VMware - 36

The VMware Virtual Infrastructure Java API provides a set of libraries with full support of managed object model and utilities to manage and control VMware virtual machines and servers using the VMwware Virtual Infrastructure Web service interface. To get help, you can find exact description of each managed object and its properties/methods in the VI SDK API reference. Just look for the managed object type and its method with the same name. Please skip the first _this parameter and the rest are the same except the difference of real type and  anagedObjectReference. The description should be applicable despite the difference. You will find some samples inside the com.vmware.vim25.mo.samples package. As you will find out, the samples using this APIs are much shorter and more readable than the ones using VI SDK web service interfaces. Please note that this is an open source project and not supported by VMware. But community members can help each other via bug report, forum, mailing list. Also please let us know your wish list via feature request. Via Virtualization.info.

The Alternative to Citrix – simple, fast and more cost-effective access to Terminal Servers Ericom's PowerTerm WebConnect VMware virtual appliance for Server Based Computing (SBC) and Presentation Virtualization delivers secure, centrally managed access to business applications and desktops running on Windows Terminal Servers-more easily and cost-effectively than ever. As a practical, ready-to-go solution, Ericom's PowerTerm WebConnect virtual appliance enables faster deployments, updates and support - ideal for organizations with remote users and multiple locations. Pre-packaged with PowerTerm WebConnect installed on the Ubuntu Linux 7.10 operating system (running inside a virtual machine) the appliance reduces the cost and complexity of traditional PC management.

The second annual VMworld Europe conference will be held 24-26 February 2009 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes, France. The event will bring face-to-face the industry leaders shaping the future of virtualization, as interest in the field continues to grow in Europe, Middle East and Africa. It will also provide a platform for visitors to interact with the customers, partners and technologists who are shaping both VMware’s expanding ecosystem and the virtualization industry.  Pre-Register Today

Herco van Burg, a Dutch vmug member launched the virtualappliances.eu website where you can find and download the most popular virtual appliances like:

• X-m0n0wall - The most popular firewall appliance in the VMware appliance directory.
• ESX deployment appliance - Dedicated ESX deployer that will deploy dozens of hosts in minutes.
• Hasslefree Download Appliance - Usenet binaries and Torrent download appliance that takes care of everything.
• Ubuntu 7.10 Just Enough OS  -A perfect base to build appliances on!

There’s a blueprint available for the VMware Enterprise Administration Exam. This exam is part of the prerequisites of the VCDX Certification. It includes live labs and tests a higher level of skill set than the exam for VCP on VMware Infrastructure 3. The Enterprise Exam is available this month. Candidates can check their skills and see if they are suited to this exam online via the VMware Certification page. Only those who meet these qualifications will be able to attend the exam.

I’m delivering an instructor led VMware Sales Professional training again. You can still sign in for next Friday. The VMware Sales Professional (VSP) program is an online, self-paced curriculum that has been broken down into an accreditation for each of VMware’s four main solution areas. The first accreditation can be completed in about 5-7 hours and each subsequent accreditation requires about 1-2 hours. Together, this sales-focused training curriculum:

• Jumpstarts a person’s understanding of how to sell VMware products & solutions
• Reduces the time needed to be effective
• Ensures a consistent message is being evangelized

Forbes Guthrie over at vmreference.com has released an update of his vmreference card. There over a dozen corrections, updates, and a few small additions.  He wants to thank  everyone who has emailed him since the last release, particularly Simon Price and Peter Vroomen.

Last night I received an anonymous tip from someone deep inside the VMware Workstation development team. The tip I received was all about running ESX 3.5 inside Workstation 6.5 and the possibility to power on a VM.

Try the latest Workstation 6.5 Beta 1 Refresh and you are in for a surprise...

This afternoon I downloaded the latest build of the Workstation 6.5 Beta and tried to run ESX 3.5 inside it.

Download VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta
Latest Version: Beta | 5/12/08 | Build 91182

I created a standard (other Linux) VM with two CPU's, 1024 Gb mem and a 20 GB SCSI disk. I also added the following tree lines to the VMX file.

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

This time running ESX 3.5 inside WS 6.5 worked, no slow booting anymore. The test lab is online again. After installing ESX 3.5 update 1 the following screenshot showed up within minutes.


I contacted Keith Adams, he’s one of the WS 6.5 engineers and asked him if he could confirm that we can use ESX 3.5 in the latest build of VMware Workstation 6.5, he confirmed :

Indeed, we've changed the nomenclature around. It's now:
monitor.virtual_exec="hardware"|"software"|"auto"
(Note: monitor, not monitor_control.)

For all guest os types:
hardware = VT on Intel, SVM on AMD
software = BT for all 32-bit guests, and on BT-capable 64-bit AMD hardware for 64-bit guests as well
auto     = Let us guess what to do (the default).

I also contacted Ulli over at sanbarrow.com, he’s the king of VMX tweaks and he responded directly with :

Hi Eric

use
guestOS = "other"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

I'd also recommend to install the ESX itself to IDE and use the LSI-logic disks for VMFS Use 2 virtual CPUs only when you have a quadcore system - otherwise use one CPU

Ulli

There's still an issue with powering on a VM.

*** VMware Workstation internal monitor error ***
vcpu-1:ASSERT vmcore/private/a20_shared.h:67
There is a problem in this version of VMware Workstation.
We rely on your feedback to improve the quality of our product. Please submit a support request that describes the problem at our Web page "http://www.vmware.com/info?id=8". Do not forget to attach the log file (C:\Virtual Machines\ESX 3.5\vmware.log) and the core file(s) (C:\Virtual Machines\ESX 3.5\vmware-core[0-1].gz, C:\Virtual Machines\ESX 3.5\vmware64-core[0-1].gz, C:\Users\Eric Sloof\AppData\Roaming\VMware\vmware-vmx-debug-4064.dmp).
To collect data to submit to VMware support, select Help > About and click "Collect Support Data". You can also run the "vm-support" script in the Workstation folder directly.
We appreciate your feedback,
  -- the VMware Workstation team.

Will Crittenden, a Senior Consultant over at VMware posted a nice presentation about the SRM. SRM is an end-to-end Disaster Recovery (DR) automation product. SRM automates the recovery of virtual machines that reside on array based replicated LUNs. SRM can Recover from storage array failure and Recover from complete site failure .

Next week the EMC World in Las Vegas will kick off. While you're there, you can also attend VMware and Enterprise Storage: Delivering High Performance presented by Akorri President and CEO, Tom Joyce on Tuesday, May 20 at 12:45p.m. in the Exhibit Hall Theatre #1101.  In this session he will share a set of management best practices that can ensure consistent and efficient VMware performance success in production environments including how to:

•Manage performance across VMware, servers, and storage
•Isolate VMs that are "resource hogs"
•Optimize and plan capacity

Learn more by downloading Managing Virtualized Systems.  This white paper explains how IT can defend itself against claims from the business and user communities that the virtual infrastructure is causing applications performance and end user experience issues.