Tutorials

Tutorials

• Best practices for Hyper-V template creation

  Admins can streamline template creation through Hyper-V SCVMM with a few best practices, such as evaluating whether a VM is the right fit for template creation.  Continue Reading

• Create and configure a shielded VM in Hyper-V

  In just a few easy steps, including installing a Host Guardian Service server and creating certificates, you can shield a Hyper-V VM to protect it against access or tampering.  Continue Reading

• Create a shielded VM template in SCVMM in four easy steps

  SCVMM templates simplify the process of deploying shielded VMs. Prepare the disk to use shielded VM technology before creating the template.  Continue Reading

• Set up BSD jails as a form of virtualization

  Using the ezjail tool, you can easily create and install a BSD jail. Execute these simple commands to get started and take advantage of key ezjail features.  Continue Reading

• Get started with this Nutanix Community Edition installation guide

  Install Nutanix Community Edition to test its features in your infrastructure for free. Learn about the download, installation, configuration and VM creation processes.  Continue Reading

• Learn how to configure Hyper-V Enhanced Session Mode

  Windows Server 2012 R2's Hyper-V Enhanced Session Mode sets itself apart from standard sessions by offering users a richer overall experience.  Continue Reading

• Questions to ask before choosing an open source hypervisor

  The vSphere vs. Hyper-V debate overshadows Xen vs. KVM, but open source hypervisor comparison requires the same deliberation.  Continue Reading

• How to achieve optimal resource allocation and why that matters

  Optimal resource allocation is a tricky tightrope act for even experienced IT pros, but you can ease the process by asking yourself a few questions.  Continue Reading

• High-availability guide: Using high-availability servers and systems

  Deploying high-availability server and systems requires proper planning and the right software choices. This guide covers all that and more.  Continue Reading

• The complete buyer's guide for virtual infrastructure tools

  Searching for the right virtual infrastructure tools can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack, unless you're using our buyer's guide.  Continue Reading

• Virtualizing applications and virtual server migration best practices

  Virtualizing applications is great for ROI. With virtual server migrations and virtual appliances, you can recoup your investment even faster.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V 3.0 guide: Dissecting the next Microsoft hypervisor

  Hyper-V 3.0 is still in pre-beta, but the early reviews are promising for IT shops. The next Microsoft hypervisor will sport new features that may give VMware a run for its money.  Continue Reading

• Why virtualization projects need ROI calculations

  Virtualization projects bring obvious benefits, but they can be tough to quantify. Without accurate ROI calculations, your virtualization projects can hit serious roadblocks.  Continue Reading

• Hosted virtualization hypervisors and use cases: The complete guide

  Bare-metal virtualization isn’t the only thing out there. There’s also hosted virtualization, which is great for small infrastructures or testing environments.  Continue Reading

• Application virtualization FAQ

  Application virtualization can ease server virtualization management woes. But an admin must first understand how the technologies are complementary.  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

• FAQ: Virtual server clustering and the benefits of an HA cluster

  If you want to ease VM management and server failover, create a virtual server cluster. Server clustering allows VMs to migrate to other hosts.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization automation with Hyper-V: Windows PowerShell scripting

  With Microsoft Hyper-V, your greatest virtualization automation weapon is Windows PowerShell scripting. You can use cmdlets and task scheduling to improve task automation.  Continue Reading

• Task automation and workflow orchestration with virtualization

  By nature, virtualization already eliminates a lot of manual processes, but task automation and workflow orchestration can make your infrastructure even more efficient.  Continue Reading

• VMware automation: Site Recovery Manager, vSphere PowerCLI and more

  A plethora of tools including Site Recovery Manager, the vSphere PowerCLI, vCenter Chargeback and vCenter Orchestrator provide VMware automation for your entire infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• IT process automation and automated performance monitoring

  IT process automation is the foundation of an automated virtual infrastructure. You can improve server automation by linking simple tasks such as VM provisioning and configuration.  Continue Reading

• FAQ: Virtual testing and development environments

  A virtual testing and development environment lets you test OSes and applications before deployment. You can even build a virtual test lab at home.  Continue Reading

• Server virtualization technology options: A face-off directory

  When it comes to server virtualization technology, you have lots of options: ISCSI or NFS? Xen or KVM? Experts debate these options and more.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization hardware: The complete guide

  Virtualization hardware can make or break an infrastructure. The right hardware decreases costs, and improves resource allocation and server consolidation ratios.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization certification FAQ

