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• Small business virtualization grows in mature market

  Virtualization isn't only for large enterprises anymore. New technology at cheaper prices has made SMB virtualization practical, while increased competition has made it necessary. Continue Reading

• Live-migrate Hyper-V VMs in and outside a failover cluster

  PowerShell commands save time and enable admins to migrate multiple VMs outside a Hyper-V failover cluster from one host to another, as well as VMs inside the cluster between nodes. Continue Reading

• Customize a Hyper-V network adapter for security, performance

  Look beyond basic network adapter settings in Hyper-V to enable features like IPsec task offloading, DHCP guard, protected networks, port mirroring and NIC teaming, among others. Continue Reading

• Network security features available in a virtual switch

  Virtual switch security is achieved through a number of features. Virtualization admins can create and enforce policies, lock down MAC addresses and block forged traffic from VMs. Continue Reading

• NIC teaming software enables load balancing and failover

  Load balancing and failover capabilities help optimize performance and achieve resiliency in your virtual infrastructure. Learn how NIC teaming provides both functionalities. Continue Reading

• Bulk manage a Hyper-V server group with PowerShell

  With only a few steps, you can use SCVMM to bring a Hyper-V server under management. This is limited, however, so use the SCVMM Command Shell to bulk manage Hyper-V servers.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V cmdlets for daily operational tasks

  With simple scripts, enable or disable VM Integration Services and Live Migration on Hyper-V hosts, reset VM replication stats, grant or revoke VM access, and optimize VHD files.Continue Reading

• Copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine

  There are many ways to copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine, including Enhanced Session Mode and the Copy-VMFile PowerShell cmdlet. Follow these steps for each method.Continue Reading

• Use virt-install to install VMs from the command line

  Learn the basics of virt-install, including standard use cases, executing it on CentOS 7, different command-line options and the creation of kickstart files.Continue Reading

• Transition to a hybrid cloud platform from a private cloud

  Consider factors like security, platform compatibility, data usage requirements and management when transitioning from a private cloud to a hybrid cloud.Continue Reading

• Execute PowerCLI commands to manage VMware infrastructure

  PowerCLI cmdlets like Get-VM can be built out to obtain information about VMs in a VMware infrastructure, including those with attached CD-ROMs and those with snapshots.Continue Reading

• PowerShell commands for Hyper-V update bulk VM configuration

  Admins who don't have access to SCVMM can make configuration changes to multiple Hyper-V VMs at once with a few PowerShell scripts and the ForEach loop approach.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V PowerShell commands to delete and re-create VMs

  Use PowerShell cmdlets to remove and re-create a Hyper-V VM in development. This includes removing VHDs, reconfiguring the VM and installing the OS in the new VM.Continue Reading

• Achieve virtualization abstraction with Infrastructure as Code

  Infrastructure as Code offers virtualization admins a framework of automation tools, configuration management and DevOps methods that can replace manual processes.Continue Reading

• The virtual infrastructure manager leads data center collaboration

  Virtualization is increasingly central to the data center, but it often remains isolated. Admins need to set an example of openly communicating about virtualized infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Guide your virtualization, IT investment strategy with 2017's top tips

  2017 presented virtualization admins with the development of new technology and products. Read the year's best tips on how to compare functionalities, weigh costs and make investments.Continue Reading

• Perfect your virtual processor management best practices

  Proper vCPU allocation can be difficult to achieve, but if you have a good understanding of the technology and take advantage of these helpful features, it will be within reach.Continue Reading

• Manage your VM resources effectively with these tips

  With this guide, you'll be better equipped to manage CPU, memory, storage and network resources. Not sure how to clean up your virtual infrastructure? We've got you covered.Continue Reading

• Run legacy COBOL in a virtual infrastructure or cloud

  COBOL forms the core of many legacy systems, and virtualizing it can be challenging. Organizations can use migration tools and Visual COBOL to modernize it.Continue Reading

