June 2008

June 30, 2008 30 Jun'08
Why (or why not) switch from VMware to Hyper-V?

Now that Microsoft has finally delivered Hyper-V, everyone is waiting to see how many VMware shops will make the switch. Are there any compelling reasons for a company that already has a large ... Continue Reading
June 30, 2008 30 Jun'08
Protecting virtual disk files from nosy admins

I recently came across an article revealing that 1 out of 3 IT administrators have used their elevated privileges to snoop on confidential information. It’s always possible to lock out ... Continue Reading
June 30, 2008 30 Jun'08
OS virtualization: Virtualizing without the hypervisor

Get faster and smaller, hypervisor-free virtual machines with container-based operating system virtualization. Expert Greg Shields shows how to get greater VM performance in less physical space in this tip. Continue Reading

June 30, 2008 30 Jun'08
Creating an OS virtualization architecture

OS virtualization's advantages, when hosted atop hypervisor-based architectures, fit into many different virtualization strategies. Expert Greg Shields discusses how hosted desktops, test/dev environments and servers can benefit. Continue Reading
June 28, 2008 28 Jun'08
Hyper-V is RTM…

As you have probably heard, Microsoft’s long awaited dabbling in virtualization has finally been released.This is an assessment of Hyper-V and its impact Continue Reading
June 26, 2008 26 Jun'08
Lab management streamlines asset allocation, saves costs

Traditionally, developing and testing applications is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process that requires IT departments to create testing environments that mirror production environments. ... Continue Reading
June 26, 2008 26 Jun'08
Sizing server hardware for virtual machines

How many virtual machines can you put on a server? Depends upon whether your hardware and virtualization environment are well-matched. This tip offers four criteria for selecting the right VM server hardware. Continue Reading
June 25, 2008 25 Jun'08
Microsoft to ship Hyper-V … finally

Word has it that Microsoft is finally getting it together and releasing Hyper-V, putting the tech world on notice that it is now safe to exhale. Phew, we were all about to turn blue. Has someone ... Continue Reading
June 25, 2008 25 Jun'08
Overheard on the blogosphere: VMware and Apple can whip Microsoft

Overheard on the blogosphere: "Together VMware and Apple could make a run at redefining the desktop (it's clear that VMware/Microsoft synergy isn't going to happen). VMware delivers the virtual ... Continue Reading
June 25, 2008 25 Jun'08
Getting to know Sun xVM VirtualBox snapshots

Desktop virtualization packages rely on snapshots and virtual drive functionality. The de facto functionality standard here is found in VMware Workstation and VMware Server, but the tools in Sun's ... Continue Reading

June 25, 2008 25 Jun'08
New virtualization management tools take on VM sprawl

As server virtualization technology makes its way from test environments into production, IT organizations are struggling to keep up with the inherent management challenges involved in dealing with ... Continue Reading
June 25, 2008 25 Jun'08
Xen proponents question merits of Red Hat KVM hypervisor

Red Hat's new KVM-based hypervisor may be easier to install alongside Linux, but paravirtualized offerings like Citrix's Xen still trump the new hypervisor, say KVM detractors. Continue Reading
June 24, 2008 24 Jun'08
VMware virtualization used to cut costs at 900 universities

Attention, college students: your tuition may soon decrease! Well, maybe not. However, VMware Inc. reported today that 900 universities including top tier schools such as Harvard and Yale are ... Continue Reading
June 24, 2008 24 Jun'08
Preventing VM sprawl with archiving

Creating archives of idle virtual machines (VMs), curbs VM sprawl and use resources efficiently. This tip outlines the benefits and the two steps involved in archiving. Continue Reading
June 23, 2008 23 Jun'08
Hyperic CloudStatus peers into Amazon's cloud

Hoping to allay IT managers' fears about cloud computing, Hyperic has released the CloudStatus service, which provides data on the performance and availability of Amazon's cloud. Continue Reading
June 19, 2008 19 Jun'08
Using VRDP to view VirtualBox virtual machines remotely

In last week's blog, I wrote about my first experiences with Sun's xVM VirtualBox 1.6.2. I like the interface and the features available to this free desktop virtualization product. Among these ... Continue Reading
June 18, 2008 18 Jun'08
Red Hat announces new cross-platform VM management tools

Today at Red Hat Summit in Boston, two of Red Hat’s emerging technology engineers, Dan Barrange and Richard Jones, presented the new tool sets that their team has developed for work with Xen ... Continue Reading
June 18, 2008 18 Jun'08
Red Hat intros VMware hypervisor alternative based on KVM

At Red Hat Summit, Red Hat touted its new KVM hypervisor -- a rival to VMware's hypervisor -- as well as its virtualization management and security tools. Continue Reading
June 17, 2008 17 Jun'08
Deciding when to use virtual symmetric multiprocessing

Should you assign a virtual machine (VM) more than one virtual processor or not? It's common for admins to configure virtual symmetric multiprocessing, or VMs with multiple CPUs, whether it is ... Continue Reading
June 17, 2008 17 Jun'08
Expect Open Virtual Machine Format release soon, says DMTF

The virtualization world is still waiting for the official release of the Open Virtual Machine File Format, or OVF, once Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) puts the finishing touches on what ... Continue Reading