Welcome to vSphere-land!

Learning

An Introduction to Virtualization (Intel)
Virtualization Overview (VMware)
Introduction to VMware Infrastructure (VMware)
VMware Infrastructure Architecture Overview (VMware)
VMware Infrastructure 3 Customer FAQ (VMware)
VMware Virtualization Toolkit (VMware)
All-in-One Server Virtualization Beginners Guide (SearchServerVirtualization)

Justifying

Breaking Down Barriers to VMware Technology Adoption (VMworld 2007)
Critical Success Factors of Virtual Infrastructure Adoption (VMworld 2007)
Innovative Uses and Benefits of using VMware Virtualization (VMworld 2007)
Dispelling Virtualization Myths (VMworld 2007)
TCO Calculator
Virtual Machine Cost Calculator spreadsheet
VMware customer success stories
Reducing Server Total Cost of Ownership with VMware Virtualization Software
VMware: Tool for Server Consolidation
Accelerate your ESX Deployment
Twenty-to-One Consolidation on Intel Architecture
Five considerations for a successful VMware deployment
Getting the Green Light for Your Virtual Infrastructure (VMword 2007)
Building a Real-Time Infrastructure with VMware Infrastructure 3 (VMworld 2007)
Making Business Sense of Virtualization (VMworld 2007)
Myths, Misconceptions, Half-Truths and Lies about Virtualization
VI3 Financial Justification
Virtualizing Server Workloads
Virtualization Barrier #1: Manual Processes (View Yonder)
Virtualization Barrier #2: It’s just for Test and Dev (View Yonder)
Virtualization Barrier #3: VMware is Too Expensive (View Yonder)
Virtualization Barrier #4: The Network Engineer (View Yonder)
Virtualization Barrier #5: The Storage Manager (View Yonder)
Virtualization Barrier #6: The Application Developer (View Yonder)

Planning

7 tips for succeeding with virtualization
Building the Virtualized Enterprise with VMware Infrastructure
Scaling your Virtual Infrastructure - Getting Started (VMworld 2007)
Proven Virtualization Scalability with VMware Infrastructure 3 (VMworld 2007)
The Anatomy of a Great Server Virtualization Solution (VMworld 2007)
ESX Workload Analysis: Lessons Learned (VMworld 2006)
Getting the Right Fit: VMware ESX Workload Analysis (VMworld 2005)
Which servers and applications are good virtualization candidates?
Developing your Virtualization Strategy and Deployment Plan
Server Consolidation with VMware ESX Server
Virtualization: Architectural Considerations and other Evaluation Criteria
Virtualization hardware sizing (quick and dirty approach)
Using VMware Capacity Planner for ESX or VI3
Server selection and VMware: Physical boxes or virtual machines
Capacity Planner 2.6 User Guide
Proven Practice: Five successful people practices to succeed with virtualization
Proven Practice: Migration Methodology

Implementing

Tips and tricks for implementing infrastructure services on ESX server
Virtual Infrastructure Implementation Best Practices From A to Z (VMworld 2006)
The Roadmap to Virtual Infrastructure: Practical Implementation Strategies
File / Print / DNS Servers: Getting Started with Virtual Infrastructure
VMware VI3 on BladeCenter and System x Integrated with System i
Top Tips for Deploying VI, part 1
Top Tips for Deploying VI, part 2
Best Practices for Implementing VMware ESX Server

IBM Insights in Sizing Hardware for Virtualization
Hardware recommendations to build a cheap ESX server
Community supported hardware/software for Vmware Infrastructure
HP ProLiant server sizer for VMware ESX Server
Improving Economics of Blades with VMware
ESX Load Generator scripts
Memtest86+ Download
Hardware for Virtualization: How to get more from servers, HBA’s and more
New Technology Directions in the Virtual Hardware Platform (VMworld 2007)
Memory Parity Errors - Causes and Suggestions
Building a $500 VMware ESXi Host
USB Device Support within VMware ESX
Blades and Virtualization Aren’t Mutually Exclusive: Part One, HP Power Sizing
Blades and Virtualization Aren’t Mutually Exclusive: Part Two, IBM Power Sizing
Blades and Virtualization Aren’t Mutually Exclusive: Part Three, IBM Traditional Expansion Options
Blades and Virtualization Aren’t Mutually Exclusive: Part Four, HP Traditional Expansion Options
Understanding Hardware-Assisted Virtualization
Bricks or Blades?
Blades vs. rack servers: Basic purchasing principles still apply (Pt.1)
Selecting CPU, processors and memory for virtualized environments (Pt. 2)