  Don’t know where to start with virtualization certifications? A virtualization certification boosts your skills, but consider your choices and goals before going after one.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V R2 SP1 guide: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX

  Hyper-V R2 SP1 is the latest release of Microsoft’s hypervisor. It includes Dynamic Memory for memory management and RemoteFX to improve the desktop virtualization user experience.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server backup tutorial

  Virtual server backup tools are crucial. But if you don’t properly implement a VM backup strategy, as described in this backup tutorial, performance may suffer.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server backup and recovery FAQ

  Restoring VM data quickly requires a solid virtual server backup method. Snapshots, deduplication and third-party tools can help you achieve VM backup success.  Continue Reading

• Server virtualization tutorials

  SearchServerVirtualization.com’s tutorials provide information covering all areas of server virtualization, such as virtualization platforms, server hardware, managing virtual environments, virtualization architectures and strategies, application ...  Continue Reading

• Virtual appliance FAQ

  With virtualization deployments, time is money. A virtual appliance decreases software deployment times and eases resource allocation, virtual machine migration and backup.  Continue Reading

• Quiz: KVM hypervisor and virtual infrastructure management

  The KVM hypervisor is the foundation for Red Hat and Ubuntu virtualization. This quiz covers the KVM hypervisor and KVM virtual machine management tools.  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

• Virtualization problems: When good deployments go bad

  So you've rolled out virtualization and things are going smoothly. Think you're in the clear? Not so fast. Virtualization problems can strike at any time, and for many reasons.  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

• Command line basics for open source virtualization management

  To effectively manage an open source virtualization environment, you must learn the command line basics. Commands and scripts can streamline your efforts.  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

• Virtualization technology licensing: Everything you need to know

  Virtualization technology licensing is a convoluted process, even for IT veterans. This guide explains hypervisor pricing structures and how to obtain flexible contract terms.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server deployment: A step-by-step guide

  Virtual server deployment can seem like a daunting task, but this four-part guide will help you navigate the virtualization deployment waters like a pro.  Continue Reading

• Server virtualization security best practices guide

  This virtual machine security guide outlines server virtualization security best practices and weighs the pros and cons of different virtual server security methods.  Continue Reading

• Guarding against virtualization security risks and vulnerabilities

  You can limit virtualization security risks and vulnerabilities by understanding attack vectors. This section of our virtualization security guide helps you prevent attacks.  Continue Reading

• Virtual security: Developing a plan and procedures

  This section of our virtual security guide covers how to design and execute a plan to protect your server virtualization infrastructure's sensitive information.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V virtualization security guidelines and tips

  Data centers can't depend solely on Microsoft for Hyper-V security. You can implement several configurations and procedures to secure Hyper-V virtualization.  Continue Reading

• VMware security: Protecting a VMware environment

  There are several ways to improve VMware security to protect a VMware environment from hackers and exploits. In this section, we show you how.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft and VMware study guide

  Think you know Microsoft and VMware? Test your knowledge with this short quiz and get more resources on these market-leading virtualization platforms.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server migration guide

  Server virtualization brings a variety of benefits to a data center, but perhaps the most significant is the ability to move virtual machines and their workloads across hosts in an infrastructure. This guide on virtual server migration covers the ...  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V cluster guide: How to fix common problems

  This Hyper-V cluster guide provides solutions to common virtual machine cluster problems that plague complex virtual infrastructures.  Continue Reading

• Additional resources for open source virtualization platforms

  This section provides additional resources for open source virtualization software and particular open source virtualization technologies.  Continue Reading

• Open source virtualization vendor comparisons

  This virtualization vendor comparison section compares Oracle VM with VMware, Xen with KVM and explains Xen's prevalence in numerous virtualization platforms.  Continue Reading

• Open source guide to server virtualization platforms

  This open source guide to virtualization platforms covers the major open source hypervisors and server virtualization environments with tips, articles, comparisons and podcasts.  Continue Reading

• Citrix Systems XenServer 5.5

  This section outlines Citrix's reasons for publishing the XenServer source code, how open-sourcing affects the virtualization landscape and the advantages of XenServer.  Continue Reading

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4

  In this section, we cover how to set up KVM VMs in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 environment -- including setting up KVM hosts, creating KVM VMs and managing VMs in RHEL 5.4.  Continue Reading

• The open source Oracle VirtualBox virtualization platform

  This Oracle VirtualBox section provides a tutorial on the virtualization platform, advice for physical-to-virtual conversions and a walkthrough on setting up USB devices  Continue Reading

