Tips

Tips

• 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?  Continue Reading

• Microsoft's MCSE Private Cloud and new virtualization certifications

  The expanded list of Microsoft certifications now includes MCSE Private Cloud. Admins worth their salt should get familiar with the changes now.  Continue Reading

• Optimal BIOS settings for server virtualization

  The ideal mix of performance and reliability starts with learning which server BIOS settings you should configure for a virtualized system.  Continue Reading

• Workflow automation software showdown: Citrix, Microsoft and VMware

  Workflow automation software is growing in popularity, but each product has its limitations. Find out how products from three major vendors stack up.  Continue Reading

• Comparing the subtle differences between vMotion vs. Live Migration

  Both VMware and Microsoft now offer a shared nothing VM migration feature. Find out how they stack up in this vMotion vs. Live Migration comparison.  Continue Reading

• What to expect from the RHEV 3.1 Web-based management interface

  RHEV's Web-based management interface would never be described as intuitive -- until this latest version included with RHEV 3.1, that is.  Continue Reading

• Why enterprise IT strategy should include an IaaS provider

  Enterprise IT departments should not fear Infrastructure as a Service. Instead, IT pros should embrace the flexibility an IaaS provider offers.  Continue Reading

• 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.  Continue Reading

• 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.  Continue Reading

• What's the best command-line shell: PowerShell vs. CMD vs. Bash

  PowerShell is a relative newcomer among command-line shells, but it's easy to see why it's so popular when you compare PowerShell vs. CMD and Bash.  Continue Reading

• 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.  Continue Reading

• Using PowerShell scripting to provision VMs from a golden image

  Simple PowerShell scripting makes the process of creating and deploying any number of VMs a routine with minimal effort.  Continue Reading

• Prep your Red Hat servers for an RHEV 3.1 upgrade

  Learn how to upgrade to RHEV 3.1 and take advantage of new features, including storage live migration and a new Web client.  Continue Reading

• VM lifecycle management: Beware the immortal VM

  When it comes to VM lifecycle management, immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes it's best to put ancient VMs out of their misery.  Continue Reading

• Will the new Hyper-V extensible virtual switch change the VM security game?

  Windows Server 2012's new extensible virtual switch opens the door for agentless antivirus products – and that could change the virtual security game.  Continue Reading

• VHD vs. VHDX: Virtual disk format differences

  Microsoft's new virtual hard disk format, VHDX, has some important advantages over the legacy VHD format, as this VHD vs. VHDX comparison describes.  Continue Reading

• How oVirt 3.1 enables free enterprise-level virtualization

  If a free, enterprise-level virtualization deployment sounds like it's too good to be true, take a closer look at oVirt 3.1.  Continue Reading

• Expedite your VM provisioning process with PowerShell remoting

  By using a golden image to clone new VMs and PowerShell remoting to configure them, administrators can quickly respond to increased service demands.  Continue Reading

• Four tools for managing a heterogeneous environment

  Not all heterogeneous environment management tools are created equal. Check out four popular options to determine which are worth a second look.  Continue Reading

• VMware VCP alternatives: Consider a Microsoft or Red Hat certification

  VMware's VCP was the gold standard for years, but as the popularity of other vendors grow, there's new value in a Microsoft or Red Hat certification.  Continue Reading

• From VMware fling to supported tool: vCenter Multi-Hypervisor Manager

  Take a look inside former VMware fling, vCenter Multi-Hypervisor Manager. Despite its name, the application may just be a way to prompt conversion.  Continue Reading

• Focus on hypervisor security to keep your virtual data center safe

  A security breach on a single VM can mean a widespread outage, making effective hypervisor security a requirement for every virtual data center.  Continue Reading

• Optimize Windows performance with paravirtualized drivers

  Paravirtualized drivers are your best bet to optimize Windows performance in RHEV. Unfortunately, this is one feature not available by default.  Continue Reading

• Making sense of new Hyper-V 2012 PowerShell cmdlets

  Windows Sever 2012 Hyper-V changes will make administration easier, but new PowerShell cmdlets means admins will have to update old scripts.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the many facets of infrastructure convergence

