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• Why is virtual server capacity planning so difficult?

  Virtual server capacity planning is critical to tracking resource use to ensure peak performance and minimize downtime. Continue Reading

• Is more better? Heterogeneous hypervisor environments have pros, cons

  Heterogeneous hypervisor environments offer a financial advantage, but is this just a transitional phase that will lead back to homogeneity? Continue Reading

• Enabling huge pages is a small step that can make a big difference

  Setting up a KVM virtual machine can be quick and easy, but taking the extra step to enable huge pages can enhance the VM's performance. Continue Reading

• Intigua applies virtualization to management tools

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• HotLink SuperVISOR follows multi-hypervisor manager trend into data centers

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• Preparing your checklist for a flawless hypervisor switch

  No matter what your reason is for a hypervisor switch, there is plenty to consider before the change.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V networking strategies for a software-defined world

  Software-defined networking can help you address tough Hyper-V networking challenges, but only if you understand the basics and can leverage it.Continue Reading

• Is VMware VSAN a good fit for your company?

  VMware VSAN could someday replace your expensive SAN, but it may not be the right fit for every company.Continue Reading

• Differentiating C-state and P-state in server power management

  C-state and P-state both offer options for managing system power, but they are very different from one another.Continue Reading

• Virtual data center challenges and management tools that help conquer them

  Constant refinements and upgrades can cause virtualization challenges -- such as VM sprawl -- but management tools can help smooth the process.Continue Reading

• Capacity planning strategies for successful failover clusters

  Larger failover clusters improve resource utilization, but could also leave you vulnerable if you don't design around your biggest VMs.Continue Reading

• You might be paying too much for Windows Server licensing

  If you're still taking a traditional approach to Windows Server licensing in your virtual data center, you're leaving money on the table.Continue Reading

• How vSphere Metro Storage Cluster differs from Site Recovery Manager

  Both vSphere Metro Storage Cluster and VMware Site Recovery Manager will help your organization limit downtime, but they work in very different ways.Continue Reading

• Getting a clear picture on KVM snapshot basics

  There are two basic ways to create a KVM snapshot, but only one will allow you to take snapshots of a running virtual machine.Continue Reading

• Try NUMA architecture for advanced VM memory techniques

  Servers with newer NUMA infrastructure can boost VM performance if administrators pay attention to memory size characteristics.Continue Reading

• When you need more than bare bones KVM management tools

  Built-in KVM management tools don't give you the advanced functionality of RHEV or oVirt, but sometimes a bare-bones approach is all you need.Continue Reading

• Should you use CredSSP or Kerberos authentication for Live Migration?

  Hyper-V admins need to choose between CredSSP or Kerberos authentication for Live Migration. Find out which is more secure and easier to use.Continue Reading

• The 'what, where and why' of VMCS shadowing

  When performance issues strike systems hosting multiple VMMs, VMCS shadowing comes to the rescue.Continue Reading

• Using Hyper-V 2012 Cluster Live Evacuations for smooth migrations

  Hyper-V 2012 Cluster Live Evacuations gives admins several options to move VMs from one node to another in the case of an emergency or maintenance.Continue Reading

• Update your approach to virtual server backups

  Don't stay stuck in the past when it comes to VM backup methods and tools. Modern hypervisors and third-party tools provide more options than ever.Continue Reading

• When setting up VLANs makes sense in your virtual data center

  Modern hypervisors offer alternatives for creating isolated traffic streams, but there are still some important use cases for a virtual LAN.Continue Reading

• How bad do swap files affect virtual machine performance?

  Modern technology can prevent VMs from grinding to a halt if there's a memory shortage, but using swap files does slow performance. Find out why.Continue Reading

• The road to VMware Certified Professional exam success

  When you're studying for your VMware Certified Professional certification, don't forget to learn these 20 crucial terms.Continue Reading

• Using virsh commands to manage KVM virtual machines

  Linux admins have a wealth of management options, but versatile virsh commands may be the best options for managing KVM virtual machines.Continue Reading

• Developing a strategy to identify and fix VM performance issues

  Many factors can hamper VM performance. A careful troubleshooting process can help IT administrators identify and correct VM performance issues.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V 2012 R2 changes: What are Generation 2 virtual machines?

