Year: 2006

While not directly related to virtualization this IBM Redbook is a great starting point if you are approaching enterprise virtualization and are looking for a Storage Attached Network (SAN) device:

In this IBM Redbook, which is an update and major revision of the previous version, we have tried to consolidate as much of the critical information as possible while covering procedures and tasks that are likely to be encountered on a daily basis.

Each of the products described has much, much more functionality than we could ever hope to cover in just one redbook. The IBM SAN portfolio is rich in quality products that bring a vast amount of technicality and vitality to the SAN world. Their inclusion and selection is based on a thorough understanding of the storage networking environment that positions IBM, and therefore its customers and partners, in an ideal position to take advantage by their deployment.

We cover the latest additions to the IBM SAN family, which includes products from companies such as Brocade, Cisco, CNT, Emulex, and McDATA. We show how they can be implemented in an open systems environment, and we focus on the Fibre Channel protocol (FCP) environment in particular. We address some of the key concepts that they bring to the market, and in each case, we give an overview of those functions that are essential to building a robust SAN environment.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1 – Implementing a SAN with the e-type family
• Chapter 2 – Implementing a SAN with the b-type family
• Chapter 3 – Implementing a SAN with the m-type family
• Chapter 4 – Implementing a SAN with the n-type family
• Chapter 5 – Implementing a SAN with the Cisco family

Download it here.

Where is Microsoft while VMware is delivering virtualization innovations one after another, driving the whole IT market quite all alone?

Let’s consider the Virtual PC / Virtual Server development cycle from 2002, when the Redmond giant acquired the VMware competitor called Connectix, to today:

• 2003 – Virtual PC 2004
• 2004 – Virtual Server 2005
• 2004 – Virtual PC 2004 Service Pack 1
• 2004 – Virtual Server Migration Toolkit
• 2005 – Virtual Server 2005 R2 (originally planned as Service Pack 1)

In 4 years customers saw few innovations (some readers will remember that Connectix was already working on a server product when Microsoft acquired them), no enterprise management tools, no serious physical to virtual (P2V) migration tools.

Now, avoding any consideration on the early strategy, we have to ask why Microsoft is approaching virtualization in this way since VMware started becoming a serious competitor (probably after being acquired by EMC) and monopolizing the market.

3 possible reasons:

• Microsoft doesn’t really see VMware as a serious competitor and waited VMware success to see how the market would answer to pervasive virtualization
• Since Connectix acquisition Microsoft changed its mind and is still doubtful on what to do
• Microsoft is concentrating all efforts on the announced Windows Hypervisor (codename Viridian)

Considering (and hoping for) the last hypothesis we have to face a new issue: Microsoft Windows Vista (the client operating system to succeed XP) has just been delayed to end 2006 (and worldwide distribution on January 2007).
And this is the biggest issue considering Microsoft has announced Windows codename Longhorn Server (the server operationg system to succeed 2003) to be released 6-8 months after Vista, and Windows Hypervisor to be released 1 year or more after Longhorn.

So whay could happen to virtualization strategy now that Vista scrambled all marketing plans?

• Microsoft will gain unexpected time by Vista delay and will deliver Windows Hypervisor immediately, within Longhorn
  (this could be highly unlikely since Microsoft could need as much developers as possible on Vista to respect the new deadline)
• Microsoft will delay Longhorn and Windows Hypervisor accordingly to Vista release, unchanging distances between products releases

Let’s consider once again the last hypothesis: virtualization customers, now waiting for Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1, would stay without technology enhancements for another 2-3 years.
But this would be completely disruptive for the Microsoft business model. So I would expect a fast plan rearrangement with another, unexpected, minor release of Virtual Server, before Windows Hypervisor will be out.

The real problem is: what Microsoft will be able to offer in this scenario against VMware and Xen (which is now highly supported by Red Hat and Novell efforts)?

Note: although I’m a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), no reserved informations have been disclosed in this article.

As announced Altiris released it’s Software Virtualization Solution (SVS) 2.0 on the market:

Altiris Software Virtualization Solution is a revolutionary approach to software management.

By placing applications and data into managed units called Virtual Software Packages, Software Virtualization Solution allows you to instantly activate, deactivate or reset applications and to completely avoid conflicts between applications, without altering the base Windows installation.
…
Software Virtualization Solution ensures applications use correct files and registry settings, without modifying the OS and without interfering with other applications. The solution allows you to host multiple versions of an application on the same system without conflicts between older and newer files. And you can easily activate or deactivate your applications based on need by sending a single command to the client systems.

The product is available for 120-days evalutation or for free for personal use.

Quoting from macosXrumors:

Reliable sources informed MacosXrumors that Apple is developing virtualisation software that could be added to Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard. The technology will allow users to create and run virtual machines with Mac OS X, Linux or Windows on any Intel-based Mac.

The software, which is said to be code-named “Chameleon”, will be made available in “Client” and “Server” versions. The Client version will have similar features to Virtual PC and will be included with Leopard Client while the Server version will act as a virtualisation server and will come with Leopard Server. Apple may also sell the solution separately just as it currently sells Apple Remote Desktop…

Read the whole article at source.

