Plain Virtualization

With VMware Explore in US, vSphere 8 and vSAN 8 are both announced. However, do note that not to get confused announcement is on the release but it's not generally available. So you cannot download them till generally available. The general available date is to be 28th Oct as stated with all the announcement for all the new infrastructure offering here . vSphere 8 To give you a technical overview of vSphere 8, do check out this site . In vSphere 8, the biggest feature that was release is the support for Distributed Services Engine also known as Data Processing Unit (DPU) or SmartNICs as a hardware or as Project Monterey which was announced 2 years ago. With the initial release, only NSX services will be offloaded to the DPU. The plan was to have vSAN and ESXIO to be part of the DPU. Which then will be able to provide NSX and vSAN services to not just vSphere environment but also to all x86 servers running Windows and Linux. To find out more, try it out on HOL . Also with this relea...

Early this morning 11th Dec 2021, SGT, VMware has release a security advisory announcement for  VMSA-2021-0028 regarding a critical vulnerability in Apache Log4j identified by CVE-2021-44228 with a CVSSv3 full score rating of 10. Immediately, VMware has worked on several of the affected products that are affected with workaround or patches. As this is a full score rating, we likely to see VMware update workaround at least and release patches in the next few days. Do check back the page to see more updates. Do note that this is not a vulnerability specific to VMware. This is an Apache vulnerability. It is affecting all solutions that uses Apache. So do check out your environment and ensure all solutions used in your environment that do contain Apache Log4j is worked on. A FAQ site is also release for those with questions regarding this. If you are not aware do subscribe to VMware Security Advisory.

Recently, I got into a discussion with my colleague regarding vCenter Server High Availability (VCHA) and a good discussion on the area where VCHA could be of use. Before we start, I like to summarize the few questions that always got asked during my course of work and as well when I teach vSphere Install, Configure and Manage course. What is VCHA use for? It is really meant for local site availability. Where a lost of vCenter Server can create an outage to other management components where vSphere HA RTO is not sufficient or vSphere HA is not possible to bring up the vCenter Server. Can VCHA be used in a stretched cluster setup and how should we plan to place the nodes? Yes. You will definitely have two sites in a stretched setup. And if you like to have VCHA implement in such a setup, you will need to have a 3rd site or minimal a separate cluster at the passive node site. Typically you will have active node at site 1, and passive node with witness node at site 2 where witness node is...

The annual vExpert program for 2021 will open its application once again. Application open: 21st Nov (US)  Closing date:  8th January 2021 Results will be announced on: 11th February 2021 (US). For those who have have gotten their vExpert accreditation  on the 2nd round application in 2021, will need to apply again. As mentioned, vExpert program is an annual accreditation and will require yearly application this is to ensure, every individual are awarded for your personal contribution to the VMware communities. If you are not familiar with the requirement, please head over to http://vexpert.vmware.com and also check out my previous article . If you need further clarification, do not hesitate to contact with your nearest vExpert Pro for assistance. Update 21st Nov 2020 The official blog post is out .

If you haven't heard, VMware is implementing a new licensing on his products which will be effective 30th April 2020. This means, if you were to purchase any license prior to that, it will still have no restriction. So what is new in these licensing changes? Basically, VMware is introducing a physical core licensing to its per-CPU license. VMware software has always been licensed by per physical CPU with unlimited physical cores on that CPU. With this change, each CPU license will be limited to 32 physical cores. Will the customer be affected? Most customers, will not be affected since most servers are using Intel CPU which currently has not exceeded 36 physical cores. However, those running the latest AMD CPU, will be affected as there will be more licenses required. Here is the VMware announcement. This will apply to all VMware software. One of the questions that are commonly asked, will be if my CPU has more than 32 cores (example 48 cores) and I am using two physical C...

Yes, you read it correctly. The vExpert program for the year 2020 will be open next Monday, 25th Nov 2019 PST. This has been announced in the vExpert Twitter tweet . To recap for those who are applying. My experience FAQ to be qualified, show your contribution vExpert portal to create an account to apply and benefits list List of vExpert Pro around the world to help you Get ready your engine. Make your Mark! Closing date 10th Jan 2020. Update 26th Nov 2019 SGT The application has gone live.

VMware vExpert program is an accreditation given to an individual for their past year effort in contributing to the VMware community via multiple channels. This is a yearly accreditation and the application is open twice a year. The second application opening allows those who lack contribution to have at least 6 months more to prove themselves. I was fortunate to be appointed as a vExpert Pro with other professionals, we were tasked to assess the applications for vExpert 2019 based on past year, 2018, contribution. We have to go through thousands of applications and able to see some with great work while some fall short. This article is to provide some feedback based on my observation and hopefully, those who didn't make it can start improving your contribution when the next application comes in the middle of the year. There are three tracks and I like to mention what to expect in general first and focus on each track later. General In the application form...

These few days there are many discussion regarding VMware Certification changes. If you are not aware here is a summary. Over the last two years, VMware Certification policy was made mandatory to renew a VCP certification once every two years to stay relevant and failure to do so, require you to re-do the whole five days course with a foundation exam and a VCP exam. With immediate effect on 4th Feb as announced here , VMware is removing this mandatory policy. So what is relevant is up to you. You can stay up to date or not, however, you will only be allowed to upgrade to a later VCP certification not more than three versions. Taking an example, if you are currently a VCP 5.0. You will be able to upgrade to VCP 2019 (which is based on either vSphere 6.5 or vSphere 6.7). This is less than three version from 5.0, 6.0, 6.5 or 6.7. Which also means if the next VCP is based on such as 7.0, then those who are still on VCP 5.0 will not be allowed to upgrade to it. VMware Education fina...

