Aug 04 2009

New articles on vShield Zones and VMware Data Recovery

I recently wrote some articles for Tech Target on the two new products that were introduced in vSphere:  vShield Zones and VMware Data Recovery. The VMware Data Recovery article covers what it is, comparisons to 3rd party products and how to install and configure it. The vShield Zones article is a 3-part series that covers what it is, how it works, how to install and configure it and many tips for using it. Special thanks to Carlos Camacho and Serge Maskalik from VMware who helped me work through some issues I had and provided me some great information on their product. vShield Zones will be the subject of the weekly VMTN podcast this week so be sure and listen in for even more information and to ask questions.

VMware Data Recovery article at searchdatabackup.com:

VMware Data Recovery Manager: A guide to installing and using VDR

vShield Zones articles at searchvmware.com:

vShield Zones: What it is and how it works (Pt. 1)
Installing and Configuring vShield Zones (Pt. 2)
Quick tips for managing vShield Zones (Pt. 3)

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Jul 29 2009

Pre-conference Links

What to expect at VMworld
Get To VMworld 2009 Early – Sunday and Monday Stuff
An AWESOME peek behind the scenes of getting hardware ready for VMworld 2009
My VMworld Schedule (Scott Lowe)
“Hello Freedom” — VMworld 2009 to Energize San Francisco With the Leading Virtualization Event
The calm before the VMworld
VMworld 2009 (San Francisco) Coverage from TechHead
VMworld – V-Max – powered up and ready to go!
Prepping for VMworld
VMworld 2009 Schedule (Rick Scherer)
How to ask questions at VMworld
Countdown to VMworld
VMworld 2009 – Blogging, Tweets and the “Ask a vExpert” Booth
Hello Travel to VMworld
VMworld ‘09: kick off madness (Virtual Lifestyle)
Meet the vExperts

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Jul 20 2009

OK so it’s a poem and not a limerick…

Over in the VMworld forums Theron Conrey has a thread going for his big Sunday night VMworld bash and is encouraging people to write a VMworld themed limerick to get an extra raffle ticket to win great prizes. Since I didn’t want to deal with the strict rules that makeup a proper limerick I did a poem instead and included in it some of my good buddies who I enjoyed hanging out with at VMworld last year. So here it is, and be sure and stop over to the VMworld thread to see the limericks and add your own (make sure you follow the strict limerick form!).

At the thirsty bear I hope to meet Jason Boche

Maybe drink a few beers and eat some kolache’s

If I’m lucky I will win a prize

But if not I can talk to Ken Cline and get more wise

Hopefully I don’t come down with a fever

After staying out all night and drinking with Steve Beaver

If Edward Haletky shows up at the party

We’ll all for sure be educating by that security smartie

If you plan on bringing a lady to the event that day

Watch out for Matthew Johnson who will try and steal her away

If Thomas Bryant shows up and starts drinking doubles

Look out San Francisco as there is going to be trouble

Hopefully John Troyer will show up after working in his yard

For he has a VMware corporate credit card

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Jul 09 2009

Will you be attending VMworld 2009 in San Francisco this year?

[poll id=”7″]

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Jul 09 2009

vShield Zones Links

vShield Zones: What it is and how it works (Pt. 1) (SearchVMware)
Installing and Configuring vShield Zones (Pt. 2) (SearchVMware)
Quick tips for managing vShield Zones (Pt. 3) (SearchVMware)
Introduction to vShield Zones (VMware)
vShield Zones 1.0 FAQ (VMware)
vShield Zones featured on VMTN Community Roundtable Podcast (Talkshoe)
VMware vShield Zones (Musings of Rodos)
Why use vShield Zones? (Virtualization Pro)
Securing vShield Zones CLI user accounts and the Privileged mode (KB article)
Which ports are required for vShield Zones operation? (KB article)
vShield Zones resource utilization and latency statistics (KB article)
Should I install VMware Tools for vShield Zones virtual machines? (KB article)
How is time integrity maintained between vShield agents and the vShield Manager? (KB article)

