VM /ETC

Archive for May, 2009

Monitor and Manage VMs on the Go with Virtualization Mobile Manager (VMM) now available in beta from Hyper9. VMM Sound familiar? That’s because Andrew Kutz previously released VMM on his lostcreations.com web site before he joined the Hyper9 team and became responsible for H9Labs. However, this latest version has broadened it’s support to include not only VMware ESX and ESXi, but also VMware Server, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer 5. If I am not mistaken, that makes VMM the first multi vendor virtualization management tool in existence (mobile phone or otherwise) that can administer and monitor guests on all the major platforms.

The VMM beta is now available to the entire virtualization universe at the link above, but Hyper9 has a special offer for VM /ETC readers that comes with some exclusive perks:

• automatic entry to win a mobile device in a contest starting in June
• a limited edition Hyper9 t-shirt (in exchange for some VMM feedback)
• 50% discount should you choose to purchase

Be one of the first 15 readers to comment on this post to take advantage of this invitation. Be sure to use a valid email address so that Hyper9 can contact you about the beta download, your shirt, and more.

What is VMM? Hyper9 describes the product and it’s features as follows: Read the rest of this entry »

Surprisingly, Iomega can provide VMware certified low cost shared storage. I’ve heard mixed reports about actual performance, but none the less the filers provide cost effective options for VMware labs or small virtual environments.

The image to the right shows recent pricing on Amazon.com.

Fellow GestaltIT.com author and Microsoft Storage MVP Stephen Foskett has a great post with positive things to say on the Iomega models.

Iomega Grows Up and Moves Out of the House – Stephen Foskett

“…it was a surprise to find that the ix4-200r is certified compatible with ESX using both iSCSI and NFS right out of the gate. This is the only inexpensive storage system to wear a VMware badge, and this alone will likely make it a fixture in small offices and VMware labs. The desktop StorCenter ix4-100 and StorCenter ix2 are already widely used in these environments even without iSCSI, after all. The ix4-200r provides a complete SAN-in-a-box, supporting multiple NAS and iSCSI shares with dynamic allocation of the internal RAID-5 protected storage.”

Here is a screen shot from the on line VMware HCL showing the certified Iomega models.

Citrix has opened the Citrix Synergy 2009 Conference in Las Vegas, NV this week with a flurry of press releases announcing new products that provide innovative methods for delivering corporate published applications. Adopting a model similar to satellite TV providers, Citrix Receiver, Dazzle, and Merchandising Server provide end users the ability to choose their own applications, and then those applications are available not only on the desktop but from any device, anywhere.

This model offers the potential to lift a huge burden from the IT department when provisioning both physical and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). At the same time, on demand self service applications also introduce software as a service provided by a company store delivery concept. For example, the IT department can build a standard desktop image or template virtual machine (VM) that consists of just the operating system and basic enterprise applications like anti virus and asset monitoring software. Then, based on familiar and easy to use TV programing -like subscription options, the end user has the control to choose which applications are delivered to their desktop via the combination of Citrix Reciever and Dazzle. These same applications or virtual desktops are also made available from the home PC or the iPhone without compromising administrative centralized security and control. New application choices and version updates are continuously provided via the “company store.”

Apparently, all of these new Citrix products are free. Reciever and Merchandising Server are available today. According to the Citrix press releases “both Receiver and Merchandising Server require infrastructure products from the Citrix Delivery Center product family to complete their operations.”

The following is a summary of links to the official Citrix announcements with some key quotes from each.
Read the rest of this entry »

If you have not had advanced access to the VMware vSphere Beta or attended VMworld Europe 2009 or Partner Exchange 2009 Labs and you are just itching to see the new client management interface look and feel, then there are plenty of blogs with feature screen shots posting daily. This post is just a generic introduction to the new vSphere client options,  but primarily features  screen shots of the new vSphere web interface.

Read the rest of this entry »

The combination of the excitement surrounding the vSphere Launch event and the reality of getting back to business after being out of town kept me from posting the various pictures I took during the VMware Partner Exchange 2009 conference (PE09) in Orlando, FL. Most of the photos were already tweeted as Twitpics during the event, but I’ve finally found some time to share what I’ve got as one collection.

I put together this grid collage from the photos taken with my Blackberry Curve. The photography is not too good, but the memories are great!

Click the collage for a larger view.
Doug Hazelman of Veeam made a quick video of his trip to Orlando for PE09 and posted it on his The Virtual Traveller blog. At the end is some brief footage Read the rest of this entry »

Veeam introduced the free Veeam Monitor 3.0 back in December as a Christmas gift for VI admins. Apparently, Veeam Monitor is the “gift that keeps on giving” now that the tool has been updated to version 4.0. The new version is vSphere ready and provides unique VMware storage monitoring, hardware monitoring, and reporting.

Check out the YouTube video featuring some of the brand new capabilities.

More information about Veeam Monitor 4.0 for VMware and instructions for downloading can be found at Veeam’s product page: New Veeam Monitor 4.0 for VMware- new standard for managing VMware environment

VMware has provided information about the VCP certification upgrade that will be necessary once VMware vSphere is generally available. Go to the VMware.com certification page for more details on courses and exam information, but the following flow chart on the upgrade paths to VCP on vSphere 4 sums up the certification upgrade options visually.