virtualization.info Editors

How many time you need to run multiple copies of the same VM? Well, how do you act to achieve this task?
Answer: prepare your “master VM”, then copy whole directory as many times as needed, and finally register all “clones”, eventually changing names.
What is the problem with this? It takes a lot of space!

Can we try something different?
Answer: Yes, thanks to shortcuts/symlinks.
How? In this way:

1) Create your “master VM” (or take an existing one you wanna use as “master VM”)
2) Modify your virtual harddisk to indipendent-non persistent
3) Create your first “clone VM” directory
4) Copy “master VM” configuration file (.vmx) from “master directory” to “clone directory”
5) Shortcut your “master virtual HDs” (.vmdk) to “clone directory”
6) Eventually rename your shortcuts/symlinks to reflect real “master virtual HDs” names
7) Register “clone VM”
8) Enjoy

Great, uh? …What? Another problem: I want to make some changes on my “master VM” and reflect it on all “clone VMs”!
How? In this way:

1) Shutdown all “clone VMs” and your “master VM”
2) Change back your “master VM” virtual harddisk to indipendent-persistent
3) Power on your “master VM” and do all changes you like
4) Shutdown again your “master VM”
5) Change again your “master VM” virtual harddisk to indipendent-non persistent
6) Power on again all “clone VM”
7) Done: you have all your clones updated

Thanks to Ron McKelvey for posting this method on VMware web community.

UPDATE: VSMT was posted on Microsoft Download Center by mistake. Is now available only into relative beta program.

Quoting from Microsoft Download Center:

Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Migration Toolkit (VSMT) automates the migration of physical servers to virutal machines running in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005.

VSMT automates the migration of an operating system and installed applications from a physical server to a server running within a virtual machine that is provided and managed by Virtual Server 2005. Virtual Server allows multiple virtual machines running different operating systems and applications to run on the same physical computer.

The primary usage scenarios for VSMT are as follows:

? Windows NT 4.0 Server migration. Migrating servers running Windows NT 4.0 Server to Virtual Server 2005 is appropriate when an application designed to run on Windows NT 4.0 Server cannot easily be moved directly onto Windows Server 2003. Migrating the server application to new hardware running a member of the Windows Server 2003 family affords improved performance, reliability, and maintainability. The application environment is still maintained within the Windows NT 4.0 Server software, so changes to the application are not required to realize this benefit. For a complete description of planning and implementing a Windows NT 4.0 Server consolidation project, see the Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating LOB Applications, available on the Microsoft Web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=31616.

? Server consolidation. Migrating multiple physical servers onto a smaller number of physical servers is appropriate when the original physical servers are underutilized. This reduces the cost of supporting and maintaining servers. Each of the original physical servers runs in its own virtual machine to maintain application isolation, security, and operating system environment.

-) System Requirements

? Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003

? 1 to 3, x86-based computers to host the Controller service, Network Boot Services, and Image Distribution service. ADS is not supported on Itanium-based computers.

? One or more processors with a recommended minimum speed of 1 GHz. Processors from the Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processors are recommended.

? English version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and installation CD. ADS is not supported on the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition.

? A hard disk partition or volume with 2 gigabytes (GB) free space to accommodate the Setup process, plus enough extra free disk space for the images themselves.

? 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum (128 MB minimum supported, 32 GB maximum).

? Volume licensing (with a single product ID) for the software in the images you want to install on the devices is recommended.

? VGA or higher-resolution monitor (Super VGA 800×600 or higher recommended), keyboard, and (optionally) a mouse or other pointing device.

Quoting from official VMware announcement:

Virtual Infrastructure Software Developer Kit (SDK) Enables Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Partners and Customers to Control VMware Virtual Infrastructure and to Integrate Into Existing Management Frameworks

VMware, Inc., the global leader in virtual infrastructure software for x86-based systems, today announced the availability of the VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK. The VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK provides standards-based interfaces that enable ISVs, partners and customers to control VMware virtual infrastructure and to integrate into existing management frameworks.

The VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK provides comprehensive interfaces to:
Create, delete, copy and clone virtual machines
Define and create virtual machine templates and virtual peripherals
Set resource policies for virtual machines, including virtual CPU, memory, disk and network allocations
Monitor virtual machine performance over time including CPU, memory, disk I/O and network utilization
Control VMotion – a revolutionary technology that enables the migration of a running virtual machine to a different physical server without loss of user service

The VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK incorporates a Web services interface that uses the SOAP and WSDL standards so that developers can program in their choice of environments, such as Java or Visual Studio .NET. The VMware Virtual Infrastructure SDK, including WSDL interface description, extensive sample code and programming guide, can be downloaded at: www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-sdk/.

VMware is committed to supporting a broad community of partners so that customers who standardize on VMware virtual infrastructure can benefit from best-in-class software solutions. Among the first to integrate their management and utility computing solutions with VMware virtual infrastructure are leading enterprise vendors Altiris, BMC Software, Computer Associates, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, HP, IBM and LEGATO Software and emerging solution vendors Enigmatec Corporation, Evident, MetiLinx, PlateSpin, Platform Computing, Surgient and Sychron.

“With more than 5,500 enterprise server customers deploying virtual infrastructure, it’s crucial for us to build on our commitment to standards-based interoperability with customers’ existing management strategies and to provide an open API for next generation policy engines to use,” said Michael Mullany, vice president of marketing at VMware. “The tremendous early adoption of our SDK by a broad range of systems management partners underscores the value virtual infrastructure is delivering today.”

Companies that want to further leverage their SDK work can join the VMware Software Alliance Program. Information on the program can be found at www.vmware.com/partners/sw/alliances/.