• Call PowerShell scripts from System Center Orchestrator

  System Center Orchestrator provides Run .Net Script activity, which can be used to call PowerShell scripts, but there are limitations you should know.Continue Reading

• Use virsh commands to manage KVM networking

  Virsh commands enable you to manage network properties and can be used alongside brctl commands to help you create additional virtual bridges in your KVM environment.Continue Reading

• Use SCVMM to diagram VM network connectivity

  Diagraming VM networks makes it much easier to visualize the way the various infrastructure components relate to one another. Learn how to create diagrams in SCVMM.Continue Reading

• Use this PowerShell cmdlet to retrieve Hyper-V guest OS info

  You can't get detailed information about a Hyper-V guest OS with the Get-VM cmdlet; you have to use the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run the Get-CimInstance cmdlet against a VM instead.Continue Reading

• Why is OpenStack hypervisor support important?

  It's critical to evaluate OpenStack hypervisor support to ensure private cloud integration. You should consider factors like maturity, security features and management options.Continue Reading

• Mitigate Windows Server 2016 licensing cost concerns

  Microsoft's Windows Server 2016 licensing change could put a serious strain on IT budgets. Though it carries performance risks, IT admins can defray costs with a split environment.Continue Reading

• Use libvirt and the libvirtd daemon to manage your hypervisor

  Libvirt provides essential functionality that eases hypervisor and VM management in Linux environments. Learn more about the configuration and use of this open source API.Continue Reading

• The virtualization admin role redefined

  As more organizations move to hybrid cloud, multi-hypervisor and multi-cloud environments, virtualization administrator responsibilities evolve to accommodate those changes.Continue Reading

• Understand Azure VM boot diagnostics

  Enable Azure VM boot diagnostics with Azure Portal or PowerShell to capture logs that can help you troubleshoot boot failures and obtain screenshots to see the VM's current state.Continue Reading

• Use the Azure Custom Script Extension for your Azure VMs

  To execute custom scripts for Azure Windows and Linux VMs to support post-deployment configurations, you'll have to download the Azure Custom Script Extension plug-in.Continue Reading

• Strengthen security in virtualization with these best practices

  Prioritize security across your organization, and establish policies that employ best practices, like least-privilege tactics, security audits and update and patch automation.Continue Reading

• Back up vRealize Automation with these best practices in mind

  Improve the integrity of vRealize Automation backups by minimizing active transactions, backing up appliances and databases simultaneously and testing restoration processes.Continue Reading

• Back up IaaS components for vRealize Automation

  During a vRealize Automation backup, you can use snapshots for IaaS components, but you have to create additional notes and copy configuration files to ensure a complete backup.Continue Reading

• Strategies for protecting the vRealize Automation appliance

  To adequately protect the vRealize Automation appliance, you should employ a variety of strategies and tools, including clones, configuration file copies and vSphere Replication.Continue Reading

• Use vRealize Automation backup and restoration capabilities

  There are many components involved when backing up and restoring vRealize Automation. Choose your method based on business goals and the degree of protection desired.Continue Reading

• Use these Hyper-V management tools to boost efficiency

  Common Hyper-V administration tasks are time-consuming and risk slowing down your workflow. Use these tools to simplify and automate your administration.Continue Reading

• Use Azure AD authentication and authorization services

  To configure Azure AD authentication, use express settings if the application registration is already done or manual steps if you need to create a new application registration.Continue Reading

• Use virtualized GPU power to boost efficiency and innovation

  GPUs enable complex graphics and boost the power of virtual environments. As resource consumption rises with compute-intensive applications, GPUs can be essential assets.Continue Reading

• Time-saving tips for the vSphere administrator

  Apply meaningful tags to inventory items in vSphere to make locating them easier. Also, use PowerCLI to automate common tasks and perform bulk management operations.Continue Reading

• Cloud-based environment: The new normal for IT shops

  The sky is the limit as new cloud management tools and evolutions in storage help make hybrid and multicloud IT a viable option for organizations with on-prem data centers.Continue Reading