• The Oracle VM virtualization platform

  In this section, find out about Oracle VM, Oracle VM architecture, Oracle VM Templates and how Oracle VM compares with the competition.  Continue Reading

• Virtualizing mission-critical applications

  Virtualizing applications such as Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint was once thought to be too risky. That's no longer the case for these mission-critical applications.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server storage study guide

  So you think you're an expert on virtual server storage? Take this quiz to test your knowledge and find out what else you need to know about this important topic.  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

• Virtualization implementations and optimization guide

  This guide to virtualization implementations covers security strategies, storage infrastructures, hypervisor choice, virtualization optimization and more.  Continue Reading

• Back ends for desktop virtualization: A guide

  This guide on desktop virtualization and back-end virtualization engines covers how hypervisors from VMware, Microsoft and Citrix Systems enable desktop virtualization.  Continue Reading

• Virtual server sprawl study guide

  Take this quiz to test your knowledge of virtual server sprawl, and get more resources on the causes of and solutions to VM sprawl.  Continue Reading

• Sun VirtualBox tutorial: Guest Additions, shared folders and more

  Sun's VirtualBox is desktop virtualization software that can also have benefits for server virtualization. Learn about Guest Additions, shared folders and more in this tutorial.  Continue Reading

• Virtual systems management resource guide

  Use these virtual systems management resources to learn about systems management tools that can maximize system performance and minimize downtime in a dynamic virtual environment.  Continue Reading

• Virtual machine monitoring and security guide

  This virtual machine (VM) monitoring and security guide offers technical articles and how-to advice on critical issues in virtual machine monitoring, performance and security.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Hyper-V R2 administration and management guide

  This Hyper-V R2 administration and management guide features in-depth technical advice on using Microsoft's new virtualization hypervisor.  Continue Reading

• Server consolidation and virtualization project planning guide

  Combining server consolidation with virtualization can boost server utilization and reduce power consumption. Here are strategies to maximize server consolidation project benefits.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization capacity planning strategy guide

  If a lack of strategic capacity planning or an ever-expanding virtualization environment has taken a toll on virtual server performance, it's time for a capacity planning strategy. This guide covers tools, tasks and best practices for virtual server...  Continue Reading

• Improving performance: Virtualization management guide

  In virtual environments, managing performance now requires more sophisticated techniques. This guide offers resources and advice on topics including setting benchmarks, understanding server performance requirements for a particular environment, ...  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Hyper-V Guide

  Hypervisor-based virtualization in Microsoft's newest offering promises features that will enhance virtual infrastructures. Learn more about the new virtualization platform in this introductory guide to Hyper-V.  Continue Reading

• Guide: Introduction to Xen

  The Xen hypervisor is fast becoming an IT commodity. Get up to speed on the growing Xen-based virtualization products and learn how Xen server virtualization can work in your data center. This guide covers everything from installation to management ...  Continue Reading

• Scenarios for implementing virtualization

  Several implementation scenarios demonstrate best practices for virtualization.  Continue Reading

• Best practices in implementing virtualization

  This guide to virtualization implementation best practices helps managers make the most of OS, application and server virtualization as put forth in this sample chapter from "The Shortcut Guide to Selecting the Right Virtualization Solution" by Greg...  Continue Reading

• Virtual environments are different from physical environments

  The greater automation provided by virtualization has to be set against additional challenges like density and complexity. Learn how to contend with these hurdles in this sample chapter from "The Shortcut Guide to Selecting the Right Virtualization ...  Continue Reading

• Obtaining maximum ROI from virtualization

  With virtualization cost-saving strategies targeted at hardware, infrastructure, software and utilities, managers can increase the ROI of an implementation within the first six months, says Greg Shields in this excerpt from Selecting the Right ...  Continue Reading

• Acquire greater system automation with virtualization best practices

  By creating greater system automation, virtualization can pre-empt administrative tasks with user self-management and chargeback systems, as described in this excerpt from Selecting the Right Virtualization Solution by Greg Shields.  Continue Reading

• How to install VMware on Windows Server 2003 - Fast guide

  Installing new software can be difficult, especially with a new technology. Enter VMware expert Andrew Kutz. In this fast guide, he details every part of installing VMware Server on Windows in layman's terms.  Continue Reading

• Server virtualization: Getting started guide

  This SearchServerVirtualization.com guide introduces you to Server virtualization, explains best practices and pitfalls to avoid and provides troubleshooting help and advice. You'll find virtualization articles, definitions, tips, white papers, ...  Continue Reading