  Today, vendors are pushing all types of infrastructure convergence. Find out how each can make a difference in your environment.  Continue Reading

• How Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V is changing the virtualization market

  Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V is gaining traction in the virtualization market. Find out why one expert thinks now is Microsoft's time to shine.  Continue Reading

• Adding storage capacity can actually hurt IOPS

  More storage capacity doesn't always mean better performance. In fact, increases in storage can create an inverse relationship many IT pros didn't consider.  Continue Reading

• 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?  Continue Reading

• Why hypervisor tiering is the future of multiple hypervisor management

  If cost and complexity prevent you from adopting multiple hypervisors, the hypervisor tiering approach may have you rethinking your infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• How the software-defined data center changes the virtualization game

  By removing the traditional constraints of physical hardware, the software-defined data center offers flexibility.  Continue Reading

• Avoid common mistakes when setting up storage for RHEV

  Take care when setting up storage in your RHEV environment. Once you select a type of storage configuration, changing it later is more trouble than it's worth.  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

• RHEV 3 networking basics: Setting up a logical network

  Don't be intimidated by networking. Follow these steps to set up a logical network in RHEV 3.  Continue Reading

• How to save money with application-level high availability

  Enterprise-level high availability is complex and costly. Using application-level HA could actually save you a buck.  Continue Reading

• Creating a Hyper-V update roadmap to get it right the first time

  Recent Microsoft licensing changes make thorough planning imperative when tackling a Hyper-V update. Is your organization prepared?  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter eases VM migrations

  For admins managing both vSphere and Hyper-V in the data center, Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter may mean fewer VM conversion headaches.  Continue Reading

• Mapping out an error-proof storage migration process

  Identifying hardware needs and creating a logical plan can help you avoid common gaffes many administrators make during a storage migration.  Continue Reading

• Practical uses for shared-nothing live migration

  Microsoft and VMware have touted the addition of shared-nothing live migration. How can your organization take advantage of this hot new feature?  Continue Reading

• Configuring Hyper-V 3.0 virtual switches using PowerShell cmdlets

  Enhanced support for PowerShell cmdlets in Hyper-V 3.0 can make configuring multiple virtual switches a breeze.  Continue Reading

• Creating VMs with the RHEV-M Web Admin Portal

  RHEV-M lets you create VMs from a single interface and gives you many options to customize -- as long as you follow the multiple-step process.  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 management  Continue 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

• RHEV 3.1 updates place the hypervisor in ranks of Microsoft and VMware

  Updates to RHEV 3.1, expected later this year, will make the open source hypervisor more competitive with market leaders Microsoft and VMware.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 updates put Hyper-V snapshots on par with VMware

  Hyper-V snapshots are a valuable part of any IT administrator's management toolbox. Hyper-V 3.0 snapshots bring a few long-awaited updates to the mix.  Continue Reading

• Exploring advanced scripts with XenServer PowerShell cmdlets

  With XenServer PowerShell cmdlets, sometimes basic commands aren’t enough. Keep these advanced scripts in your arsenal for slicker management.  Continue Reading

• Configuring and provisioning production-ready SMB 3.0 storage

  Yes, SMB 3.0 can go beyond test environments. But before you can take SMB 3.0 storage into production, there are a few things you need to tackle.  Continue Reading

• Using LXC to create virtual containers in SUSE Enterprise Linux

  Creating virtual containers with LXC may trump hypervisor-based virtualization -- especially if you want to run multiple instances of the same OS.  Continue Reading

• Evaluating the new Windows resource sharing protocol, SMB 3.0

  SMB 3.0 promises faster, more reliable resource sharing. Learn how to evaluate the protocol in your infrastructure to avoid bottlenecks.  Continue Reading

• Recipe for a fully baked private cloud and self-service portal

  Cooking up a private cloud with a self-service portal can free up time otherwise spent provisioning VMs. You just need the right ingredients.  Continue Reading