Note that:

• This is still unconfirmed but there are several details
• Nowhere is said the virtualization solution could not be an existing virtualization provider (I’m thinking about VMware stipulated a special agreement with Apple)

Virtual Strategy Magazine published a tutorial on how create and customize an optimized master virtual machine for creating several clones for work:

Many people have been asking for some tips on how to build a VMware Workstation virtual machine. The following guide has been written with the assumption that this will be the first virtual machine you will be configuring, and that you will be creating this as a template virtual machine.

A template virtual machine, will be a virtual machine, configured by you, which will be prepared for rapid deployment of additional virtual machines. Rapid Deployment means being able to deploy a new pre-configured virtual machine in 10 to 15 minutes.

An assumption will be made that you have the current version of VMware Workstation (as of this writing, version 5.5.1 build 19175) installed on your workstation. It will also be assumed that you understand how to install and configure Windows XP Professional, as this will be the operating system configured as the template.

Read the whole article at source.

VMware just released a maintainance fix for VirtualCenter to correct a rare bug.

Quoting from the Release Notes:

Data loss might occur from a cold-migration, if a network failure occurs at the same time as the migration and the migration keeps the disk files on the same shared VMFS SAN volume. Refer to KB article 2070 for additional information.

Download it here.

Ben Armstrong published a very useful script to monitor active tasks Virtual Server 2005 is executing and how left before end:

Set vs = CreateObject(“VirtualServer.Application”)

Set tasks = vs.Tasks
If tasks.Count = 0 Then
Wscript.Echo “There are no tasks”
Else
Wscript.Echo “Active tasks: ”
For Each task in tasks
Wscript.Echo ” Task: ” & task.ID & ” : ” & task.Description & ” : ” & task.PercentCompleted
Next
End If

Be sure to check the original post for updates and comments.

Quoting from OpenVZ official announcement:

For early adopters and advanced technologists who want to test virtualization technology on the latest beta build of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 (SLES10) and openSUSE 10.1, the OpenVZ project today released its operating system level server virtualization software technology, in the form of a kernel build.

In addition, pre-built openSUSE 10 Virtual Private Server (VPS) templates are available, enabling real-time provisioning of servers and giving users full use of openSUSE applications.
…
OpenVZ kernels for SLES10 and openSUSE 10.1 are available for download from http://openvz.org/download/kernel/suse10. Templates for openSUSE 10 are available for download at http://download.openvz.org/template/precreated.

Update to Linux Kernel
The OpenVZ project has also made available beta level software based on the Linux kernel 2.6.16 that was released this week (March 20), keeping in step with the Linux kernel development progress. That OpenVZ software can be downloaded from http://openvz.org/download/beta/kernel…

Quoting from the Parallels official announcement:

Parallels Inc. today announced the general availability of version 2.1 of its desktop virtualization software, Parallels Workstation. The upgraded version delivers faster performance, better stability, and stronger isolation of virtual machines.

Additional improvements and new features in the popular, easy-to-use, cost-effective virtualization software include:

• A completely re-designed interface
• Better hardware support, including USB and wireless networking support, and support for PAE-enabled machines
• Better functionality, including the ability to suspend and resume VM (virtual machine) activity, a new “compact hard disk” feature that helps users manage available hard disk resources, and a more robust tools package that lets users personalize their experience
• Primary and guest support for SUSE Linux 10
• Guest OS support for Sun Solaris
• Improved performance for guest OS/2 virtual machines

…

Additionally, Parallels announced that future versions of Parallels virtualization products will offer full support for Intel’s next generation of hardware virtualization technology, Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d), which extends virtualization support into the platform by making it possible to robustly assign IO devices to virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized system.

“Intel is delivering relevant innovations for virtualization solution providers including Intel Virtualization Technology for CPU (VTx) and Directed IO (VTd), Dual Core microprocessors and Intel(R) Core(R) Microarchitecture,” said David Tuhy, General Manager of Intel’s Desktop Products Division. “Parallels has taken full advantage of VTx in Parallels Workstation 2.1, and we look forward to continued collaboration with Parallels on enabling new platform capabilities such as VTd which will help improve the reliability, performance and flexibility of I/O devices on virtual machines.”
…
New users can purchase licenses at the industry-leading low price of $49.99 directly through the company’s online store at http://www.parallels.com/buyonline. New users are also welcome to download and evaluate a free, fully functional trial by visiting the Parallels Download Center at http://www.parallels.com/download.

Totally off topic but I had to report for the wonderful name:

Des Moines Police Officer Paul Tieszen stepped onto a city bus and into a world he’s only heard about.
…
The bus wasn’t real, but the officer’s reactions were. And he quickly got a glimpse of what it’s like to suffer from a severe mental illness.

Tieszen’s window into the world of hallucinations was provided by a high-tech virtual reality mask that police use to better understand the mentally ill people they come in contact with.
…
The device is called a virtual hallucination machine. It was introduced to police by Teresa Bomhoff, president of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Greater Des Moines…

Read the whole article at source.

By the way: I know there is a special virtualization.info reader that could find inspiration from this article…