Virtualization Strategies for the CIO
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Server consolidation strategy with capacity planning and virtualization
Server consolidation can save your organization money by increasing utilization rates and reducing power and cooling costs. Learn how capacity planning and virtualization technologies can help you meet your server consolidation goals. E-Book
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A Red Hat training and virtualization quiz
Before you call yourself a virtualization pro, check your knowledge of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization capabilities and features with this quiz. Quiz
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Advanced RHEV virtualization features tutorial
RHEV 3.1 offers advanced virtualization features that rival those of major platforms. Learn to customize and configure your environment with these tools. guide
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Hyper-V 3.0 guide: Dissecting the next Microsoft hypervisor
Hyper-V 3.0 is still in pre-beta, but the early reviews are promising for IT shops. The next Microsoft hypervisor will sport new features that may give VMware a run for its money. Tutorial
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Hyper-V R2 SP1 guide: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX
Hyper-V R2 SP1 is the latest release of Microsoft’s hypervisor. It includes Dynamic Memory for memory management and RemoteFX to improve the desktop virtualization user experience. Tutorial
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FAQ: Devising a server consolidation plan
A server consolidation plan should optimize server capacity. A well-devised server consolidation project eliminates physical servers that waste resources and rack up hardware costs. FAQ
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Virtualization performance and server resource management guide
Virtualization performance is dependent on meticulous server resource management. So protect your investment, and find out how to optimize server resource pools. Learning Guide
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Command line basics for open source virtualization management
To effectively manage an open source virtualization environment, you must learn the command line basics. Commands and scripts can streamline your efforts. Learning Guide
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A command line tutorial for server virtualization management
Do yourself a favor, and learn how to execute commands from a prompt. This command line tutorial will help you simplify and speed up certain aspect of your job. Learning Guide
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Managing Hyper-V from the command line prompt
Administering a Hyper-V environment through the command line prompt saves time and reduces mistakes. These resources demonstrate how to run commands and cmdlets in Hyper-V. Learning Guide
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Virtualization errors happen to everyone
Even top experts make mistakes when it comes to installing and managing server virtualization. As Halloween approaches, our Advisory Board members share their horror stories. Advisory Board
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Admins have mixed feelings toward new virtual storage techniques
As new virtual storage techniques and hypervisors with improved storage capabilities hit the market, reaction among admins has been mixed. Feature | 30 Oct 2012
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Virtualization pros weigh manual capacity management against automation
To automate or not to automate? That is the question among forward-thinking IT pros and some virtualization capacity management vendors. News | 31 May 2012
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Line blurs between capacity planning, performance monitoring
Tighter integration between capacity planning and performance monitoring features is becoming a baseline expectation for virtualization management tools. News | 13 Jun 2011
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Veeam readies capacity planning for virtualization management battle
Experts say the release of VMware vCenter Operations means the race is on in the virtualization management market to deliver the most comprehensive products at the best price. News | 25 Apr 2011
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VMware vSphere 5 storage management features pique interest
Expected advances to Storage DRS and policy-driven storage delivery in VMware vSphere 5 have turned heads among virtualization pros. But the devil’s in the details. News | 11 Apr 2011
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VMware to release vCenter Operations for operations management
At Partner Exchange 2011, VMware previews a new product, vCenter Operations, for performance monitoring and capacity management. News | 09 Feb 2011
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VKernel reports on VMware storage I/O stats
The first major update since VKernel integrated multiple software titles into one suite last summer, version 2.2 now includes storage I/O monitoring, Active Directory integration, and visibility into VMware RDMs. News | 19 Jan 2011
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Quest adds Hyper-V support, automation to vFoglight 6.5
