VMware News

The beta release ofVMware Studio 2.0and using it to create vApps was the topic of this week's podcast. Studio 1.0 came out last year; this beta moves the bar significantly. We also got into why you as a VMware admin should care about vApps - without being too hyperbolic I think it's going to be the organizing paradigm that will change how we think of applications -- from a VM level to something much higher-level and more manageable. Going back to Studio, here's the high-level description:

VMware Studio 2.0 helps configure, build, deploy, customize and maintain vApps and virtual appliances. These solution stacks can be deployed on VMware vSphere 4.0 or in the cloud and can be managed from the VMware Studio web console or from VMware vCenter Server. In this webinar, software vendors, application developers and IT administrators will get an overview of vApps and virtual appliances followed by what's new in Studio 2.0. We will walk you through the entire build process by starting with an application created in Eclipse (via the Eclipse plug-in in Studio) and demonstrating how it can be packaged as either a vApp or virtual appliance in OVF format. The process will also reveal various automated tools available, for creating a clean out-of-box experience, such as specifying exact OS requirements, building an update repository, adding custom management services and adding existing VM builds as input.

As always, listen in via the widget to the right, themp3, or viaiTunes.

More links:

• VMware Studio 2.0 beta page
• VMware Studio 2.0 webinarrecorded for your on-demand viewing pleasure from our VMware Coffee Talk Series with more details andslides
• vApp Developers Blog<-- brand new! We'll be covering vApps, OVF, Studio, and topics related to building and using virtual appliances here. They are already off to a great start -- check out theopening postcomplete with very nice video of the vSphere OVF deployment wizard in action; and the second post talking about working withOVF from the command line.

Non-Studio topics we discussed:

• VMworld Technology Exchange Developer Day:announcement,more details,registration is open
• Virtualization Security PodcastwithSpecial Guests Karen Hepner and Steve Beaver from vWire, Scott Lowe and Chris Wolf.
• Dave Convery:Dear VMware: Pick a Common (SUPPORTED) Virtual Appliance OS... Please...

A few of the podcast attendees have already weighed in with their reactions - mostly about the significance of using vApps in the enterprise. I wasn't kidding when I used the word'paradigm'above.

Stu from vinternals.com, who is known totell it like it is,liked it, he reallyliked it.

Rich Brambley: VMware Studio 2.0 and OVF Exports: Blurred Products or Outside The Box Thinking? | VM /ETC.

I’ll outline potential Studio / OVF usage that may be“outside of the box”from the VMware software’s intended purpose. Or is it? You tell me.

vCenter / Deploy from template

The ability to export any VM as an OVF from the VI Client by itself, let alone VMware Studio, opens the door for template deployment in environments without vCenter. Build a VM to desired corporate standards and then export a copy of it to a shared network drive where it can be used as a master image for future deployments on any virtual platform that supports OVF.

With VMware Studio build a multiple VM apllication as a vApp. Configure the web server and the database for example, and before adding any data export the combination as an OVF. Deploy the vApp OVF as a master template as needed.

Sure, vCenter offers so much more automation for this process, but what about for deployment between ESX hosts that are not managed by the same vCenter or don’t share the same storage? ...

Daniel Eason:Virtually Insane?: The Virtual Glue.

By deploying turnkey Virtual Appliances with for example a new SAP ERP Landscape on 10-20 Machines in a period of say 2-3 days rather than 2-3 Machines in 10-20 days clearly shows that current long deployment processes are redced and less people need to be involved on a deployment when using Virtual Appliances alongside side orchestration and groupings such as vApp. The problem however with this is you get people protective on roles and the oldage turf war developing so it is not something that can be just implemented straight away. ...

vApps functionality in vSphere enables organisations to reduce even more manual and people process. It enables you to compile the complete application stack and configure all associated components by one single master definition. Tie this in with some VMware orchestration capability where you could say deploy via API the Database components as part of the VM build and provision the relevant Networking components and it is clear the potential is going to be huge.