  Hyper-V 2012 R2 includes some important changes virtualization admins should know about, including the addition of Generation 2 VMs.Continue Reading

• Provisioning a Hyper-V Server Core VM with PowerShell, step by step

  Hyper-V Server Core helps maximize hardware resources at the expense of GUI-based management tools, but PowerShell has everything you need.Continue Reading

• Virtualization management tools can help reduce server power usage

  Emerging virtualization tools that automatically migrate workloads to optimize data center resources help improve server power usage.Continue Reading

• Virtualization Management

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• VMware vCloud Connector makes hybrid cloud management a breeze

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• The path to VM enlightenment begins with Hyper-V Integration Services

  Making sure your VMs have the latest version of Hyper-V Integration Services is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve VM performance.Continue Reading

• VMware vCenter Multi-Hypervisor Manager (MHM)

  VMware vCenter Multi-Hypervisor Manager (MHM) is a free component of vCenter Standard Edition that provides support for multiple hypervisors in vCenter Server.Continue Reading

• Four quick tips for troubleshooting Microsoft Hyper-V cluster problems

  Having trouble with your Microsoft Hyper-V cluster? These troubleshooting tips can help you identify and fix the problem.Continue Reading

• Five strategies for VM sprawl control and prevention

  Be proactive with your VM sprawl control strategies to avoid resource shortages and performance problems.Continue Reading

• VMware vCenter Operations Management Suite

  The VMware vCenter Operations Management Suite is a collection of infrastructure-management products for virtual data centers.Continue Reading

• Resource contention and other key causes of VM performance bottlenecks

  Resource contention plays a huge role in the quest for optimal virtual machine performance, but it's certainly not the only source of bottlenecks.Continue Reading

• Power management a must for oVirt high availability

  Dodge dreaded downtime by enabling power management in your oVirt 3.1 environment.Continue Reading

• Hypervisors offer built-in disaster recovery management features

  Third parties offer extensive disaster recover protection options, but you may not need to look further than your hypervisor’s built-in capabilities.Continue Reading

• How to calculate proper Windows Server 2012 virtualization licensing

  Licensing virtual servers can get confusing and expensive. Brien Posey shares the ins and outs of server licensing with a Windows Server 2012 example.Continue Reading

• SCVMM PowerShell module trick: Skip the management tool install

  Learn how to get the cmdlets you need to manage SCVMM from anywhere in the world by using Remoting to import a PowerShell module.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Is a fully virtualized infrastructure a good idea for your business?

  Years ago, experts asked whether a fully virtualized infrastructure was even possible. That debate is settled, but is 100% virtualization a good idea?Continue Reading

• Examining heterogeneous data center management methods

  A heterogeneous data center often boosts ROI, but it also increases confusion. Clear the air by testing your knowledge of multi-hypervisor strategy.Continue Reading

• Advantages of storing a VM on an SMB file share

  Changes to Hyper-V and the SMB 3.0 protocol could make using an SMB file share the right decision for your environment.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V Replica improves fault tolerance without a failover cluster

  Are you looking for a cheaper alternative to a failover cluster? Windows Server 2012 includes a new feature, Hyper-V Replica, that can be an effective substitute.Continue Reading

• CloudPhysics' resource management tool studies virtual infrastructures

  A new service from startup CloudPhysics may have admins rethinking resource management. Would you send data to the cloud for analysis and comparison?Continue Reading

• Using power management to configure RHEV high availability

  Get the tools necessary to configure RHEV high availability, provided you architect your data center accordingly and enable power managementContinue Reading

• Common causes of a failed Hyper-V live migration

  Hyper-V live migration helps admins maintain infrastructures. But a few common configuration snafus can cause failures. Do you know what to look for?Continue Reading

• Hyper-V 3.0 has all you need to build a private cloud

  Building a private cloud isn't as easy as Microsoft makes it seem. Pairing System Center 2012 with Hyper-V 3.0 can simplify an onerous process.Continue Reading

• Ahsay Online Backup Manager

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• Top private cloud management strategies

  After briefly considering public cloud computing, many companies are opting for private models instead. This expert IT handbook provides an in-depth overview of private cloud computing and offers exclusive advice to help companies make the move from...Continue Reading