There's a race on to beef up virtualization management and monitoring tools with automated problem remediation, but not every enterprise is ready for automation just yet. Article | 23 Nov 2010
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New VMware products add workflow, storage views to management lineup
VMware vCloud Request Manager improves workflow and software license tracking, while a new version of vCenter CapacityIQ sees disk and I/O resources. Article | 12 Oct 2010
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CA Technologies to acquire Hyperformix for automated capacity planning
Hyperformix's self-learning algorithms can handle physical, virtual and public cloud infrastructures, much like the data center management products VMware is trying to build. Article | 29 Sep 2010
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Design for operational efficiency: Taking a lesson from cloud providers
Taking an innovative approach to your virtual infrastructure design can minimize time spent on maintenance and improve operational efficiency. Tip
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The iSCSI versus NFS debate: Configuring storage protocols in vSphere
For performance rivaling Fibre Channel, you can bet on iSCSI or NFS. But one protocol has the edge when it comes to ease of configuration in vSphere. Tip
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Determining what type of server is a good candidate for virtualization
There's no easy answer when it comes to deciding what type of server to virtualize, but there are important guidelines to help sway your decision. Tip
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Easier cloud provisioning with new Red Hat storage features
The new storage features in RHEV 3.1 not only let you avoid VM downtime, but also increase flexibility needed for cloud provisioning. Tip
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Virtualization storage innovations challenge market leaders
Startups are challenging established vendors with storage innovations, but will they be able to sustain their momentum as market leaders catch up? Tip
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VHDResizer, PowerShell commands and other methods to resize VHDs
The Hyper-V disk management toolkit leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, you can use VHDResizer, PowerShell and other methods to resize VHDs. Tip
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Physical-to-virtual conversion headaches: Shrinking virtual drives
Simply put, storage bottlenecks kill productivity. Avoid these issues by shrinking virtual drives during physical-to-virtual conversions. Tip
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Cluster Shared Volumes and virtual storage provisioning decisions
Many data centers turn to Cluster Shared Volumes to manage resources. But proper virtual storage provisioning rests on multiple factors. Tip
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How a VSA provides scalable storage by sacrificing disk capacity
The scalable storage promised by VSAs has piqued interest in IT pros, and more vendors have joined the market. But is the storage worth the sacrifice? Tip
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The skinny on RHEV live migration
RHEV live migration is a powerful management and maintenance tool that allows IT pros to proactively manage data centers. And it's easy to use. Tip
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Working with the limitations of SAN-based backups and backup tools
Neither SAN-based VM backups nor VCB can do it all. When you understand the scope of each method, you'll make a better disaster recovery decision. Answer
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Ask the expert: When to use thin provisioning
Thin provisioning is an important part of your data center. Our expert explains how it can add flexibility and storage space to an infrastructure. Answer
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Virtual sprawl
Learn why virtual sprawl is a problem in virtual environments and how it happens in this expert response from Scott Feuless. Ask the Expert
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Migrating to a virtual server: The effect on storage
Virtualization expert James Geis discusses storage concerns when migrating from a physical to a virtual server. Ask the Expert
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How to organize a virtual environment
Site expert Anil Desai advises users on organizing a virtual environment with documentation. Ask the Expert
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How to determine what to virtualize
In the process of deciding which aspects of your data center should be virtualized? Expert Scott Feuless offers some suggestions in this expert response. Ask the Expert
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Dual-core/quad-core falloff
For a given dual-core or quad-core solution with 4-8 GB memory, what is the falloff in application performance with each added Virtual Session? Ask the Expert
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Windows 2003 Standard or Enterprise?
Which is the better operating system for Microsoft Virtual Server to run, Windows 2003 or Windows Enterprise? Serdar Yegulalp has the answer in this expert response. Ask the Expert
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Is extra memory beneficial to virtual machines?
