 Program Guide with conference details, session and lab info, virtual plaza and track overviews and customer quotes

VMworld 2008 Screen Saver (Widescreen) 1280 x 1024 Widescreen size screen saver for VMworld 2008

Friday users will be able to share, recommend, and discuss news articles within LinkedIn groups. Any member of a group will be able to submit an article for reading and discussion.

 VMware Certified Professional (VCP)

Members of this group have gained the in-depth skills and industry-recognized certification on VMware technology. The VMware Certified Professional Program is designed for everyone who wants to demonstrate their expertise in virtual infrastructure and increase his potential for career advancement. Members: 1,665

 the official dutch VMUG

The Dutch VMware User Group (VMUG) program is designed to encourage and support the Dutch community of VMware users. Members: 432

Mike Laverick: It gives me great pleasure to announce that my book on VMware Site Recovery Manager 1.0 is now available from lulu.com. You can buy the book by clicking the book cover at the top of the blog or by clicking this link here: http://www.lulu.com/content/4343147.

"This book will teach how install and configure VMware's Site Recovery Manager product. It also covers in detail the failover and failback processes - and I will guide you through step-by-step through the setup of the product. This book is not filled with project management padding that typifies a lot of IT books. It's practical and technical, and assumes you are already pretty familiar with VMware's Virtual Infrastructure products including ESX 3.5 and VirtualCenter 2.5. In this book you will learn the strengths and weakness of the Site Recovery Manager product, and show you the common pitfalls and errors that can happen, and also more importantly why they happen, and how to fix them."

Hugo Peeters over at PeetersOnline has created a simple, fire-and-forget PowerShell script that sets the Hardware Video Acceleration Level for all your (Windows Server 2003 and Powered On) VM’s to Full. This way you can always enjoy smooth mouse movements when working in the console!

A link to Hugo’s website will definitely appear in my presentation at the 12th of December.