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VMware virtualization

• Top 25 VMware ESXi commands

  This VMware ESXi command line cheat sheet is a must-have resource for IT professionals who maintain and troubleshoot ESXi. Continue Reading

• Compare the top 5 bare-metal hypervisors

  Hypervisors such as VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix Hypervisor, RHV and Oracle VM Server for x86 provide value to enterprise-level data centers in different ways. Continue Reading

• How does moving huge VMDK files affect storage?

  VMware ESXi 5.5 enabled VMDK files larger than 2 TB, but huge VMs bring storage challenges. Continue Reading

• Why would you need huge virtual disk files?

  As more enterprises look to virtualize top-tier applications, many are seeing a growing need for huge virtual disk files. Continue Reading

• Before you buy, be sure you can meet extensive VSAN requirements

  VMware launched VSAN GA with the vSphere 5.5 Update 1, but there are important requirements to know before you make the switch. Continue Reading

• Using VMware vApps to organize and manage multi-tiered applications

  Multi-tiered applications that span several VMs can be difficult for data center admins to manage, but VMware vApps can help simplify the process.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting a VMware DRS load balancing failure

  VMware's DRS helps organizations better utilize resources and can prevent resource contention, but DRS load balancing doesn't always work as expected.Continue Reading

• Not so fast: VMware's NSX has hardware and software requirements

  Before you decide to use VMware's NSX network virtualization platform, be sure you know about its software and hardware requirements.Continue Reading

• VMware supports a massive VMDK file size, but why create a monster?

  Practical uses for a 64 TB VMDK file are limited today, but as storage needs grow, you might find a reason to embrace monster VMs.Continue Reading

• When is it worth paying for vSphere management tools?

  Third-party vSphere management tools can help with what VMware vCenter lacks, but a company must determine if it's worth the cost.Continue Reading

• Even a small business can take advantage of virtualization

  There are many virtualization success stories among large companies, but with more low cost options, even an SMB can take advantage of virtualization.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

• VMware vCenter Single Sign-On problems strike vSphere 5.5 upgraders

  Another round of vSphere upgrades has uncovered more problems with vCenter Single Sign-On. Some users can't upgrade, and others can't authenticate.Continue Reading

• Using esxtop to check processor and memory utilization

  Readily available hypervisor tools, such as esxtop in VMware ESXi, can aid technicians in isolating and correcting virtual machine performance problems.Continue Reading

• Consider hiding the price tag when comparing vSphere vs. Hyper-V

  While it might seem crazy to your CFO, comparing vSphere vs. Hyper-V without considering the price is a useful exercise.Continue Reading

• vSphere 5.1 Single Sign-On problems dog VMware shops

  VMware customers have encountered numerous problems with vSphere 5.1's Single Sign-On feature, and that's holding some shops back from upgrading.Continue Reading

• Was it smart for VMware to undo vSphere pricing changes and kill vRAM?

  VMware changed vSphere pricing again, but was that the right move? Our Advisory Board dissects the controversial vRAM pricing model.Continue Reading

• Putting the hypervisor market into perspective

  The hypervisor market constantly grows and changes, but don’t let that overwhelm you. Knowledge is power when it comes to virtualization decisions.Continue Reading

• Shops seeking VMware alternatives face management problems

  As the search for cost savings leads more VMware shops to Hyper-V and XenServer, IT pros learn that multi-hypervisor management is a tough nut to crack.Continue Reading

• What are you looking forward to at VMworld 2011?

  New products and vSphere 5 licensing will be in the spotlight at VMworld 2011, but our advisory board members are also excited about the many networking opportunities.Continue Reading

• Top 3 issues facing VMware at VMworld 2011

  VMware will have to deal with the vSphere 5 licensing fallout and push itself as a true cloud vendor at VMworld 2011.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V management tools: What VMware admins need to know

  Hyper-V management tools, from Microsoft and its partners, are the crux of the virtualization platform. VMware admins should master these.Continue Reading

• A guide to Hyper-V features for the VMware administrator

  For every VMware action, there’s a Hyper-V reaction. VSphere and Hyper-V features have many similarities, but their vendors speak different languages.Continue Reading

• Virtualization platform pioneering: Hyper-V licensing for VMware admins

  If you're a VMware admin who wants to use Microsoft's virtualization platform, you need to understand Hyper-V licensing first.Continue Reading