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Jul 09 2009

VMware Data Recovery Links

VMware Data Recovery Product Page (VMware)
VMware Data Recovery FAQ (VMware)
VMware Data Recovery Evaluator’s Guide (VMware)
VMware Data Recovery Product Datasheet (VMware)
Technical Track: VMware vCenter Data Recovery (webcast) (VMware)
VMware Data Recovery Manager: A guide to installing and using VDR (SearchDataBackup)
Test-driving VMware Data Recovery: A review & VMware responds (SearchVMware.com)
VMware’s Backup and Recovery product (VMware Uptime Blog)
VMware Data Recovery Taking Advantage of vSphere 4 (VMware Uptime Blog)
VMware Data Recovery 1.1 and File Level Restore (VMware Uptime Blog)
VMware Data Recovery Dedupe Store Setup Guideline (VI:OPS)
VMware Data Recovery and the hidden un-removable snapshots (NT Pro.nl)
Jing movie of the new VDR File Level Restore client for Windows (NT Pro.nl)
What is VMware Data Recovery? (RTFM Education)
VMware Data Recovery – a tool for Easy backups of your Virtual Infrastructure (ESX Virtualization)
Upgrading VMware Data Recovery to 1.1 and testing the new FLR GUI (ESX Virtualization)
Test Driving VMware Data Recovery (vDR) (The Hyper Advisor)
Archiving VMware Data Recovery Destination Stores (vSphere Blog)
Advanced vDR Configuration (Professional VMware)
Experimental support for File Level Restore in VMware Data Recovery (KB Article)

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Jul 02 2009

And the winners of the VMware top blog are…

I’ve been putting together the top 10 and lately the top 20 VMware blogs based on a few factors but this time around I wanted to poll the user community to see what they thought the  top VMware blogs were. Well the people have spoken, there were about 350 votes cast, a few duplicates (I track voters IP addresses, you know who you are) and the results have been tabulated and the new top 5 is ready to be announced. I weighted the votes with a #1 vote being worth 5 points, #2 vote worth 4 points, #3 vote worth 3 points, #4 vote worth 2 points and a #5 vote worth 1 point. I was going to put together a little slideshow with the results but have been too busy so without further ado here’s the results and your new top 5:

  1. Yellow Bricks – Duncan Epping – 102 first place votes – weighted score of 991
  2. Scott Lowe’s Blog – Scott Lowe – 39 first place votes – weighted score of 707
  3. Virtual Geek – Chad Sakac – 61 first place votes – weighted score of 550
  4. NTPro – Eric Sloof – 12 first place votes – weighted score of 412
  5. RTFM Education – Mike Laverick – 5 first place votes – weighted score of 232

Congratulations to the winners! You guys work hard and produce some fabulous posts and you deserve to be on top. Rounding out the top 10 were the following blogs:

VM/ETC – Rich Brambley – 5 first place votes – weighted score of 196
Virtualization Evangelist – Jason Boche – 4 first place votes – weighted score of 190
Gabe’s Virtual World – Gabe Van Zanten – 5 first place votes – weighted score of 132
Virtualization Pro – Various – 3 first place votes – weighted score of 129
Mike D’s blog – Mike DiPetrillo – 3 first place votes – weighted score of 120

I probably won’t get around to updating the vLaunchpad until next week. I’ll be doing this again in 6 months and next time I’ll be using a better survey tool and you’ll get to choose the whole top 20. There are a great many blogs in the VMware community right now and just because you are not on the top 20 right now doesn’t made you are not worthy, just that you have a lot of competition; but bloggers come and go and it’s sometimes hard to devote time to a blog so keep up the great posts and you are sure to make the list someday.

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Jun 25 2009

What is your favorite vSphere new smaller feature?

[poll id=”6″]

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