• Right-sizing and capacity planning strategies for private clouds

  Without right-sizing VMs and capacity planning strategies, any private cloud will falter. You can avoid trouble with careful planning and monitoring.Continue Reading

• Getting to know VHDX: The new Hyper-V virtual hard disk format

  The VHDX format in Windows Server 2012 has the decisive edge over the legacy VHD format in almost every respect, including performance and capacity.Continue Reading

• Virtual disaster recovery strategies in action

  This expert handbook explores how server virtualization can increase flexibility, while ensuring that recovery time objectives are met and hardware requirements stay minimal. Compare how physical and virtual DR differ and learn about the benefits ...Continue Reading

• Virtualization power management: How to save money and the Earth

  Virtualization power management is yet another way a hypervisor can help cut costs to achieve maximum ROI, with the added bonus of saving the Earth.Continue Reading

• The extensible Hyper-V virtual switch: Finally catching up to VMware

  Microsoft’s upcoming hypervisor will feature a new, extensible Hyper-V virtual switch, which will bring Hyper-V 3.0 networking up to par with vSphere.Continue Reading

• VMware vBenchmark goes beyond capacity planning

  VMware’s new free capacity analysis tool shows you how you stack up, but vBenchmark’s real value is reporting on infrastructure utilization.Continue Reading

• PVLANs in Hyper-V 3.0: Network isolation without the headaches

  Microsoft Hyper-V 3.0 will introduce PVLANs, a new feature that uses IP address virtualization to solve the network isolation shortcomings of VLANs.Continue Reading

• How to plan for desktop virtualization

  Tackle virtualization deployment in phases—not as an all-or-nothing proposition.Continue Reading

• Windows PowerShell cmdlets for XenServer management

  You can make Citrix XenServer management easier by using Windows PowerShell cmdlets. The XenServer PowerShell snap-in is handy for automating tasks.Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 at a glance

  Due later this year, Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 offers a self-service portal and granular admin roles for cloud management.Continue Reading

• Hardware migration: How server clustering can help you ditch old hosts

  Getting rid of obsolete hardware is no easy task, but with a hardware migration, you can move VMs to new hosts with little downtime.Continue Reading

• Oracle virtualization 101: Installing Oracle VM Server and Manager

  Hop in and take a test drive with Oracle VM. The Oracle virtualization platform is easy to install, but it involves three different components.Continue Reading

• Server consolidation project planning: Three steps to success

  As the Boy Scouts always say: Be prepared. With a server consolidation project, you can prepare for consolidation in three distinct phases.Continue Reading

• Private cloud strategy: A four-step plan for success

  To get the benefits of cloud computing, you need a solid cloud strategy. Prepping for private cloud computing begins with the assets you already have.Continue Reading

• Dynamic storage allocation with thin provisioning: Pros and cons

  Allocating virtualization storage is easy with thin provisioning. But this dynamic storage allocation method can complicate storage management.Continue Reading

• Server cluster sizing: How many VMs is too many?

  Even server clustering has its limits. Hypervisors and hardware can restrict how many hosts and VMs a server cluster can hold.Continue Reading

• Successful virtualization strategies learned from the airline industry

  This is your captain speaking: Successful strategies from the airline industry can work just as well in virtual infrastructures.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• How Hyper-V Dynamic Memory improves your server consolidation plan

  Virtual memory allocation with Hyper-V Dynamic Memory can help boost your server consolidation plan. But beware VMs that take more memory than they actually need.Continue Reading

• Top five P2V conversion roadblocks

  The P2V conversion process doesn’t always run smoothly. Downtime, hardware incompatibility and outdated applications can foil your P2V migration plan at any stage of the game.Continue Reading

• Virtual memory management techniques: A beginner's guide

  There are lots of virtual memory management techniques, including ballooning and memory compression. You can use these methods to control resource sharing among colocated VMs.Continue Reading

• Virtualization costs, features and management comparison

  Get your frequently asked questions about virtualization costs, features and management answered in this podcast comparing VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V.Continue Reading

• Top 5 tips for P2V conversion success

  The process of converting physical machines into VMs doesn’t always run smoothly. There are five easy ways to ensure your P2V conversions go off without a hitch.Continue Reading

• Top 10 virtualization management tools

  There are lots of virtualization management tools out there, but which ones are right for your infrastructure? Here are 10 tools data center managers should consider.Continue Reading

• VCloud Director no shoo-in for VMware Lab Manager shops

  VCloud Director has been positioned as a replacement for VMware’s test and development offering, Lab Manager. But experts say VMware has cut bait on lab management and set out for a larger catch in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Virtualization security: How vulnerable is your hypervisor?