• VSphere 5 licensing furor calms down, but problems remain

  Most users now realize that the new VMware vSphere 5 licensing model will be about the same price-wise, but it will affect how they use some beneficial features in vSphere.Continue Reading

• Cloud management with Microsoft Concero: Battling VMware vCloud Director

  Microsoft Concero offers better virtualization integration, but VMware vCloud Director has the edge when it comes to other cloud management criteria.Continue Reading

• VMware acquisitions: Moving beyond virtualization

  Are the recent VMware acquisitions a necessary evolution or a distraction? The Server Virtualization Advisory Board weighs in.Continue Reading

• Mixing and matching virtualization platforms

  Using multiple virtualization platforms allows you to avoid vendor lock-in, but it can be difficult to bridge and manage technologies from different virtualization vendors.Continue Reading

• 2010's top 10 server virtualization tips

  Reminisce about the year's best server virtualization tips in our Top 10 list. The most popular tips of 2010 covered VMware licensing, Hyper-V advice for VMware experts and more.Continue Reading

• Esxtop: Troubleshooting ESX servers with performance metrics

  Colorful pie charts depicting ESX server performance look great, but sometimes you need more powerful metrics. The esxtop command retrieves key performance metrics.Continue Reading

• Running open source Xen in VMware environments

  Open source Xen can boost Linux server performance in VMware environments, but it also complicates virtualization management. Does open source Xen make sense for your IT shop?Continue Reading

• VMware virtual server migration

  This section of our guide explores planning for VMware server migration with VMware ESX and vSphere, using VMware's live migration tool VMotion to perform virtual server migrations and how to correct failed migrations.Continue Reading

• VMware desktop virtualization server back ends: VSphere and ESX

  VMware vSphere and ESX are powerful back ends for desktop virtualization. This section of our guide explores VMware server back ends for desktop virtualization.Continue Reading

• VMware Consolidated Backup: When should you use it?

  VMware Consolidated Backup enables fast virtual machine backup, but it's not recommended for vSphere backup. Here's the drill on how and when to use VMware VCB.Continue Reading

• Building a Linux virtualization solution with OpenVZ

  OpenVZ is an open source, container-based virtualization product, but the host and virtual guest operating system must run Linux. Learn how to install this hypervisor alternative.Continue Reading

• Touring Openfiler storage for virtual environments

  If you're looking for low-cost virtual storage management, here's how to install Openfiler's open source NAS/SAN and how to use it in VMware virtualization environments.Continue Reading

• Linux virtualization trends: Xen, KVM vendors vie for corporate market

  Competition between the Xen hypervisor and KVM for the virtualization market has spawned four credible options: VMware, Citrix's Xen, Linux KVM and Microsoft's Hyper-V.Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot common ESX problems in VMware

  In this excerpt from VMware VI3 Implementation and Administration, learn some steps on how to identify ESX problems in virtual environments and solve them.Continue Reading

• Comparing I/O virtualization products

  Finding the I/O virtualization approach that is appropriate for your environment depends on your specific business needs. In part three of this series on virtualizing I/O, contributor Scott Lowe discusses the differences between various I/O ...Continue Reading

• Monitor VMware ESX with third-party applications

  Performance monitoring tools, including those from Hyperic and Microsoft, provide better analysis than VMware's standard tool set. This guide reviews the virtualization performance management offerings that are compatible with ESX and with other ...Continue Reading

• Maximizing hypervisor value at lower cost amid virtualization competition

  Pricy hypervisors like VMware's are on the road to commoditization. But until they decrease in price, use these survival tactics to maximize value without paying a premium.Continue Reading

• How virtualization reduces IT managers' workloads

  Virtualization changes the way IT managers think and work with many valuable tools, such as snapshots and ISO files, and benefits such as High Availability and cloning.Continue Reading

• VMware Converter: Version differences, hot and cold cloning

  VMware Converter is VMware's physical-to-virtual (P2V) conversion tool. Learn about version differences, hot and cold cloning, and which servers to stay away from with this tool.Continue Reading

• Prevent server crashes with application virtualization

  Untamed applications can crash important servers. Application virtualization and containers can solve the problem.Continue Reading