Automating High Availability (HA) Services with Vmware HA
Effective DRS and HA in Production (VMworld 2006)
Configuring VMware High Availability for your virtual servers’ needs
VMware HA and DRS Capacity Planning
HA Failover Capacity
Virtual Machine Failure Monitoring
Best Practices and Advanced Features for VMware High Availability
HA Technical Best Practices
VMware HA Guidelines and Best Practices (VMworld 2007)
So how exactly does HA’s admittance algorithm work?
VMware HA Configuration Notes
VM HA - service console networking, isolation behavior
High Availability “Deepdive”
HA Advanced Options
das.allowNetwork where and when
HA network compliance check in VirtualCenter Update 3
HA Network Compliance Check
After installation or upgrade to VirtualCenter 2.5.0 Update 2 an Incompatible HA Networks error is generated
VMware High Availability - Concepts, Implementation and Best Practices
VMware HA Implementation Notes
Advanced Configuration options for VMware High Availability
VMware HA - Overview and Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Adding an ESX Server Host to a VMware High Availability Cluster

Significant Networking Problem with Hyper-V
How VMware ESX performance trumps Hyper-V’s price
Hyper-V Quick Migration breaks network connections
Weighing Hyper-V against VMware
Why (or why not) switch from VMware to Hyper-V
NIC bonding not in Hyper-V
A Look at Some VMware Infrastructure Architectural Advantages
Microsoft Hyper-V Virtualization: Resistance is Futile (Almost)
Hyper-V goes RTM - Deep Impact
Hyper-V talk around the virtual water cooler
VMware: The Hyper-V assault is underway, but the war is a long one
Be Careful of What You Think you Need: Hyper-V vs. ESX Edition
Five Reasons Why VMware Virtualization is Better than Microsoft Hyper-V
COMPARISON: Microsoft vs. VMware
Microsoft vs. VMware: Rumble in the Virtual World
Hyper-V Not Yet Ready for Storage Prime Time
Recipe for a Catchy Headline: Top ___ Reasons Why VMware is ___ (Fill in the blanks)
ESXi is easiest to install, even if you’re a Windows expert
Hyper-V with Server Core — Too Dry and Crunchy for our Taste
Hyper-V Server is Finally Here - But What Exactly Is It?
A comparison of important features between Citrix XenServer 5, Microsoft Hyper-V 1.0 and ESXi 3.5u3
Reaction to: “How to Correctly Explain the Architectural Differences Between Hyper-V and ESX”
Face-Off: VMware vs. Microsoft in the hypervisor wars
When myth busting goes wrong and becomes a myth to bust it self

VMware licensing page
Server-based License File Checker
Pricing, Packaging & Licensing Overview
Understanding VI3 Licensing: Server and Host-based licensing models
Overview of Microsoft Licensing for Virtualization
Windows Server Virtualization Calculator
Licensing Microsoft Server Products with Virtual Machine Technologies
Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms
Addendum to Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms
Licensing Microsoft Server Products with Virtual Machine Technologies
Difference between a License Administrator and Support Administrator
How to combine FlexLM License Files
Changes in licensing for VI3 Standard Edition When upgrading to VI 3.5
Updates to your VMware VI3 Starter Licenses
How to License Microsoft’s Products (VMworld 2007)
VMware Multi-core Pricing & Licensing Policy
VMware Single Processor Licensing Policy
Microsoft Licensing FAQ
Installing ESX Server Licenses
Not enough licenses installed
Support policy for Microsoft software running in non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software
SVVP - how does it work?

Windows to Linux roadmap
Install Vmware Tools in a Linux VM under ESX Server 3.x
From DOS/Windows to Linux HowTo
Universal Command Guide for Operating Systems
CTDP Linux User’s Guide
Linux Resource Guide
Alphabetical Directory of Linux Commands
Unix/Linux Help
Linux Directory structure
Installing and Configuring Linux Guest Operating Systems
Inside the Linux Boot Process

