VMware Partner Exchange Day Two

Had some good sessions today, but one of the hot topics this year seems to be VMware Virtual San (vSan). This is part of VMware's Software-Defined DataCenter (SDDC) initiative. Here is a link to some VMware training videos to help get a better understanding,http://vmwarelearning.com/tydj/storage-virtualization/ .

This software will allow you to use direct attached storage (DAS), that storage you can put in the server, to present datastore's to your ESXi hosts. It's an object type datastore, no LUNS, CIFS, NFS, and you use policies to setup data protection.

Watch the videos, this technology is so simple it's stupid, wish I would have had it years ago.

Lots to learn

So, I just completed my VMware VCP-5 certification, and I was told that the VCP5-DT (VMware View Desktop Certification) is next on the list.  I’ve been doing VMware View for a while now, and getting the certification will be good for me, it forces me to look at all the new features and learn them.

I used to have to manage desktops back in the day, the days before there were cool tools to do it, so it was always something I hated and I made the conscious effort to get into the server side of things.  Well, as all things IT related are concerned, the circle is bringing everything back to the datacenter, even desktops with products like VMware View.  By taking your desktops and moving them to a virtual environment in the datacenter, you can reduce operating expenses substantially, it’s one of those invest to save propositions.

I’ll keep you posted on things as I move along this journey.  Have a great weekend!!

vCenter Protect Essentials

If you have desktops and servers you need to manage and protect, you really need to check out the VMware vCenter Protect Essentials family of products.  Here is what it can help you do:

Key Benefits

vCenter Protect Essentials Plus offers the following IT management features:

• Patch management – Continuously scan and deploy all available patches—in particular, critical security patches—for deployed software. vCenter Protect Essentials Plus makes patch management, a core of good security, an automated task that does not consume IT administrators’ time, enabling them to focus on business optimizations.
• Asset inventory – Discover and maintain a current inventory of all hardware and software assets, whether physical or virtual.
• Antivirus – Run and maintain antivirus software across all platforms in an integrated fashion, lowering costs and increasing security; an “antivirus plus patch” approach is a key to network security. 
• Power management – With the wake-on-LAN feature, bring machines online for patching, then power them down, enabling security management during power-off cycles to lower management costs. You can also schedule power settings for savings without business disruption—for example, by shutting a computer down on nights and weekends, businesses save an average of $60 per year in power costs.
• Configuration management – Manage and control all desktop and server software configurations according to company policy and keep computers in a known, secure and stable state. 
• ITScripts – Quickly solve and automate many common workflow process challenges with ITScripts. You can use ITScripts to build unique workflow processes quickly and easily. 
• Snapshot Backup Recovery – Take and manage “snapshots” of virtual machines—immediately before and after patching—while automating the backup process, so that a current and relevant backup copy of the virtual machine is immediately available for rollback or disaster recovery.

So if your tired of spending all your evenings and weekends running from desktop to desktop updating and patching software, give this a try.  Here is a link to a trial http://www.shavlik.com/pDownloadForm4.aspx

If you need more information or pricing let me know, bdorge@proactivesolutions.com

VMware PEX 2012 wrap up

I'm back from Las Vegas and VMware Partner Exchange 2012.  It was good meeting up with old friends and making new ones, and it was truly an informative week.

My highlights:

• Passing my VCP 5 on Tuesday, what a Valentines present.
• The Bare Naked Ladies(the band) at the partner appreciation party, they rocked!!
• The opening story-teller and artist at the first day keynote.
• The Labs.
• Sessions, I attended some great sessions, well prepared and good speakers.
• Snacks and coffee all day, Thank you!!
• Venue, I really liked the Venetian and Palozzo.

My disappointments:

• OK, my only bitch would be the food.  Breakfast, can you say "Bacon", please!!

It was good to see some serious focus on SMB at the conference, this is the bulk of my customers.  It is great to see products focused and built for SMB, instead of stripped down enterprise products.  Watch for more from me on this space, but for now, it's the firs weekend of NASCAR season, so I'm off to watch practice and later the Bud Shootout.

Wow!!  Lot's of  lecture and lot's of lab's, we covered a lot of ground today, and yes I actually learned some things.  There is more to a good datacenter design than just picking the right hardware and software, but making it all easy for the customer when you leave, that's the really challenging part.

I needed to study for a certification, so I didn't stay out long, but I did get outside and walked around and enjoyed the nice weather.  Here are some of my pics from my little walk about.

First Day of VMware PEX 2012

Saturday morning bright and early was down in the Convention Center waiting for registration to open.  Wandered around and found some coffee, as I was finally getting registered, bumped into a couple of faces from the past and found out they were doing my class also, a bonus.

We got settled in, class began and as is typical, the first half day was a lot of talking.  The fun began when we got into our first lab, and started talking about design.  It's funny when you have 6 different opinions about what should work, actually they all would, but we finally came up with a solution.

After class, I met up with some of the VMware faithful at Public House for drinks and dinner.  I had a really great time meeting up with some really smart people in the server and virtualization field, glad they let me tag along.  Thanks guys!

The Public House in the Venetian had a great sign in the bathroom.

Off to VMware PEX 2012

Well, this snuck up on me quick, but it’s time to drive to St. Louis and catch the plane to VMware Partner Exchange #VMwarePex.

Have a 3 day class starting tomorrow at 8, yeah that’s early for a Saturday, but I’m hoping to learn a lot and bring that back to work with my customers.  Been going over the schedule and looking at things, like any conference, there are always 3 sessions you want to attend at any given time.  I’m going to concentrate on SMB, small to medium businesses, that’s most of the folks I work with, and I like that.

Lot’s of stuff coming out in the End User Computing (EUC) segment, some of the stuff that VMware is doing with Android phones is really awesome, want to learn more.  They have also purchased some companies lately that have a big presence in Social Media/Business.  You need to check out SocialCast, especially Strides, really cool product.  Another is SlideRocket, if you want a replacement for Microsoft PowerPoint, take a look there, I think you’ll be impressed.

I’m scheduled to take my VCP 5 certification next Tuesday, Valentines Day, at 1:00 p.m., some prayers would be good!

Alright, have a good weekend and I’ll be posting about the event when I have time, have a great weekend.