• Download Azure VM disks using PowerShell

  Use a simple series of PowerShell commands to download an Azure VM's Windows OS disk for backup and restore. You only need to change a variable or two to download another disk.Continue Reading

• Be flexible as you navigate the transition to cloud

  Virtualization's standing is uncertain in an increasingly cloud-based world. IT admins must consider the costs and savings of their infrastructure and staff as they transition.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V PowerShell commands for every occasion

  Although you can use Hyper-V Manager or SCVMM to manage your host and VMs, Hyper-V PowerShell commands are relatively straightforward and can be used for the same tasks.Continue Reading

• Prepare for VMware patches as if they were firmware upgrades

  VMware patches, due to interconnections with the rest of your system, require as much coordination as firmware upgrades. Balance update scheduling carefully to maintain control.Continue Reading

• Can overprovisioned VMs make five 9s availability possible?

  Virtualization makes a highly available environment possible and practical by running parallel instances. This overprovisioned model can be cheaper than using special hardware.Continue Reading

• Configure Hyper-V virtual switches and assign VLAN IDs to VMs

  Prepare Hyper-V to use the VLAN domain concept by configuring Hyper-V virtual switches and assigning VLAN IDs to VMs using either PowerShell cmdlets or Hyper-V Manager.Continue Reading

• Use a performance counter to detect Hyper-V bottlenecks

  Performance counters ship with Windows OS and are used to check Hyper-V hosts and VMs for performance problems with network, storage, CPU and memory resources.Continue Reading

• Use Azure Storage Explorer to manage Azure storage accounts

  With Azure Storage Explorer, you can perform all Azure storage operations-related tasks from an easy-to use GUI tool that is installed on a desktop machine.Continue Reading

• Antimalware tools can impair Windows container performance

  Because antimalware tools have no way of knowing whether container components are modified or placeholders, a significant amount of redundant scanning can take place.Continue Reading

• Docker on Windows Server allows for container use and management

  Deploy containers on premises, in the cloud or on other systems by installing Docker on Windows Server 2016. Also, download a module to extend PowerShell to manage Docker Engine.Continue Reading

• Run your Xen VMs on the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

  If you have the right type of environment, SLES can be used as a platform for Xen, but you need to understand the installation pattern and DIY configuration.Continue Reading

• A VMware licensing guide to expanding your environment

  Aside from initial budgeting for VMware products, there are some practical aspects of licensing to consider, including different configurations and maintenance.Continue Reading

• Execute Import-VM and Export-VM PowerShell commands in Hyper-V

  Although you can use Hyper-V Manager or SCVMM to import and export VMs, it's just as easy to use a couple PowerShell commands to perform those actions.Continue Reading

• Use the Ansible configuration tool to effectively manage a Vagrant VM

  Pairing Ansible and Vagrant eases the burden of deploying and managing VMs in your virtual environment. Follow these configuration management tips to get started.Continue Reading

• Create a maintenance window without end-user disruption

  Set virtualization maintenance windows with your organization's processes in mind, and establish policies to prevent unnecessary outages.Continue Reading

• Check the system hardware for Hyper-V requirements

  Not only do you need a hardware processor that can support a virtual environment, but you also need additional support to take advantage of some Hyper-V features.Continue Reading

• Use Azure Container Instances during workload spikes

  Capacity planning in a virtual environment can be challenging, but with Azure Container Instances and Kubernetes connector software, you can more easily serve peak workloads.Continue Reading

• Use containers with confidence by following these tips

  Before you decide on a container platform and management tool, learn more about the technology, the apps that run best in containers and ways to troubleshoot.Continue Reading

• Allocate the right amount of virtual processor resources to a VM

  Think about what types of workloads are running on a VM before assigning compute resources, and consider using vCPUs from different cores for demanding workloads.Continue Reading

• Consolidate servers with these performance enhancements

  Higher solid-state drive capacity and CPU core counts are just a couple of the factors leading to the next wave of server consolidation. So, footprint plan accordingly.Continue Reading