Memory Resource Management in VMWare ESX Server
The Role of Memory in ESX Server 3
Memory resource management in Vmware ESX Server
Understanding memory usage in Windows 2000
Operating System Extensions to Support Host Based Virtual Machines
RAM, Virtual Memory, Pagefile and all that stuff and Microsoft KB article
Understanding the Impact of RAM on Overall System Performance
The 3GB-not-4GB RAM problem
Large memory support is available in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows 2000
A description of the 4 GB RAM Tuning feature and the Physical Address Extension switch
Memory Provisioning Recommendations for VI3
Understanding Host and Guest memory usage (VMworld 2007)
Memory Optimization
Server Memory Power Consumption & Capacity Planning (VMworld 2007)
VirtualCenter Memory Statistic Definitions
Memory Overcommit - Real life examples from VMware customers
Large Page Performance
Idle Memory Tax
Memory technology evolution: an overview of system memory technologies
Fully-Buffered DIMM technology in HP ProLiant servers
Kingston Technology memory ranking technical brief
Using the esxtop tool to identify VMware ESX memory use
Memory Behavior when VM Limits are Set

Configuring SNMP Traps for ESX 3.5
Use SNMP with VMware ESX to monitor server statistics

General

VMware Virtual Networking Concepts
VI3 Networking - Concepts and Components (VMworld 2007)
VI3 Networking - Advanced Configurations and Troubleshooting (VMWorld 2007)
High Performance Virtualized I/O in 10 Gigabit Ethernet Era (VMWorld 2007)
Networking Virtual Machines (VMworld 2006)
Networking Scenarios & Troubleshooting (VMworld 2006)
Network Throughput in a Virtual Infrastructure
Integrating Virtual Machines into the Cisco Data Center Architecture
Performance Comparison of Virtual Network Devices
Networking Performance in VMware ESX Server 3.5
Server Virtualization - Network Implications and Best Practices
VMware Infrastructure 3 in a Cisco Network Environment
Physical network design options for VMware Infrastructure 3 environments
VMware Network Communications
10Gbps Networking Performance on ESX 3.5 Update 1
VI3 Networking:Advanced Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting VMware ESX network performance
How To Configure Networking from the Service Console Command Line
Verifying ESX Server host networking configuration on the service console

vSwitch

Ken Cline’s The Great vSwitch Debate Series: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
Enabling Netflow on Virtual Switches
Configuring and Troubleshooting N-Port ID Virtualization
Using VMware: Understanding the Virtual Switch
Beaconing Demystified: Using Beaconing to Detect Link Failures
When is it OK to default on your VI?
Sample configuration of EtherChannel / Link aggregation with ESX 3.x and Cisco /HP switches
Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) network information via command line and VirtualCenter on an ESX host
Configuring the Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) with ESX Server
Sample Configuration - Network Load Balancing (NLB) Multicast mode over routed subnet - Cisco Switch Static ARP Configuration
Sample Configuration - Network Load Balancing (NLB) Multicast Mode Configuration

NICs

Changing the MAC address of a virtual machine
Multi-NIC Performance in ESX 3.0.1 and XenEnterprise 3.2.0
NIC Teaming 802.3ad
ESX Server Requirements for Link Aggregation
Best Practice Recommendation: Use Cisco Link-State Tracking to Detect Switch Failure
Verifying the integrity of the physical network adapter
Understanding NIC Utilization in VMware ESX
Choosing a Network Adapter for Your Virtual Machine
Implementing Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB) in a Virtualized Environment
Configuring the speed and duplex of an ESX Server host network adapter

VLAN Tagging/802.1Q

VMware ESX Server 3 802.1Q VLAN Solutions
Configuring VLAN’s in VMware Infrastructure 3
VLAN Configuration on VI3: VST, EST VGT Tagging Tips
ESX Server, NIC Teaming and VLAN Trunking
VLAN Configuration on Virtual Switch, Physical Switch, and Virtual Machines
Sample Configuration - ESX connecting to physical switch via VLAN access mode. External Switch VLAN Tagging (EST Mode)
Sample configuration of virtual switch VLAN tagging (VST Mode) and ESX Server
Sample configuration of virtual guest VLAN tagging (VGT mode)

Patch Management for ESX Server 3.0
Patch Management for ESX Server 3.5
Autopatching ESX host
Patching and updating Vmware ESX Server 3 (VMworld 2006)
Auto-patch Script
VMTS Patch Manager
Determining Detailed Build Number Information for VMware ESX Server 3.5 and ESX Server 3.0.x Hosts
How to update your ESX Server using esxupdate
The Art of Patching your Virtual Infrastructure (Part 1)
Best Practices for Patching VMware ESX/ESXi
Managing Patches and Updates for Hosts and VMs (VMworld 2007)
VMware ESX Server 3 Patch Management (VMworld 2007)
Strategies for ESX Server Update Management (VMworld 2007)