Awhile a go I wrote an article about how the different vSphere Desktop licensing is for and the entitlement. Having meeting many customer with big and small environment, projects or used cases for certain requirements.  There were some question revolving around vCenter licensing especially for the desktop related. Here is an article of the FAQ on vSphere Desktop licensing.  One of the question in this article states: Q. Do I need a separate vCenter Server for my VDI hosts?  A. Yes, like Horizon 7 deployments on vSphere 5.x, you will need a separate VMware vCenter Server® for your VDI hosts. vCenter is not included in vSphere Desktop.  Let me further explain the above.  If you are running a 3rd party VDI solution riding on vSphere Desktop licensing, vCenter is not included.  You would need to purchase vCenter Standard to manage that environment. However if you are a Horizon customer, the bundle include vCenter Desktop use to manage a vSphere Des...

Recently been asked how can you connect to multiple Horizon Desktops from an endpoint.  Just to get things right there are just two ways depending where your virtual desktops are at. Scenario 1 Multiple virtual desktops from the same connection server but in different desktop pools. With Horizon Client, you will be able to connect multiple virtual desktops you are entitled to from just single instance whether on Mac of Windows as the Horizon Client window will be left open for you to select other virtual desktops to connect. Scenario 2 Mutiple virtual desktops from different connection servers. In this case, you will need to launch another instance of Horizon Client to connect to every connection server.  In Windows, this is easily done however on Mac, this might be a challenge.  You can of cause run a commend as written by this author here , to run another instance on Mac via Terminal window and keep it on the dock so you get two instance anytime you need it. ...

Before I started Presales role, I do not know the difference between OEM and Open (some call it volume license) License means.  It was something I never bother as I was doing professional service I just implement and license was not something I need to understand as long my customer bought them and hand me the serial keys to setup.  Doesn't matter is it Microsoft, VMware, Symantec or whatsoever software. After being a Presales consultant for a while now.  I have to understand licensing and able to explain when asked and one of the most talked and confused topics is always on OEM and Open licenses.  Been able to understand them more easily helps me to advise my customer not just in solution but also in terms of compliance not to violate any licensing agreements they have. Here I must state the disclaimer, purpose of this post is to clarify all the doubts on what have you got confused with and as well as the references from the various vendors so none of this is N...

Happy New Year to everyone who have been following my blog.  It been a great year last year and the start of the year have already got me real busy. To start the year going, I decide to have my first post regarding vC Ops in vSOM which have been rising lots of questions. As more customers are looking at better managing their environment, the standalone vSphere license become less attractive as the only monitoring that is possible is from vCenter performance charts.  Using this could be an easy way out for a small 2-3 hosts environment however if you have more  hosts or over 100 of VMs, that would be a tedious task to be accomplish everyday.  Especially when an issue rise. As you know VMware has release a new package for vSphere which is known as vSphere with Operation Management.  This package added in vC Ops Standard edition as part of the processor license and allow customers to monitor unlimited number of VMs running on such licensing type in the clust...

Was asked by few customers confused on Site Recovery Manager (SRM) compatibility with vSphere Essential Plus.  And I thought I do make a explanation to clear this confusion which I was able to find the documents stating it.  Also refer to my previous post on vCenter Editions to understand the different editions of vCenter. First and foremost,  the current release of SRM at the time of writing is 5.1.1.  SRM must work with same version of vCenter.  So if your vCenter is 5.0, you can only run SRM 5.0.  In order to run SRM 5.1, you need to upgrade only your vCenter to 5.1 while vSphere can remain any version that is supported by vCenter 5.1.  In this case, vSphere 4.x and above.  You can check out the interoperability using the site here .  Here is an example: Next, we know that SRM 5.1 support vSphere Essential Plus.  That is true however if you are using a lower version of SRM, vSphere Essential Plus is not supported.  ONLY ...

Recently did a presentation on VMware Mirage to one of my customer who have attended the vForum 2012 and like to explore.  Some questions were posted and like to share some of the ways you can compliment or work with your existing patch management which you might currently have in your environment. You can find out more on VMware Mirage here . Download a free trial here . Question 1: SCCM in place for patching endpoints.  Mirage can help in two use cases: Use Mirage to build the reference machine for base layer and deploy to all end points.  SCCM to push all other apps and patches. Use Mirage to build reference machine for base layer and deploy to all end points as standard.  Use SCCM to only patch the reference machine.  Use Mirage to create different layers for different layers required. Now which to choose?  I would recommend option 2.  Here is why.  Using SCCM to patch the reference image and using Mirage to capture helps manag...

Decided to write a post on this as I receive just too times the questions from different customers due to the confusion. Say if you are using a free edition of the vSphere Hypervisor or you are on any purhcased editions of vSphere, and you like to licensed it or upgrade to the next edition.  Now you have the new license key what do you do? This is the most asked question: 1. Do I need to reinstall the ESXi server applying a new license key? Answer is No.  You just need to either go to the Hypervisor via the vSphere client, select the host and on the right under the Configuration Tab and choose Licensed Features.  Click on Edit and enter your serial key.  Alternative if  you have a vCenter, just select Home>Administration>Licensing and choose Manage vSphere Licenses.  The features of the edition you have purchased or licensed will be activated and shown. 2. Can vSphere 5.0 serial keys work in vSphere 5.1? Answer is Yes.  All vSphere...