For the Canadians hiding among us, happy belated Canada Day. For the USians, happy Fourth. For the rest of the world, keep on working and we'll see you next week.

Attendees to Learn How Virtualization is Revolutionizing the Next Generation of Computing New Developer Day Focuses on Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation Using the VMware vSphere™4 Platform . PALO ALTO, Calif., June 29, 2009—VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop through the datacenter and to the cloud, today announced that VMworld®2009, the leading virtualization event, makes its return to San Francisco August 31–September 3, 2009 at Moscone Center. With more than 11,000 attendees expected and more than 180 sponsors and exhibitors, including AMD, Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, HP, Hitachi Data Systems, Intel, NetApp, Terremark...

With More than 700 Service Providers Worldwide, the VMware Service Provider Program Offers Industry-leading Products and Program Benefits and a Flexible Licensing Model, Enabling Partners to Easily Provide Cloud-based IT Solutions to Customers. PALO ALTO, Calif., June 29, 2009—VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop through the datacenter and to the cloud, today announced expansion and continued momentum of the VMware Service Provider Program (VSPP). The VSPP is designed to enable IT service provider partners—solution providers that offer cloud-based IT services to customers outside their traditional datacenters—to leverage the VMware...

It was a good week again. Some awesome blog posts of which the following five were my favorites. It seems like it is getting harder to create a top 5 every week. I picked technical and non-technical articles this week. Enjoy,

• Maish Saidel-Keesing - ESX 4.0 running a vSphere Lab -part 1&2
  I have a dedicated Blade server for this purpose, and IBM HS21 E542 CPU (Quad) with 2GB of RAM and 150GB HD. Now you might say - and rightfully so - what can you do with only 2gb of RAM?? Well nothing really - that is why I have upped the RAM on the server to 8GB so I can get some testing done. So since this is going to be a test bed for my full migration for the production system, I wanted to get it as close as possible to what my production system will be like.
• Steve Chambers -Stabilizing vSphere
  Gene Kim said once that“virtualization amplifies bad practice”, and this has been seen commonly out there (just today I saw, on Twitter, that a customer changed their SRM password–no change process–and killed their DR environment). Virtual server sprawl, eggs in one basket: there are many examples why if you are bad at IT, you’re going to be really bad at virtualization.
• Rodney Haywood -Attend VMworld 2009
  This morning on the VMTN podcast John Troyer stated it was time for some blogs post in the community on why go to VMworld. Hey, count me in.I do feel that I am qualified to comment here. I am a VMworld Alumni, having attended the last 3 years. For two years it was funded by my employer (thanks guys). One year, because I was in the period of transition between two employers, my wife paid, serious. Don’t forget, I live in Australia so it’not an inexpensive exercise. I have lived through and succeeded in the task of negotiating with my wife as to why I should invest in taking an overseas trip just to attend VMworld.
• Duncan Epping -VMFS/LUN size?
  A question that pops up on the VMTN Community once every day is what size VMFS datastore should I create? The answer always varies, one says“500Gb”the other says“1TB”. Now the real answer should be, it depends.
• Scott Lowe -New User’s Guide to Configuring VMware ESX Networking via CLI
  A lot of the content on this site is oriented toward VMware ESX/ESXi users who have a pretty fair amount of experience. As I was working with some customers today, though, I realized that there really isn’t much content on this site for new users. That’s about to change. As the first in a series of posts, here’s some new user information on creating vSwitches and port groups in VMware ESX using the command-line interface (CLI).

AlthoughVMware Studio 2.0Beta was originally scheduled to be released on Monday the VMware Studio team worked very hard and managed to release it yesterday.

We are pleased to announce that the beta version of VMware Studio 2.0 has been released and is available for download. We look forward to receiving your feedback - issues, feature requests, suggestions for improvement - through the Discussions forum in the VMware Studio 2.0 Beta Program Community.

If you already have a Store account on VMware.com,register for the beta directly.