VMware ESX Server guest performance tips Pt .1
VMware ESX Server guest performance tips Pt. 2
VMware ESX Server guest performance tips Pt. 3
Top 12 ways to Improve Guest Server Performance under VMware ESX Server (VMworld 2006)
Tuning Windows Server 2003
Linux Performance and Tuning Guidelines
Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2003
Performance Tuning for VI3 (VMworld 2006)
Performance Tuning Best Practices for ESX Server 3
ESX Server 3.0 Tips and Tricks (VMworld 2006)
VMware Infrastructure 3 - Best Practices for Performance (VMworld 2007)
Performance Monitoring and Capacity Planning (VMworld 2006)
A Performance Comparison of Hypervisors
Using esxtop to troubleshoot performance problems
ESX Server 2 Architecture and Performance Implications
ESX Server 2 Storage Subsystem Performance in ESX Server: Buslogic vs. LSI Logic
Performance Trends (VMworld 2007)
Performance Aspects of x86 Virtualization (VMworld 2007)
VMware ESX Server Storage Performance - A Scalability Study (VMworld 2007)
Understanding Performance in a Virtualized Environment (VMworld 2007)
Interpreting Performance Statistics in VI3 (VMworld 2007)
SPECweb2005 Performance on ESX Server 3.5
Performance of VMware VMI
What’s New in VMware Infrastructure 3: Performance Enhancements
Large Page Performance
VM Performance Monitoring and Logging
Virtual Platform Performance Benchmarking with VMmark (VMworld 2007)
Performance Monitoring and Analysis
Performance Tuning - Tips and Experiences from the Field (VMworld 2007)
Performance Benchmarking in Virtual Environments (VMworld 2007)
Storage Performance Analysis and Monitoring
VirtualCenter Performance Counters
Counters for Disk Performance
Scalable Storage Performance
Performance Best Practices and Benchmarking Guidelines
Using Perfmon in a Windows VM
Storage System Performance Analysis with Iometer
Interpreting esxtop Statistics
Understanding and Customizing VMware ESX Server Performance Charts

HOWTO-48minutes-InstallESXi35Update2
HOWTO-100minutes-InstallESXi35Update2
VI3.5 in a box - ESX3.5 on Workstation 6.5 BETA (build 99530)
Running VMware ESX 3.5 and ESXi in Workstation on your desktop PC
Run ESX in a VM just for Fun
VMware ESX 3i Running Inside VMware Workstation 6.5
How to Install VMware ESX3.5 on VMware Player as a VM
Running VMware ESX Server in Fusion on a Mac
How to Install ESX Server 3.5 and ESXi as a VM on VMware Server 2.0

General:

Managing your Virtualization through the VMware API’s (VMworld 2007)
Using the VIX API (VMworld 2007)
Scripting VMware getting easier
Leveraging the VI3 SDK with .NET - Part One
Leveraging the VI3 SDK with .NET - Part Two
Virtual Disk API Programming Guide
VI3 SDK - Performance Counters
An introduction to scripting VI using Perl or Powershell
VI API Webinar Series Virtual Machine Reconfiguration
VMware Infrastructure (VI) API Reference Documentation

PowerShell

PowerShell scripting with VMware ESX tutorial Pt.1: Installing and using the PowerShell tool
PowerShell scripting for VMware ESX Pt. 2: Using Quest’s PowerGUI PowerPack script editor
Managing VI3 with Windows PowerShell (VMworld 2007)
Managing VMware with PowerShell FAQ
Getting Started with VMware’s PowerShell Toolkit
Creating a PowerShell GUI with PrimalForms
Getting Started with PowerShell and PowerGUI in your Virtual Infrastructure
5 New Videos on Managing your VMware Infrastructure Using PowerGUI
VI Toolkit (for Windows) Admin Guide
Introduction to Windows PowerShell Cmdlets
Windows PowerShell Owners Manual
VI Toolkit Quick Reference Guide
PowerCLI Mastery
VI Toolkit Hands-on Lab Manual VMworld Europe 2009

Perl:

How to VI Perl Toolkit on Windows
Beginner’s Guide to the VMware Infrastructure Perl Toolkit (VMworld 2007)

