VCP Special Forum now LIVE on VMTN:

NTPRO.NL is reporting a new forum focussing on the VMware Certified Professional program.

Also announced here, is more info on the new VMmware Certified Design Engineer program. Some details from that post are below:

...
The VMware Certified Design Engineer certification will be available later this year. The certification involved taking several courses and exams, including:

Courses:
Install and Configure
DSA
Design course (currently under development)

Exam:
VCP on VI3
Enterprise Exam (currently in private beta)
Design Exam (currently under development)

Once all of this has been completed the candidate must present a defensible design to a panel of VMware Solution Architects for consideration. As you may guess, this is a certification specifically targeted for VMware partners that will be assisting VMware in design and deployment and is only intended for a relatively small audience. That being said, the Enterprise Exam, which has a number of live lab style questions, should be available to the public in the next few months and may become part of a mid-line certification between VCP on VI3 and VCDX. That is also under consideration.
...

Server Core Graphical Configuration Tool:

Introducing CoreConfigurator

Features:
Product Activation
Configuration of display resolution
Clock and time zone configuration
Remote Desktop configuration
Management of local user accounts (creation, deletion, group membership, passwords)
Firewall configuration
WinRM configuration
IP configuration
Computer name and domain/workgroup membership
Installation of Server Core features/roles

Download and learn more here.

Nice One Page VMware -VS others PPTs:

VI3 vs Microsoft Hypervisor-V:
http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1182-102-1-1285/Microsoft%20Hypervisor-V.pdf

VirtualCenter vs Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager:
http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1187-102-1-1290/Microsoft%20Virtual%20Machine%20Manager.pdf
VI3 vs Citrix XEN:

http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1183-102-1-1286/Citrix%20XEN.pdf

VI3 vs Oracle VEN:
http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1184-102-1-1287/Oracle%20XEN.pdf

VI3 vs Novell SUSE XEN
http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1185-102-1-1288/Novell%20SUSE%20XEN.pdf

VI3 vs KVM:
http://www.vmworld.com/vmworld/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/1186-102-1-1289/KVM.pdf

Intel Six-Core CPUs are next then more Virtualization Extensions:

Virtualization.info is reporting in Q4 Intel will introduce it's first SIX-CORE CPU codenamed "Dunnington". In 2009/2010 even more exciting news for Virtualization is the inclusion of new virtualization extensions, one of which is Extended Page Tables support..which has been a performance problem in virtualization that will be fixed by the processor. All virtualization vendors are working to support these new extensions.

Nehalem, the 2009/2010 processor will also include futher inprovements for virtualized environments like replacement of the Front-Side Bus with a new QuickPath InterConnect that integrates the memory controller on the processor die, and can run two threads at the same time for each core.

VMworld Europe Sessions and Labs Online for download:

www.vmworld.com is being updated now with all the sessions and labs from VMworld Europe 2008. Even better news is those that attended VMworld 2007 also have access to download the content!

POWERSHELL for VMware Beta open:


First shown at VMworld 2007, most that saw the powershell tools for VMware would have bought it on the spot if they could. Now the lab content from VMworld Europe event in Canne, is available and the beta is availbable for download for all! Highly suggested you learn how this will improve management of your environment!

http://blogs.vmware.com/vipowershell/2008/03/hope-you-enjoye.html

David Marshall has done a review of VMware’s adoption of PowerShell on the InfoWorld.com website:

http://weblog.infoworld.com/virtualization/archives/2008/03/vmware_administ.html?source=rss

VMware's blog dedicated just to the Powershell:
http://blogs.vmware.com/vipowershell/

Dell planning to offer ESX 3I for FREE

The Inquirer and virtualzation.info are announcing Dell will be not charging for ESX 3I with new PowerEdge Servers. This would be a excellent move to combat the coming price war other competitors are taking (or will be taking when their hypervisor is ready).

Desigining Resource Groups:

Rich, over at VM/ETC has a really good article on Resource Group design.

I was always thinking along the Pizza Box design and found it difficult to grasp how much I should split up my resources...but the Tug-of-war method sounds a little easier to get started with.

Thanks Rich.

Comparison of True Hypervisor cost when Memory Page Sharing not included:

Check out this very interesting data on "About Oversubscription".

Also includes a storage comparision!

New VIRTUALIZATION CONGRESS EVENT!

Virtualization.info is organizing a first, an event called Virtualization Congress.

The title screen sounds very interesting:

• "Case Studies, not marketing pitch"


• "Products in action, not slide shows"


• "Open competition, not allilances"

More info also here.