If you do not have a Store account,please create an accountAND join the beta. The VMware Team

Besides several fixes multiple new features have been added:

• Windows Support (32 bit and 64 bit) 2003&2008 Server
• Create multi-VM vApp and multi-VM VA
• 64 bit support for SLES 10.2, RHEL 5.2&5.3, CentOS 5.2&5.3
• Extensible in-guest Management Framework
• OVF 1.0 support
• Eclipse Plugin
• Enable ESX, ESXi, VC, Server 2.0 and Workstation as provisioning engine
• Automatic Dependency Resolution (Static)
• Publish OVF to VC
• Infrastructure enhancements–GUI and Builds
• Studio-created VM as Input

VMworld 2009
August 31 - September 3
The Moscone Center, San Francisco

Discover how virtualization is revolutionizing the next generation of computing?providing even more efficiency and flexibility at a time when both are critical to the future of IT. VMworld 2009, brought to you by VMware®,is the perfect opportunity for IT Professionals to connect with peers and virtualization thought leaders. Register to attend this unique event where you can:

1) Select from over 300 Breakout Sessions and Hands-on Labs to customize your conference experience and explore topics most relevant to your organization.
2) See and hear about the latest virtualization trends from industry leaders during General Sessions.
3) Experience the VMware Booth and Genius Bar, where you can get answers from VMware experts.
4) Engage with 200 companies showcasing the latest in virtualization at the Solutions Exchange.
5) Network with like-minded people in a casual, interactive environment.

Register Today!
http://vmworld2009.com

Refer a colleague and enter to win a 50-inch Flat Screen TV or 1 of 5 Flip MinoHD cameras:
http://www.vmware.com/go/vmworld2009-refer

Rooms are going fast and you don?t want to miss out on hotel deals:
http://vmworld2009.com/hotel-travel/

Network with other attendees, start discussions or post questions about the event:
http://vmworld2009.com/networking/

~ VMworld Team

The Content Catalog has been released for public viewing, covering VMworld 2009 session and lab titles, abstracts and speaker bios.

Whether you are attending VMworld 2009 or are yet to register, please browse the Content Catalog for a full lineup of sessions and labs. Hear from experts and industry analysts about the latest in virtualization. From Virtualization 101 to more Advanced Sessions than ever before, there is something for every level of interest.

Note:Content is subject to updates, so please check back often. Schedule Builder, which will allow attendees to build their own session schedules, will be available in late July.

View Content Catalog

~ VMworld Team

VMworld community–

Let us set the record straight on any vendor exhibit issue.

VMware is totally committed to continuing to make VMworld the leading virtualization conference in the world, highlighting the rich, diverse ecosystem that is the virtualization marketplace. Just to be clear, the exhibitor sponsorship contract we are using is standard across the industry. Nothing out of the ordinary or meant to limit the value of VMworld.

As you'd expect, Microsoft and Citrix have already signed up and will of course be participating in the conference this year, as well as hundreds of other companies.

We encourage companies to exhibit and participate that compete with us in one fashion, but complement us in others. It’s all about customers and community!

The VMworld team is hard at work putting together final touches on the show. We are expecting a great turnout and look forward to seeing you in San Francisco on August 31!

For a listing of all attending sponsors and exhibitors, please visit:

VMworld 2009 Sponsors&Exhibitors

~ VMworld Team

Are you bringing your spouse to VMworld 2009 in San Francisco?

Crystal Lowe, wife of Scott Lowe, is once again planning a number of exciting activities for spouses in the San Francisco area during the conference. Here is a general overview of what Crystal has planned so far:

*One day in Napa/Wine Country.
*One day of sightseeing (Coit Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Bay Bridge) and shopping.
*One day organized around a tour of Alcatraz.

If you are interested in participating, please email Crystal at vmworldspouses@gmail.com. For more information, visit Scott Lowe's Blog:http://blog.scottlowe.org/2009/06/19/vmworld-2009-spouse-activities.

If you are still wondering whether or not you should attend VMworld 2009, then hopefully this post will change your mind.