• Understand vCPU affinity and anti-affinity features

  Manage vCPU distribution with affinity and anti-affinity features to alleviate the potential performance problems that can be caused by hyper-threading.Continue Reading

• Set up a SCVMM VIP template to control load balancing

  With a virtual IP template, you can control the way load balancing is handled in SCVMM for an individual workload. Follow these easy steps to create one.Continue Reading

• Achieve the best VM networking performance

  Start by using multiple NICs and organizing complementary VMs on the same host. Also, consider reserving network traffic by type and using hardware support for virtualization.Continue Reading

• Storage I/O control and other strategies to prevent VM storage problems

  Ensure adequate VM storage resources by reducing VM count per LUN, using queue depth throttling, limiting disk requests, enabling SIOC features and monitoring storage latency.Continue Reading

• Optimize memory resources in your virtual environment

  Beyond allocating the right amount of memory to each workload, virtualization administrators have the option of using various memory management techniques.Continue Reading

• Make the most of your vCPU resources with these tips

  Be sure to provision the right virtual CPUs to a VM and be aware of processor hyper-threading. Also, use CPU affinity strategically and scale out rather than up.Continue Reading

• Achieve more seamless updates by integrating WSUS server with SCVMM

  By integrating WSUS with SCVMM and using these configuration settings, you can rest assured that your Hyper-V infrastructure will be kept up to date.Continue Reading

• Optimize performance of Linux VMs on VMware with these best practices

  There are a number of ways to improve Linux VM performance on VMware, including making adjustments to your virtual hardware and changing default software configuration settings.Continue Reading

• Large deployments require changes to IT infrastructure components

  To accommodate new IT projects, you can scrap your existing infrastructure and start from scratch, upgrade or expand on what you have or completely redesign it.Continue Reading

• Virtual patching trades convenience for increased risk

  Performance might not suffer too much when using a virtual patch, but there are reliability, quality and support concerns associated with this technology.Continue Reading

• Plan ahead for VMM library storage and use

  When developing a VMM library plan, consider your available connectivity, performance requirements, storage architecture and sever distribution, among other things.Continue Reading

• What features does Hyper-V NIC teaming support?

  NIC support for a VMQ and HNV are just a couple features that further improve performance and reliability. Learn more about these technologies so you can use them effectively.Continue Reading

• Should you run MySQL on VMs or physical machines?

  Take stock of your current environment, including instance types, orchestration systems and storage devices, before deciding whether to deploy MySQL to VMs or physical machines.Continue Reading

• Configure NIC teaming with different modes in Hyper-V

  The switch independent mode uses different switches and can support both active/active and active/standby operation, while the dependent mode only uses one switch.Continue Reading

• Why should you use Hyper-V NIC teaming in your virtual environment?

  NIC teaming in Windows Server 2016 allows administrators to achieve greater network bandwidth and fault tolerance and can be easily managed through PowerShell, among other tools.Continue Reading

• Avoid common VM load-balancing mistakes by planning ahead

  Figure out if load-balancing requirements are dynamic and how aggressively workloads should be balanced. Then look into load balancers with your hypervisor limitations in mind.Continue Reading

• Use Hyper-V cmdlets to effectively manage both hosts and VMs

  With these PowerShell commands, you can check the Hyper-V replication connection and health status, generate a VM compatibility report and list Integration Services components.Continue Reading

• Use PowerShell when working with Hyper-V checkpoints

  With just a PowerShell cmdlet or two, you can create Hyper-V checkpoints, get a list of all existing checkpoints for a VM or revert a VM to a specific checkpoint.Continue Reading

• What container management tools can you use in virtual environments?

  There are many tools that help with container orchestration, but it's important to review all the features before choosing a platform to make sure it meets your needs.Continue Reading

• Considerations for deploying apps to containers vs. VMs

  Using containers doesn't make sense in all instances, despite their many benefits. Before incorporating them in your environment, consider the specific apps you want to deploy.Continue Reading

• Check configuration settings for SCVMM service templates

  A misconfigured SCVMM service template can cause serious headaches. Before deploying service templates in production, validate them with SCVMM Manager or PowerShell.Continue Reading

• What are the most common mistakes made when creating a VMware DR plan?

