VMware Converter 3.0.1 update released!

Some new features include:

• Capability to import VMware Consolidated Backup images
• Partial capability to import StorageCraft ShadowProtect images
• Experimental command line interface (for Enterprise Edition only)

The starter edition is available for download here.

More info and credit for this information at virtualization.info.

VMware TSX 2007 Presentations now available!

All presentation downloads are available at the main site.

Some ones that may be of particular interest are:

• Architectural Directions for Virtual Infrastructure
• VMware Consolidated Backup-Today and Tomorrow
• TSX2007-Top Support Issues - part1
• TSX2007-Top Support Issues - part2

Read the original source of this info at virtualization.info.

Virtualization Redefines our Datacenters:

"For me, the takeaway from the conversation was something I've said before: take the "long view" on implementing virtualization... it may yield you quick HW savings today, but if its automated in an "IT-as-utility" context, its future savings will dwarf what the industry is seeing now."

Read the full article here.

VMware VirtualCenter gets high availability clustering:

"SteelEye Technology, in Palo Alto, Calif., has put the finishing touches on a high availability clustering solution for VirtualCenter, VMware's management console, and is is including it as part of its new SteelEye Protection Suite for VMware Infrastructure 3, announced today."

Read the full article here.

Will Microsoft sunset VMware?

Very interesting look at the future. I'm betting on VMware of course remaining king!

"Now that Microsoft is coming out with their own enterprise virtualization software who's going to buy VMware products any more?". How many times have I heard that? Let me first be very clear before you ever start reading this post: I have a Microsoft background and I have built my own career on that. On the other hand I have been working, during the last few years, with VMware and someone might think that I have a "story" with them now...

Read the entire article here.

The Amazing VM Record/Replay Feature in VMware Workstation 6

VMware Workstation 6 is coming shortly, and we’re quite excited about its many new features: support for paravirtualized Linux kernels, integration with Microsoft Visual Studio and Eclipse, high-speed USB support, multiple monitor support, and the new VIX 1.1 VM scripting API to name a few.

One other new feature that we’re extra excited about is “VM Record/Replay” (shown enabled below). The idea behind Record/Replay is relatively straightforward. When executing software within a virtual machine (VM), our virtualization layer can record the complete execution behavior. Having saved this behavioral information, the user can go back in time (from the VM’s point of view) and replay that exact and complete behavior over and over again. The keywords here are exact and complete, and that’s where both the implementation challenge and the power come from.

Read more of the original article, Virtually There: Steve Herrod's Blog

Microsoft's virtualization-friendly Vista Enterprise license

"The main feature of the VECD license is that it is instance-based, not installation-based. What that means is that with VECD, Vista is licensed per user or use, rather than per installed copy. A Vista VM, therefore, can be dynamically moved between virtualization hosts, and organizations can store VMs offline without requiring that they be fully licensed."

Read the entire article here.
Update: Read Brian Madden's comments on this here.

Update: Microsoft Enables New Ways to Deploy Windows Vista

"New options to license desktop virtualization and diskless PCs give Windows Vista Enterprise customers more choices, says the director of Microsoft's Windows Business Group."

Read all about it here.

VMware TSX (Technical Solutions Exchange) coverage:

Some really good info from the important VMware event held in Nice, France.

Here are some links to coverage of the event:

Good summary of all VMTN Blogs
Alessandro Perilli - part 1- via www.virtualization.info
Alessandro Perilli - part 2- via www.virtualization.info
Mike Laverick interview via www.ntpro.nl
Mike Laverick:
ESX Install appliance
VI 3 new features coming
ESX AD Authentification
Top support issues I,
VCB today and tommorrow
Top support issues II
Storage insights
Gerben's Blog - excellent info here
Pictures from the event - Nice, France - thanks to Victor Van Den Berg

Improvements coming in VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3:

Mike Laverick's site (http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/) has very revealing news from the VMware TSX event held just last week in Paris, on VI 3 features that are coming!

Live data migration
Currently available to sys-admins to move data of a running VM from ESX 2.x/VMFS2 to a ESX3.x/VMFS3 volume. The natural extension of this is as a tool for data management for ESX 3.x as well
Third Party Virtual Switches
Allowing other companies to develop virtual switches in the ESX host to have properties and features you would expect to see in conventional physical switches. So rather the unmanaged switches of ESX currently (except for vLAN support, security settings and load-balancing settings). The switch would be more like a conventional Cisco Catalyst switch
Better Management of Virtual Switches
The ability to create switches across many hosts - and being able to store the vSwitch information in an XML file for portability
HA non-stop
VMware HA without the crashing of the VMs. VMs continue to run else where on another ESX host. I would expect VMware to redevelop the “replayer” feature currently in VMware Workstation 6
Improved Hardware Support
Currently we dependent on VMware writing VMware drivers for devices. This means validating any hardware purchases against a VMware HCL. It looks like VMware wish to open this out further to allow other vendors to speed up the process by having a programme to validate third party drivers

Improved VM Virtual Hardware
Asked if we will get improvements inside the VM the answer was yes - pressed further we were promised 8 virtual CPUs in a VM

Read the entire article here.

VMware Infrastructure 3 demo video

If you have not seen the VMware Infrastructure 3 software and how it WILL change your world then you need to download / watch this demonstration video! Once you see it you will then understand how virtualization must be VITAL part of your company's strategy to be competitive.

Microsoft's virtualization-friendly Vista Enterprise license

"The main feature of the VECD license is that it is instance-based, not installation-based. What that means is that with VECD, Vista is licensed per user or use, rather than per installed copy. A Vista VM, therefore, can be dynamically moved between virtualization hosts, and organizations can store VMs offline without requiring that they be fully licensed."

Read the entire article here.

Update: Microsoft Enables New Ways to Deploy Windows Vista

"New options to license desktop virtualization and diskless PCs give Windows Vista Enterprise customers more choices, says the director of Microsoft's Windows Business Group."

Read all about it here.

ESX VI 3 Server Patching automation:

We all know patching is a real pain..but Vincent Vlieghe has come up with some nice instructions for how to automate this. I have used this and it really saves time!

Read the entire process here.
There has also been an application created here.

Blue Lane: Intrusion-prevention system for VI 3 and Physical world:

The company's VirtualShield software sits between the host server's hypervisor and its virtual machines and is designed to block malware from reaching virtual machines, which could be vulnerable to being exploited if their applications don't have the latest patches. "It puts a force field in front of server images; that was the 'a-ha' behind the product," says Blue Lane president and CEO Jeff Palmer, adding that, although VirtualShield is currently available only for VMware, there's nothing keeping Blue Lane from developing VirtualShield for other vendors' hypervisors.

I have been testing both the Virtual and Physical solutions Blue Lane provides, and I have been very impressed. We put in in place on some very "dirty" segments and now we know what is attacking our systems. Also eases some of the burden of Microsoft's patch tuesday!

Read www.informationweek.com article here.
Read www.virtual-strategy.com article here.
Read www.virtualization.info article here.
Read tarrysingh.blogspot.com article here.
Download Evaluation here.

Platespin opens brand new support forum:

http://forum.platespin.com/

One vision of the virtual future:

Alessandro Perilli, well known in the virtualization space and contributer to SearchServerVirtualzation.com has put together a very interesting article giving a vision and history of Microsoft and virtualization.

Read the entire article here: www.virtualization.info