Microsoft has announced that it will support for Docker in its next version of Windows Server. Docker which provides a so called container virtualization solution currently receives a lot of support from developers using the technology to deploy their software. Docker provides so called container virtualization, allowing an application and its dependencies to run as an isolated process inside a virtual environment. This environment is then portable from local computers to backend infrastructure and cloud.
Year: 2014
Paper: Achieving Over 1-Million IOPS from Hyper-V VMs in a Scale-Out File Server Cluster Using Windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft has released a paper titled:"Achieving Over 1-Million IOPS from Hyper-V VMs in a Scale-Out File Server Cluster Using Windows Server 2012 R2". The paper which contains 24 pages demonstrates the high-performance storage and virtualization capabilities for a Hyper-V virtualized application using the Scale-Out File Server platform in Windows Server 2012 R2.
The platform uses industry standard servers, disks, and JBOD enclosures. With the block storage made available through Storage Spaces combined with the Scale-Out File Server in a failover cluster, Microsoft can deliver extremely high levels of storage performance and resiliency similar to a traditional SAN using Microsoft Storage Solution and inexpensive shared Direct Attached Storage.
VMworld Europe 2014 Wrap-Up
VMworld Europe 2014 in Barcelona has seen Pat Gelsinger (VMware CEO), Bill Fathers (EVP and GM, Hybrid Cloud Services Business Unit) and Sanjay Poonen (EVP and GM, End-User Computing) in Tuesday’s general sessions, Carl Eschenbach (President) and Ben Fathi (CTO) on stage today.
A lot of focus was on the consolidation and enrichment around vCloud Air service base, presented at VMworld 2014 in San Francisco, but the announcements covered several areas and can be summarized as follows:
Release: Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.0
Microsoft has released version 3.0 of its converter tool from the VMware platform to Hyper-V and Windows Azure, the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC). Version 3.0 is the follow-up of version 2.0 which was released in April this year.
New in this version is that the MVMC is now also able to do a Physical to Virtual (P2V) migration of machines running Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista or above.
Paper: VMware Mirage Large-Scale Reference Architecture
VMware has released a paper titled: "VMware Mirage Large-Scale Reference Architecture". The paper, which contains 30 pages is a provides a reference architecture and real-world testing results for image management, backup and migration of Windows Desktops using VMware Mirage.
Mirage uses a layering technology to segment OS, applications and user personalizations into isolated containers allowing administrators to separately manage hardware and each layer of software.
HP splits into Enterprise Services and Personal Systems
On Monday HP announced the decision to split into two different companies, one focused on the PCs and printers business (HP Inc. led by Dion Weisler) and another dedicated to enterprise services, technology consulting and, generally, value-added services (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise led by current CEO Meg Whitman).
This fracture let us return to the image of the “old world” that moves away from the “new world” and not necessarily to give both the best possible opportunities to “rise and shine” alone.
HP Inc. will inherit what is still considered HP’s stronger asset, even if the market is registering an increasing contraction.
More information about the next version of Microsoft Windows Server and System Center
Last Wednesday, virtualization.info reported that Microsoft announced the next version of its Client OS: Windows 10, its Server OS Windows Server and its Management Suite: System Center. Later that day Microsoft released the technical previews including more documentation about what features are added and which features are being removed.
It’s important to note that Microsoft also announced that they will also use an agile method of developing this new version of Windows Server, which means that new functionality can be added, or announced functionality can be changed. As quoted from the blog:
This early access is just one small step we are taking. We are also evolving how we ship our software and service our platform products to keep the software up-to-date. For our datacenter products, there is a duality in what customers want: in some scenarios customers tell us they favor stability and predictability while in other scenarios they want access to the latest and greatest technologies as fast as possible. We’ll have more specifics in the coming months, but you can expect us to deliver the best of both worlds: options for speed and agility, plus options for stability and durability.
Microsoft announces next version of Windows Server and System Center – UPDATED
Yesterday, Microsoft announced the new name for its Client Operating System: Windows 10. What was also announced was the upcoming features to be introduced in the next version of Windows Server and System Center. Windows Server 10 will be released in a technical preview for the public today. Also a technical preview of System Center is expected, with the exception of of System Center Configuration Manager for which a technical preview is expected in H1 next year.
For Windows Server Microsoft plans to introduce:
VMware announces Workstation 11 and Player 7 Pro
VMware today announced the release of its type-2 client hypervisor product Workstation (version 11) and Player Pro (version 7). VMware expects to release both products in December this year. Starting with these versions VMware will require users to run the products on 64 bit Operating Systems, abandoning the 32 bit platform
Included in the Workstation 11 update:
Release: Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop 7.6
As announced in august, Citrix has now made available version 7.6 of its Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) product XenDesktop and desktop and virtualization product XenApp.
Version 7.6 contains the following new features (among others):