• 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.  Continue Reading

• SMB cookbook: Whipping up a virtualization disaster recovery plan

  If your virtualization disaster recovery plan consists of just a backup tool, find out how you can kick it up a notch without breaking the bank.  Continue Reading

• Building an inexpensive SAN with RHEV's iSCSI target software

  With the right equipment, RHEV's iSCSI target software can build an inexpensive SAN, which is great for cost-conscious IT shops.  Continue Reading

• Multi-hypervisor automation with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

  The free Microsoft Deployment Toolkit automates OS deployments across multiple hypervisor platforms, saving IT pros countless hours and headaches.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V soothes VM import process

  The VM import process has always been a pain point for Hyper-V. But in Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V, Microsoft offers a remedy.  Continue Reading

• Why IT chargeback is essential to private cloud infrastructure

  IT chargeback is a necessary cog for private clouds and one of the most difficult to deploy. Luckily, there are several ways to set up chargeback.  Continue Reading

• Private cloud performance monitoring: Crafting a plan of attack

  Private cloud performance monitoring is critical, and the best plans take a multi-prong approach that build off of virtualization best practices.  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

• 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

• How much network bandwidth is enough for virtual data centers?

  Network bandwidth is a precious commodity in virtual data centers. But a 10 GbE network may be overkill in certain situations.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V storage: How Microsoft can fix the issues

  Despite improvements, the Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V storage architecture still has holes. One expert details how Microsoft can fix the issues.  Continue Reading

• Moving to the cloud: Tips for mature virtual data centers

  Many IT shops have their sights on moving to the cloud. With a virtual infrastructure in place, you’re well on your way, after a few additions.  Continue Reading

• Connecting shared storage to RHEV in three easy steps

  Shared storage offers greater availability and mobility over local disks. If you have an iSCSI SAN lyng around, connecting it to a RHEV is a breeze.  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

• Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V missing features and potential fixes

  Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V is chock full of new features, but there are some glaring omissions. Luckily, for Microsoft, we’ve provided the fixes.  Continue Reading

• Adding virtual hosts to the RHEV-M: Quick and easy

  Before you get going with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, you need to add the virtual hosts to the RHEV-M console. A simple but important step.  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

• Making the case for container-based virtualization over hypervisors

  Container-based virtualization is not as popular as a traditional hypervisor, but it may be a better choice for an IT shop under the right conditions.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V 3.0 virtual RAM: Massive memory allocation has its faults

  Hyper-V 3.0 supports VMs with up to 1 TB of virtual RAM. But memory allocation is a delicate process, and deploying massive VMs can create problems.  Continue Reading

• Streamlining multi-hypervisor management with ease

  Multi-hypervisor management doesn’t have to be rocket science. With the right tools, it’s so easy, a caveman could do it.  Continue Reading

• Defining an ideal virtual server consolidation ratio

  Finding the best virtual server consolidation ratio is difficult, and larger, virtualization-friendly servers do not necessarily ease the process.  Continue Reading

• Ten easy ways to extend virtual host resources on the cheap

  Virtual host resources are the lifeblood a virtualization project. Finding ways to extend them will promote growth, even during lean budgetary times.  Continue Reading

• Taking the pain out of the Internet Explorer requirement for RHEV 3.0

  Despite the hoopla over ditching Windows Server, RHEV 3.0 still requires Internet Explorer. But configuring IE doesn’t need to be a hassle.  Continue Reading

• New virtual data center design decisions with Hyper-V 3.0

  IT pros are presented with new virtual data center design options, thanks to new feature in Hyper-V 3.0. So which architecture will you choose?  Continue Reading

• How promiscuous mode affects virtual network security

  Enabling promiscuous mode could spell doom for your virtual network security, especially if inexperienced IT pros are at the helm. So take caution.  Continue Reading

• Dynamic Memory in Hyper-V 3.0 promises higher server consolidation

  With Dynamic Memory in Hyper-V 3.0, a new minimum-memory setting and second-level paging may yield increased consolidation ratios for IT shops.  Continue Reading

• The best ways to control virtual machine sprawl

  After virtual machine sprawl takes hold, all hope isn’t lost. There are ways to reclaim your environment and prevent VM sprawl from appearing again.  Continue Reading

• Mommy, where does VM sprawl come from?