Besides having numerous sessions, speakers, and vendors present, you will have the chance to network and learn from the best in the industry.

But hey, if that's not enough to convince you to register, hear it from VMworld alumni Rodney Haywood. Haywood hasn't missed a VMworld in the last three years, even paying his own way one year...and he lives in Australia.

One of the reasons from Haywood's post is that"with so many sessions and such a large section of vendors there WILL be relevant content to your needs and area of interest. You will come away with concrete things that will make a difference. Every year VMworld has set my agenda for the next 12 months, none more than last year!"

To read more about why you shouldn't miss VMworld 2009,visit Rodney Haywood's blog:http://rodos.haywood.org/2009/06/attend-vmworld-2009.html.

See you at VMworld 2009!

It was one of those weeks again. I had a lot to do, and there is still a lot left to do. I just finished this top 5 and the quality of the articles is again very high. Especially Chad's article, wow... Anyway, start reading and enjoy. This is my gift to all fathers out there.

• Mike Laspina -Automating vSphere ESX4 Host Installations
  The custom VMware kernel incorporates Linux kickstart scripting functionality to invoke automated installations. The script location is defined as part of the Syslinux functionality and is available as a menu at boot time. A control file located on the boot media provides these variable control elements. Depending on the media type Syslinux uses a respective cfg file to implement this function. The various available Syslinux boot methods that I am aware of are USB, CD, DVD, PXE and gPXE. In this blog I will demonstrate an ISO CDROM method to perform the automated boot cycle. Any of the boot methods mentioned will all work and have varying levels of complexity to achieve.
• Chad Sakac -VMware I/O queues,“micro-bursting”, and multipathing
  A shallow queue somewhere in the IO path (or an overflowing port buffer) will cause the I/O to back off.   You need the queues to be deep enough to withstand the bursts–sometimes increasing the queue depth is important.  Now, if the problem isn’t actually the bursts, but the I/O service time not being sufficient for the sustained workload (aka you have a slow, or underconfigured array), increasing the queue depth will help for only a fraction of a second, after which the deeper queue willstillfill up, and now you just have increased the latency even more.
• Bouke Groenescheij -Queue Depth and more
  Last few weeks we have had some issues regarding our HDS USP-V. For some reason a SCSI lock locked the whole VMFS and all ESX servers in that cluster were not able to read/write to the VMFS anymore. The LUN was still available, however the VMFS not. So this crashed all the VMs in the cluster. The incident repeated itself after 6 weeks, on another server, other chassis, other switches and so we contacted VMware and HDS to help us in this situation.
• Duncan Epping -VCDX Defense, the blog article
  The last part of the VCDX certification is the defense. In short: you will need to write a design, fill out the application and defend your design during a two to three hour session. Although I can describe it in 30 words it is not as simple as it may sound. First of all your design needs to meet specific requirements. I can’t go in to the details unfortunately but when you receive an invitation you will receive all the prerequisites. Like me, most of you done numerous designs, but keep in mind it needs to be in English and so will your defense need to be. This is an extra barrier for many of the non- native speakers; I know it was for me.
• Rodney Haywood -VMware vShield
  You can think of vShield as providing firewalls inside your ESX hosts. Each host runs one or more vShields which is a VM (provided as an OVF) which acts as a bridge between the real network and your Virtual Machines. These numerous vShield machines are all managed by a central vShield Manager (also provided as an OVF, one per vCenter Server). The vShield creates two zones, one protected and the other unprotected. The traffic enters the protected zone from the unprotected zone. As it crosses the zones the vShield performs traffic analysis, discovery and stateful firewall protection.

Release Date: 11/15/07 Document Last Updated: 11/15/07 Download Now...

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Release Date: 07/08/08 Document Last Updated: 07/08/08 Download Size: 1.7 MB Download Filename: ESX-1003519.tgz md5sum: 97ad2938204bbbd314bae1d2ed74362f Product Versions ESX...