• Cisco PIX emulator

  Looking for a way to use Cisco PIX emulator with VMware? Site expert Andrew Kutz will tell you if it's possible.Continue Reading

• VirtualCenter, VMotion and licensing

  Several factors are involved when migrating virtual machines from one host operating system to another. Andrew Kutz attempts to aid in the process in this expert response.Continue Reading

• VMware Player/Windows Vista help

  Looking to install VMware Player in Windows Vista? Read this expert response from Andrew Kutz first.Continue Reading

• Connecting to the Internet with Solaris 10

  To connect to the internet with Solaris 10 in a virtualized environment, read this this expert response from site expert Andrew Kutz.Continue Reading

• Help with the VI3 SDK

  Learn how to shut down and power on guest virtual machines outside of VirtualCenter with the VMware Infrastructure 3 (VI3) SDK.Continue Reading

• Citrix, Microsoft and VMware: Comparing virtualization strategies

  Learn about the virtualization strategies of Citrix, Microsoft and VMware -- a critical step when deciding between Xen, VMware and Virtual Server.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting slow virtual Web servers

  Virtualization expert Andrew Kutz explains how to fix a slow response on a virtualized Web server running on VMware ESX.Continue Reading

• VMware Converter intro: Switching from Windows servers to Linux virtual machines

  In this tip, new technology writer Brendan Barry tells you how to use VMware Converter to turn Windows machines into VMware-based virtual machines running on Linux, or any other supported operating system.Continue Reading

• "Domain controller not found"

  Anil Desai advises a reader on how to troubleshoot his virtual machines, which can't connect to his Windows 2003 Server domain controller.Continue Reading

• Get low-cost virtualization with free VMware, Microsoft, Xen products

  Virtualization technology can be expensive. In this tip, Alessandro Perilli tells you how you can bring virtualization into your data center and avoid the hefty price tag.Continue Reading

• Virtual machines and fibre channel LUNs

  James Geis explains how fibre channel LUNs connect to virtual machines.Continue Reading

• Measuring virtual machine performance: Current options

  Learn what the current options in the virtualization space are for measuring virtual machine performance.Continue Reading

• How-to: VMware ESX, Linux virtual machines and read-only file systems

  One of the benefits of virtual machines is hardware abstraction. But what do you do when disk activity on a back end storage device causes guest operating systems on ESX to lose their cool? In this tip, Andrew Kutz explains how to mitigate errors in...Continue Reading

• Best practices for naming VMware virtual machines

  Are you naming your VMware virtual machines in a way that will help you keep track of where they are and what they do? If not, you must read this expert response by Andrew Kutz.Continue Reading

• Server partitioning and VMware

  Wondering how you should partition your host server for optimal VMware virtualization? Read this expert response by Andrew Kutz to find out.Continue Reading

• Virtual machine FAQ

  We put the best of your virtual machine-related questions in this FAQ . Find out about extra memory, back up, performance issues, what to do with multiple VHDs and RAID and more.Continue Reading

• Virtual switch security: VMware, Virtual Server and XenExpress

  Find out how VMware Server, Virtual Server and XenExpress stack up in terms of virtual switch security in this tip.Continue Reading

• How to install, secure, monitor and backup VMware on Linux

  This section will provide instructions on how to secure VMware Server, how to fix a nagging bug that crops up with installing it on Ubuntu and how to monitor and back up the server.Continue Reading

• How to configure and secure Linux for VMware

  In the last installment of this series, we installed all necessary components of Ubuntu Linux. Now we can proceed with configuring and securing this Ubuntu installation. We'll discuss the steps in this tip.Continue Reading

• Virtualizing Windows Vista: The basics

  Get Windows Vista advice and a review of Vista in VMware and Virtual PC as well as the big drawback, lack of support for Aero Glass, in this tip.Continue Reading

• Easy VMDK conversions

  VMDK to VHD Converter opens the door to easy VM conversion.Continue Reading

• How to create failover structures and configure clusters

  Virtual environments need backup plans, too. In part two of this series, Alessandro Perilli explains how to configure clusters and create failover structures.Continue Reading

• Staging a disaster recovery VM

  Preparing generic recovery VMs can significantly reduce recovery time following a disaster or server failure.Continue Reading

• Re: Processors for virtualization

  Some readers had strong opinions about expert Andrew Kutz's response to a question about the best processors for virtualization. Check out this tip to see what users had to say.Continue Reading

• Does VMware have memory sharing capability?