  Choosing the right hypervisor for your infrastructure is not only critical for deployment and management purposes, but it also comes into play with virtualization security.Continue Reading

• Windows VSS virtual machine backup strategies: Hyper-V vs. VMware

  For a strong virtual machine backup strategy, Windows VSS must 'play nice' with other host components. But it works differently in VMware and Hyper-V environments.Continue Reading

• XenServer management for the VMware administrator

  If you’re a VMware administrator, you may not have ventured outside the VMware realm. But learning XenServer management with the command line can round out your infrastructure skills.Continue Reading

• Storage resource management tools simplify capacity management

  Storage complicates capacity management, but using storage resource management tools to monitor I/O and prevent resource contention can make things easier.Continue Reading

• Infrastructure change management and performance monitoring

  Virtual machine performance monitoring helps keep VMs available, but you also need infrastructure change management to document configuration changes and prevent VM sprawl.Continue Reading

• Five easy VM administration tips and virtualization best practices

  VM administration poses challenges for IT personnel. But if you follow these virtualization best practices, your infrastructure can run more efficiently and securely.Continue Reading

• Overcoming virtualization challenges: Capacity planning, provisioning

  The abstraction of virtualization makes resource provisioning tricky. Without proper capacity planning, over-allocation can affect performance and waste resources.Continue Reading

• KVM virtualization and management tutorial

  KVM virtualization is an immature platform, but major Linux vendors support it. This KVM virtualization tutorial covers the hypervisor's architecture and KVM management tools.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Quiz: Private cloud characteristics and strategies

  Before you take the private cloud quiz, review this study guide and the lessons in our Virtualization School on private cloud computing.Continue Reading

• High-availability architecture: Redundancy vs. abstraction

  If you're getting more involved with virtualization, you may want to take another look at your high-availability architecture. Redundancy and abstraction can help prevent problems.Continue Reading

• Using redundant network architecture and storage pools for HA

  Building a redundant network architecture and placing all your VMs on a storage pool is an efficient way to achieve high availability in your virtual data center.Continue Reading

• Hardware compatibility issues lead to virtualization problems

  Even little things like using USB drives for backups can cause major virtualization problems. A VAR shares his story about overcoming hardware compatibility issues.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Lifecycle management: Physical vs. virtual machines

  Lifecycle management in a virtual infrastructure poses a few more challenges than you're used to. Without proper lifecycle management, you could end up with VM sprawl.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• Virtual server infrastructure design, planning and deployment

  Virtual server infrastructure planning involves choosing a platform and hardware. Make the right choices by following these best practices for virtual server infrastructure design.Continue Reading

• Managing Virtual Hard Disk data with encapsulation

  Encapsulating Virtual Hard Disk data may seem like the best way to manage Hyper-V storage. Pass-through disks, however, offer backup and restoration advantages over huge VHD files.Continue Reading

• VMware's single pane of glass vs. Hyper-V's management consoles

  Managing virtualization through a single pane of glass is all the rage these days, but as VMware expert Mike Laverick discovers, Hyper-V requires multiple management consoles.Continue Reading

• Data center planning considerations for high availability

  Sure, virtualization brings flexibility, but high-availability data center planning is still crucial. Take full advantage of the benefits of data center high availability.Continue Reading

• Virtual networking design, configuration and management guide

  This guide on virtual networking architecture and management explores how to design physical and virtual networks to reduce latency and manage virtual networks efficiently.Continue Reading

• Using VMware Distributed Power Management

  With VMware Distributed Power Management and Distributed Resource Schedule, you can reduce data center power consumption in a major way.Continue Reading

• Which high-availability strategy is best for your VMs?

  Did you know that a software bug could crash a VM and even cripple a VM platform? Learn HA strategies that keep workloads running when trouble threatens a mission-critical VM.Continue Reading