General

Security Design of the Vmware Infrastructure 3 Architecture
VMware Infrastructure 3 Security Hardening
VMware ESX Server - Providing LUN Security
Security in a Virtualized Environment (VMworld 2007)
Security Architecture Design and Hardening VI3 (VMworld 2007)
VMware’s Security Response Policy
ESX Security White Paper
VI3 Security Risk Assessment Template
Virtualization Security Playbook
Being escorted out of the cave
Security Implications of the Virtual Data Center
Virtualization and Enterprise Configuration Policy Compliance (VMworld 2007)
Using the Secure Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) with VI3 (VMworld 2007)
Proven Practice: 20 Questions from IT Security Professionals
Top 100 Virtualization Security Questions
CPNI Technical Note 1/2009 Security Considerations For Server Virtualization
Virtualization: Disruptive Technologies Video Interview: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
The Four Horsemen of the Virtualization Security Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Virtualization Security Apocalypse (Slides)

ESX Host

CIS ESX Server 3.x Security Benchmark
How to secure your VMware ESX Server
Security Hardening and Monitoring of VMware Infrastructure 3 (VMworld 2007)
ESX Server Security Technical Implentation Guide
Anti-virus software on the VMware ESX Service Console?

Compliance

Surviving Regulatory Compliance in the Virtual Infrastructure (VMworld 2006)
PCI Knowledgebase
How Server Virtualization Impacts Data Security and PCI Compliance
PCI DSS Security Standard
How to Achieve Security and Satisfy Compliance (VMworld 2007)
Best Practices for Surviving Regulatory Compliance (VMworld 2007)
Achieving Compliance in a Virtualized Environment
Ten Steps to Continuous Compliance: Putting in Place an Enterprise-Wide Compliance Strategy
Reducing the Scope of Your PCI Audit: Innovative Network Segmentation Using Host Intrusion Defense
Staying PCI Compliant in Virtual and Physical Environments
Insights from an Auditor: Ensuring a Successful PCI Audit
VMware Compliance Center
How Virtualization affects PCI DSS - Part 1 Mapping PCI Requirements and Virtualization
How Virtualization affects PCI DSS - Part 2 A Review of the Top 5 Issues

DMZ

DMZ Virtualization with VMware Infrastructure
Proven Practice: Choosing a DMZ Strategy
Preventing VMware ESX or ESXi network security breaches in DMZs

Hacking

Subverting the Windows Kernel for Fun and Profit
On the Cutting Edge: Thwarting Virtual Machine Detection
Detecting the Presence of Virtual Machines Using the Local Data Table
Attacks on Virtual Machine Emulators
Analysis of the Intel Pentium’s Ability to Support a Secure Virtual Machine Monitor
Compatibility is Not Transparency: VMM Detection Myths and Realities
An Empirical Study into the Security Exposure to Hosts of Hostile Virtualized Environments
Hardware Virtualization Rootkits

Networking

Virtual Switch Security
802.1Q VLAN Security Report
Epiphany: For Network/InfoSec Folks, the Virtualization Security Awareness Problem All Starts With the vSwitch…
Oh Noes: We Can’t Monitor/Protect Against Intra-VM Traffic!
Keeping your Vmotion Traffic Secure
Minimizing promiscuous mode port group security breaches
Avoid high-risk data commingling with VMware virtual networks to prevent security vulnerabilities

Virtual Machine

CIS Virtual Machine Security Benchmark
Improving VM Security: Best Practices
Hardening the VMX File
Hardening the VMX File: Redux

Common Linux commands on the service console
Command Line Interface Tips and Tricks for Vmware ESX Server 2 and 3 (VMworld 2006)
Third-Party Software in the Service Console
Send email from Service Console
Enabling Root SSH Logins on ESX Server 3
Guide to ESX 3 Service Console
B2V Guide to VMware ESX Server3
Customised Security Banner for Console Login
VMware ESX 3 Security with SSH and SUDO
Command Line Tools for Scripting and Snapshots
VIMSH for ESX 3.5
VIMSH for ESX 3.0
VIMSH for ESX 3.0 Networking Examples
VMware’s undocumented VIMSH
Checking for resource starvation of the ESX Server service console
Increasing the amount of RAM assigned to the ESX Server service console
Verifying that the Secure Shell Daemon is running on an ESX Server host
Unable to connect to an ESX Server host using Secure Shell (SSH)