  VMware is the standard in virtualization, but does it support memory sharing? Site expert Andrew Kutz has the answer in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Where can I find a stripped-down version of Linux for VMware?

  A reader wanted a skinny Linux build to run his VMs on using VMware. Read this answer to see what VMware expert Andrew Kutz suggested.Continue Reading

• Free VMware versus pricey VMware ESX Server

  Just like in school, not doing your virtualization homework affects your performance. It's vital to make a wise platform choice, otherwise your ROI could fall short of expectations. In this series, virtualization pro Alessandro Perilli breaks down...Continue Reading

• Legacy hardware plus free server virtualization from VMware: New life for old machines?

  With all the free virtualization technologies, you may be able to turn that old server collecting dust in the corner of your data center into a host for a few virtual machines. This article will address the pros and cons of combining older server ...Continue Reading

• How to convert VMware virtual disk images to Virtual Server, part two

  In this tip, Chris Wolf explains how to convert VMware virtual disk images to Microsoft Virtual Server when you don't have the resources to buy Platespin's PowerConvert.Continue Reading

• How to install and configure Windows Server 2003 for VMware

  VMware Server: Some assembly required. Never fear, expert Andrew Kutz is here -- read this eight-part tip and be the IT pro in the know on getting VMware up and running.Continue Reading

• How to convert VMware virtual disk images to Virtual Server

  In this tip, Chris Wolf explains how to convert VMware virtual disk imagesto Microsoft Virtual Server when you don't have the resources to buy Platespin's PowerConvert.Continue Reading

• Virtualization management software

  A reader is searching for the best virtualization management software solution. He's even found a software company that our expert hasn't tried yet. Even so, expert Andrew Kutz advises him to save his money. Read this answer and find out why.Continue Reading

• Virtualizing Exchange?

  An Exchange administrator wrote in concerned that virtualizing Exchange with VMware, like his architecture team wants him to do, would be a mistake. Expert Andrew Kutz addresses the inquiry.Continue Reading

• Moving SQL server to a virtual server with VMware

  Heard that SQL shouldn't be moved to a virtual server? Expert Andrew Kutz says you can, but you might lose performance. He also offers solutions for typical VMware problems and some good reading material for beginners and experts alike.Continue Reading

• Hyperthreading in virtualized environments

  If hyperthreading is turned off, will virtual servers still run? Find out from Andrew Kutz in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Three ways to use VMware Player in the enterprise

  VMware Player may be free, but that doesn't mean it's worthless. In this article, Serdar Yegulalp discusses three ways to use Player in testing your enterprise's virtual machines.Continue Reading

• VMware the best virtualization solution for server consolidation, experts say

  Authors David Marshall and Wade Reynolds offer a bird's eye view of VMware's management tools and hardware requirements, as well as how it compares to Microsoft Virtual Server.Continue Reading

• Comparing VMware ESX, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, Xen and XenEnterprise: Extra features

  Ever wondered how to choose the right solution to virtualize your servers? Andrew Kutz offers a thorough analysis and comparison of the available options in this four-part tip. Part four covers additional features and offers a wrapup of the series.Continue Reading

• Comparing VMware ESX, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, Xen and XenEnterprise: Technical spec

  Don't just look at products when choosing a server virtualization platform, says expert Andrew Kutz. He cover technical specifications and support in part two of his four-part series. The series offers a thorough analysis and comparison of the ...Continue Reading

• How to gather and export information on VMware ESX Server: Tools and APIs

  It's a common misconception that VMware ESX Server offers no information about how it's running on the machine. In this tip, Andrew Kutz explains how to use existing tools to gather information about the ESX system software and the physical server.Continue Reading

• Comparing VMware ESX, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, Xen and XenEnterprise: Admin features

  Ever wondered how you would choose the right server virtualization platform? Andrew Kutz offers a thorough analysis and comparison of the available options in this four-part tip, looking at criteria like open source, available support, technical ...Continue Reading

• Comparing VMware ESX, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, Xen and XenEnterprise: Management

  Ever wondered how to choose the right solution to virtualize your servers? Andrew Kutz offers a thorough analysis and comparison of the available options in this four-part tip. Part three covers management and high availability.Continue Reading