If you increase your memory, will it benefit your virtual machines? Find out from Anil Desai in this expert response. Ask the Expert
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Virtualizing servers: What to monitor and where to get migration help
A reader is in the process of picking which servers to virtualize with VMware, but like many IT system architects, doesn't have the ideal resources to bring in value-enhancing software or third-party vendors to help with the process. Expert Anil Des... Ask the Expert
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memory ballooning
Memory ballooning is a virtual memory management technique used to free unused memory. Definition
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virtual storage appliance (VSA)
A virtual storage appliance (VSA) is a storage controller that runs on a virtual machine(VM) to create shared storage without the cost of additional hardware. Definition
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IT showback
An IT showback system tracks the data center utilization rates of an organization’s business units or end users. IT showback is similar to IT chargeback, but the metrics are for informational purposes only, and no one is billed. Definition
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virtualization
Virtualization is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storage device or network resources. There are three areas of IT where virtualization is making headroads, network virtual... Definition
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VMware, EMC Ionix deal targets systems management
The acquisition of some EMC Ionix assets will give a systems management boost to VMware. EMC sold the products to VMware for $200 million. Podcast
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Hyper-V may gain server virtualization market share vs. VMware
VMware's server virtualization market share could go down as the XenServer and Hyper-V vs. VMware battle heats up. Get the latest in this edition of This Week in Virtualization. Podcast
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Virtual machine sprawl prevention FAQs
Virtual machine sprawl can make a mess of your infrastructure. Learn what causes the problem and get tips on taming virtual machine sprawl in this podcast with expert Rick Vanover. Podcast
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Citrix open sources XenServer
First, Citrix Systems decided to give away its XenServer hypervisor for free. Now the company is making the XenServer code completely open source. Podcast
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Cirba virtual capacity management
Cirba founder and CTO Andrew Hillier talks about the evolution of capacity management in virtual server environments. Video
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Design for operational efficiency: Taking a lesson from cloud providers
Taking an innovative approach to your virtual infrastructure design can minimize time spent on maintenance and improve operational efficiency. Tip
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memory ballooning
Memory ballooning is a virtual memory management technique used to free unused memory. Definition
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The iSCSI versus NFS debate: Configuring storage protocols in vSphere
For performance rivaling Fibre Channel, you can bet on iSCSI or NFS. But one protocol has the edge when it comes to ease of configuration in vSphere. Tip
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Working with the limitations of SAN-based backups and backup tools
Neither SAN-based VM backups nor VCB can do it all. When you understand the scope of each method, you'll make a better disaster recovery decision. Answer
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Determining what type of server is a good candidate for virtualization
There's no easy answer when it comes to deciding what type of server to virtualize, but there are important guidelines to help sway your decision. Tip
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Easier cloud provisioning with new Red Hat storage features
The new storage features in RHEV 3.1 not only let you avoid VM downtime, but also increase flexibility needed for cloud provisioning. Tip
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Virtualization storage innovations challenge market leaders
Startups are challenging established vendors with storage innovations, but will they be able to sustain their momentum as market leaders catch up? Tip
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VHDResizer, PowerShell commands and other methods to resize VHDs
The Hyper-V disk management toolkit leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, you can use VHDResizer, PowerShell and other methods to resize VHDs. Tip
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Physical-to-virtual conversion headaches: Shrinking virtual drives
Simply put, storage bottlenecks kill productivity. Avoid these issues by shrinking virtual drives during physical-to-virtual conversions. Tip
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Cluster Shared Volumes and virtual storage provisioning decisions
Many data centers turn to Cluster Shared Volumes to manage resources. But proper virtual storage provisioning rests on multiple factors. Tip
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About Capacity planning for virtualization
As you expand a server virtualization deployment, your server capacity planning and resource allocation challenges are bound to become increasingly complex. How do you decide which workloads to allocate virtual machines (VMs), how do you measure these workloads in an increasingly mobile, dynamic and virtualized environment, and which server capacity planning tools can help you set policies to reallocate these workloads, load-balance VMs, and automate what are frequently manual processes? In this section on capacity planning for virtualization, we offer news, research and tutorials on using capacity planning tools in your virtualized environment and break down how to use virtual server capacity planning tools to relieve your organization from fire-fighting mode and move it into proactive, long-term planning mode for your virtualized deployments.