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IBM and VMware released a Reference Architecture titled: "IBM SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure with VMware View". The paper, which contains 52 pages and describes the reference architecture for using VMware View 5.1 on the ESXi 5 hypervisor. It

gives an architecture overview and component model of the VMware View and then describes the deployment model of VMware View using different number of users on a variety of IBM® hardware platforms including IBM Flex System, IBM PureFlex System, IBM System x, IBM networking, and IBM storage.

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Citrix and IBM have released a Reference Architecture called: "IBM SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure with Citrix XenDesktop". The paper, which contains 56 pages describes a reference architecture for running Citrix XenDesktop 7 running on top of the IBM SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure. It provides an architecture overview and component model of the Citrix XenDesktop and then describes the deployment model of Citrix XenDesktop using different numbers of users on a variety of IBM hardware platforms including IBM Flex System, IBM PureFlex System, IBM System x, IBM networking, and IBM storage.

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PQR has released a paper titled:”Guidelines for local storage in VDI environments“. The paper written by Hugo Peter, Peter Sterk and Herco van Brug contains 29 pages and can be downloaded for free from the PQR website after registration. The goal of the paper is to provide a better insight into the key figures for resources that are applicable to design of a VDI solution. It describes sizing guidelines and the impact of the use of local storage for VDI.

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Beginning this month 5Nine Software released version 3.6 of its Manager for Hyper-V, and now 5nine Software released version 3.7 of its management tool for the Microsoft Hyper-V hypervisor.

Version 3.7 provides the following new features:

• Generation 2 VM support for Windows Server 2012 R2
• Enhanced Virtual disk manager
• IOPS throttling that allows to limit I/O operations of individual Virtual Machine to improve overall system performance
• New Create Virtual Machine Wizard

5Nine also provides a free version of the Manager for Hyper-V with reduced functionality compared to the paid version which costs $149 per physical host per year.

Microsoft today announced the launch of a new effort with the goal to educate current VMware administrator to use the Hyper-V and the System Center tooling that comes with it. The effort which is called Virtualization² (Virtualization squared) offers a free online training on the 19th and 20th of November and a voucher to take a free Microsoft virtualization certification exam (70-409) afterwards, which must be taken before June 30, 2014.

Microsoft states on the website that there are substantial career benefits for virtualization professionals who are comfortable with both Microsoft and VMware platforms referencing to research done by ESG called “Multiple Hypervisor Strategies“. Of course it must be noted that it is in Microsoft’s best interest to mention this.

Microsoft currently also offers a free training called “Microsoft Virtualization for VMware Professionals Jump Start” on their Microsoft Virtual Academy website.

VMware  launched a new website which shows the configuration steps of various VMware solutions. In an attractive user interface showing screendumps the user get an idea of how to perform configuration steps. By clicking right arrow the user is guided.
Also some basic understanding is given of various products.

VMware Walkthroughs is very usefull to understand what a product does without having to read lots of documentation and marketing brochures.
It is also very usefull for presentations and documentation as it has a lot of screendumps.

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VMware has released a Frequently Asked Questions paper on vSphere Flash Read Cache. The FAQ which contains 5 Pages provides answers to 67 questions on the Flash Read Cache functionality.

vSphere Flash Read Cache, which is a new feature of vSphere 5.5 enables the pooling of multiple Flash-based devices into a single consumable vSphere construct called a Virtual Flash Resource. The Virtual Flash Resource is consumed and managed in the same way CPU and memory are done today in vSphere. For more information about Flash Read Cache, please see: What’s New in VMware vSphere Flash Read Cache

VMware released a maintenance update on VMware workstation version 10.

The following issues are resolved in VMware Workstation 10.0.1.

• Easy Install supports RTM versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
  Easy Install now supports RTM versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.
• Workstation or Player on Windows freezes if another application is frozen.
  Other stuck Windows applications could cause Workstation or Player to freeze while waiting for the application to respond.
• Virtual machine hangs when powering off
  Rarely, virtual machines will cease functioning (hang) while powering off, particularly if the guest OS was in the middle of a BSOD or kernel panic.
• Improved compatibility with some AMD CPUs
  Updated masking to match capabilities of certain AMD PileDriver CPUs.
• Virtual machines displayed incorrectly on a multi-monitor Windows host when the displays have differing pixel density (DPI.)
• Boot from CD/DVD when Legacy Floppy is disabled

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VMware strongly depends on its channel partners for selling solutions and services. In Europe 95% of the business comes from partners.

At VMworld US and Europe VMware announced a new partner programme which goal is to stimulate  partners to invest in knowledge and selling of VMware solutions . The more partners invest the higher the rewards from VMware.

The programme  named ‘Value Channel’   expected to launch before VMware Partner Exchange event in February 2014 will have 4 tiers: Enrolled, Professional, Enterprise and Premier for all types of partners – including resellers, integrators, outsourcers, service providers, and distributors. VMware has around 50,000 partners worldwide.

There will be an Elite level which proofs partner knowledge in a certain subject area. This area can be one of three VMware pillars being Software Defined Datacenter, Hybrid Cloud and End-user Computing.

Details of the new programme are expected to be released at VMware Partner Exchange 2014.

VMworld TV covers VMworld in a great way. The crew does a lot of video interviews during VMworld with many experts. The YouTube channel also has the keynotes and some of the most popular breakout sessions available online.

One of their interviews during VMworld Europe 2013 was with VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0mSMNmZvFk#t=94[/youtube]

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