  VM sprawl creeps up on a data center. Before you can tackle the issue, it helps to understand how VM sprawl occurs and what it can do to an IT shop.  Continue Reading

• How to recognize and prevent a hypervisor attack to protect data

  A hypervisor attack can hand hackers the keys to your virtual kingdom. But, with the proper precautions and tools, you can minimize the risk.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization and hypervisor security vulnerabilities to look out for

  Virtualization and hypervisor security vulnerabilities are a real threat to organizations, and physical security tools may not help your efforts.  Continue Reading

• Boosting data center efficiency with converged infrastructure hardware

  Converged infrastructure hardware can make an IT pro’s little easier. The robust management capabilities alone can boost data center efficiency.  Continue Reading

• New Microsoft private cloud certification in the works

  Mum's the word on the new Microsoft private cloud certification. But here’s what we do know…  Continue Reading

• PowerShell v3 in Hyper-V 3.0: New fun for command-line junkies

  Deep in the weeds of the impending Hyper-V 3.0 release is PowerShell v3, which offers new management features for command-line junkies.  Continue Reading

• Death to white box servers: Why converged infrastructure is superior

  Converged infrastructure can be a powerful weapon in your arsenal to quell the virtualization performance bottlenecks caused by white box servers.  Continue Reading

• Evaluating RHEV 3.0 in a test environment

  RHEV 3.0 offers enterprise-grade features at low price point. To see if it’s right for your IT shop, you can build a small RHEV 3.0 test environment.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization backup tools: How the field stacks up

  Virtualization backup tools have become a crucial investment for many IT shops. Choosing the right one requires an analysis of the features and cost.  Continue Reading

• Automation tools for virtualization provisioning: Weighing the options

  When choosing automation tools for your virtualization provisioning, carefully weigh all options to ensure that you get the most bang for your buck.  Continue Reading

• Common storage and virtual machine snapshot challenges

  Snapshots are a lifesaver, when used correctly. Just avoid the common storage and virtual machine snapshot pitfalls, so you can breathe easy.  Continue Reading

• Demystifying storage and virtualization snapshots

  Vendors have different definitions for storage and virtualization snapshots. Take the time to learn the differences, because they can be a lifesaver.  Continue Reading

• How virtual security appliances and tools protect a data center

  Virtual security appliances and tools keep the bad guys out. But vendors approach virtual security differently and not every tool may suit your needs.  Continue Reading

• Installing Hyper-V 3.0 on a test server

  Whether you prefer a GUI or the command line, installing and configuring Hyper-V 3.0 on a test server is a breeze.  Continue Reading

• The hardware requirements for testing Hyper-V 3.0

  Testing Hyper-V 3.0 is a no-brainer, considering the minimal hardware requirements. It will help you gain skills and experience before the release.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization disaster recovery tools: No silver bullet solution

  There’s a flood of virtualization disaster recovery tools available, but an effective DR plan may require a combination of technologies and products.  Continue Reading

• Shedding light on Hyper-V 3.0 resource monitoring

  Hyper-V 3.0 will feature new resource-monitoring capabilities, which will be a boon for multi-tenant environments that need to calculate chargeback.  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

• Choosing the right virtualization monitoring and management tools

  There are a bevy of virtualization monitoring and management tools on the market, and your IT shop’s success hinges on finding the right one.  Continue Reading

• Comparing configuration and change management tools: What to look for

  Configuration and change management affects capacity planning, DR and compliance. Find out which tools and features are available in the market.  Continue Reading

• How the evolution of virtualization redefined efficient data centers

  The evolution of virtualization has promoted more efficient data centers. Now IT shops can reduce costs while increasing performance.  Continue Reading

• Five situations where virtualization high availability is overkill

  High availability technologies often seem to be an integral part of your virtual infrastructure, but here are five instances where virtualization high availability is unnecessary.  Continue Reading