  DR planning mistakes are easy to make. Avoid selecting a tool that doesn't meet your needs or that's overly complex, carefully consider the replication site and test frequently.Continue Reading

• What types of VMware DR tools can be used for planning and execution?

  DR in large virtualized environments can be a challenge. Use VMware DR tools like vSAN, vSphere Replication and vCloud Air Disaster Recovery to ease planning.Continue Reading

• Hypervisor management software broadens to manage multiple hypervisors

  Today, everyone uses multiple hypervisors, and there are more tools available that are necessary to manage those hypervisors. Let's look at the tools that serve the top hypervisors.Continue Reading

• Which third-party products can you use for VMware disaster recovery?

  Native VMware disaster recovery might not make sense for every company. Which third-party products can help fill feature gaps?Continue Reading

• Manage containers alongside other technologies in the data center

  The rise of containers in the data center isn't an isolated trend; different types of environments use them with microservices and alongside VMs.Continue Reading

• Steps to make Linux Integration Services 4.1 work for you

  Linux Integration Services version 4.1 expanded support for guest OSes and Hyper-V backup tools. Follow these steps to install the service and reap the benefits of its features.Continue Reading

• Develop a solid virtualization capacity planning strategy

  Creating an effective virtualization capacity planning strategy is no small feat; it requires a great deal of careful consideration. This essential guide can get you started.Continue Reading

• Master the KVM management tool, virt-manager, with these strategies

  The virt-manager suite can be used to manage servers and build clouds, but it also has advanced features for live migration, load balancing and resource monitoring.Continue Reading

• Protect your infrastructure with virtualization security management

  Before implementing virtualization in your data center, assess all of its potential risks -- from system outages to cyberattacks -- and how to manage them.Continue Reading

• Apache Mesos better utilizes resources, improves scalability

  Apache Mesos has become popular with major enterprises for its ability to scale linearly, reduce wasteful resource consumption and abstract storage, CPU and memory.Continue Reading

• Is cloud bursting the best solution for compute capacity overload?

  Want to use cloud bursting as a standby for when your business has compute spikes? Not so fast. Compatibility concerns and latency can quickly become issues.Continue Reading

• Configure a Server Core installation with the Server Configuration Tool

  The Microsoft Server Configuration Tool configures several aspects of a Server Core installation in Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016.Continue Reading

• A cloud bursting architecture is a jump too far for many businesses

  In theory, cloud bursting is an ideal response to a spike in demand. Many businesses do not have the architecture or compatibility to make it work, though.Continue Reading

• Nine memory management techniques for virtual servers

  Find out how techniques like memory compression, hypervisor swapping, memory ballooning and more can help you manage memory in your virtualized environment.Continue Reading

• Export an AWS instance to your hypervisor

  There are specific limitations you need to keep in mind when exporting an AWS instance to your hypervisor, but, otherwise, the process is pretty straightforward.Continue Reading

• Perform a Hyper-V health check with these PowerShell commands

  Get reports on the general health status of Hyper-V hosts and VMs running on Hyper-V hosts, as well as information on installed roles and features with PowerShell commands.Continue Reading

• Invest in HCI and SDN for a modern data center

  Address any outdated data storage techniques by adopting a hyper-converged infrastructure and software-defined networking to modernize your data center.Continue Reading

• Nested virtualization offers flexibility and cost savings

  Although you can run into hypervisor and OS compatibility issues when trying to implement nested virtualization, if you do your due diligence, you'll realize significant benefits.Continue Reading

• Monitor an environment with Simple Network Management Protocol

  Monitoring a large or complex environment can be a major undertaking, but the right technology can make it a more straightforward process. That's where SNMP comes in.Continue Reading

• Should your virtualization hosts be configured as Nano Servers?

  In most cases, running Hyper-V on Nano Servers, which have a smaller footprint than server cores, will result in significant performance and patch management benefits.Continue Reading