VMware just released three key products:
GSX Server 3.1.0, VirtualCenter 1.1.0 and Virtual Infrastructure SDK. This means two things:

-) centralized management of virtual environments is mature enough to handle large, middle and small production environments fitting any customers needs.
-) virtual environments are finally open to customization, leveraging and improvements. At this very moment third party virtualization companies can really start to heavy invest on this technology seeing some concrete returns on investiments.

So be ready: a virtual infrastructure is coming near you.

VMware finally released delayed VirtualCenter 1.1.0 upgrade. This minor upgrade is particularly awaited cause it introduces GSX Server management (from version 3.1).

Here new features complete list:

-) Support for GSX Server, including centralized management, secure access control, rapid provisioning, and virtual machine interoperability between managed GSX Server and ESX Server hosts.

-) A Web service interface to allow users and third party software products to leverage the capabilities provided by VirtualCenter.

-) Scalability and performance enhancements to the VirtualCenter server.

-) Enhanced remote browsing capabilities for connecting an ISO file to a virtual CD-ROM.

-) Single-port management operations for better integration with firewalls.

-) Usability improvements such as restructuring the Tasks and Events interfaces and removing the long UUID tags from filenames.

-) Additional database support for Oracle 9i.

VMware finally released delayed GSX Server 3.1.0. This minor upgrade is particularly awaited cause it introduces VirtualCenter support.

Here new feature complete list:

-) Manage Virtual Disks with VMware Virtual Disk Manager

Create, manage and modify virtual disk files from the command line or within scripts with the VMware Virtual Disk Manager utility. For more information, see Using VMware Virtual Disk Manager.

-) New Operating System Support

Get the freedom to choose the operating systems and applications that work best for you. VMware GSX Server 3.1 provides experimental support for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for 64-Bit Extended Systems (beta), Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0 and SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8.0 on hosts with 64-bit processors.

Experimental guest operating system support is provided for Solaris 9 and 10 Operating System x86 Platform Edition.

– ) VirtualCenter Ready

GSX Server 3.1 is enabled for management by VMware VirtualCenter. You can use VirtualCenter to manage and provision virtual machines on multiple GSX Server hosts, then migrate the virtual machines between other GSX Server and ESX Server systems under VirtualCenter management.

-) GSX Server 3.1 Secured with OpenSSL 0.9.7d

GSX Server 3.1 incorporates the updated version of OpenSSL. OpenSSL 0.9.7d corrects various security vulnerabilities

VMware addresses issues raised with Broadcom 5701 rev 15 network interface cards and ESX Server 2.1 releasing a new driver.
You can download it from here.

Thanks to Massimiliano Daneri for point this out.

Finally registrations are opened. Quoting from official VMware announcement:

REGISTER NOW AND SAVE $500

at http://www.VMworld2004.com

===================================================

THE VMworld 2004 USER CONFERENCE

ONE OF THE YEAR’S MOST IMPORTANT IT EVENTS

****************************************************

Come hear industry leaders, technology visionaries, and VMware executives

explain why virtual infrastructure is one of the hottest innovations in IT today.

WHERE: Manchester Grand Hyatt in beautiful San Diego, California

WHEN: Wednesday, October 27 – Friday, October 29, 2004

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

****************************************************

* New strategies and tools for implementing virtual infrastructure technology

* The latest thinking on industry developments and trends

* Timesaving tips from people who know — including VMware developers

* New products & feature updates

HEAR AND BE HEARD

********************

* Meet with virtual infrastructure experts

* Network with the VMware customer and partner community

* Share your views and feedback with VMware product development

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

*********************
* Hands-on demos and labs

* Keynote addresses by industry leaders

* Informative breakout sessions

* Exciting solutions expo

* Unforgettable social events

*************************

80% OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES ARE SAYING THAT

VMware IS A CRITICAL CORE IT TECHNOLOGY.

**************************

Find out why at the VMworld 2004 User Conference.

REGISTER ONLINE AND LEARN MORE AT http://www.vmworld2004.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PLATINUM EVENT SPONSORS:

***************************************************

Dell http://www.dell.com/vmware

HP http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/cache/4314-0-0-0-121.aspx

IBM http://www.pc.ibm.com/ww/eserver/xseries/vmware.html

Join the virtual evolution – we look forward to seeing you in October!

Well, now the interesting things:

-) Speakers will be revealed in early August.
-) Day 1, Wednesday, is only dedicate to registration. No Sessions.
-) Day 2 tentative agenda is here. Key topics will be ESX Server, VirtualCenter and P2V Assistant.
Future VMware desktop products roadmap, VMware Workstation 5.0 and VMware Software Development Kit (SDK) will be disclosed!
-) Day 3 tentative agenda is here.
Future VMware server products and virtual infrastructure roadmaps will be disclosed!
-) Price is $695 for early registration (through August 15, 2004), $895 for regular registration (through October 15, 2004), $1195 for onsite registration.

Quoting from MarketWire:

Softricity announced today SoftGrid Enterprise Edition, an application management platform that uses virtualization technology to transform large organizations into utility computing environments. Designed for large-scale, geographically dispersed IT environments, SoftGrid Enterprise will enable customers like Northeastern University to manage applications with minimal IT support, ensure immediate access to all applications in case of disasters, and provide applications to end-users in real-time regardless of their location.

“SoftGrid is perfect for Northeastern University’s complex heterogeneous IT environment,” said Richard E. Mickool, Executive Director of Information Services, Northeastern University. “We manage hundreds of applications, from high-end engineering software to multiple versions of the same word processor. All of them need to be available on our public desktops used by students and staff, which means we spend a tremendous amount of time regression testing each time we roll out a new application or patch. By taking advantage of SoftGrid’s application virtualization abilities, testing to make sure that one application does not break another is no longer needed. This means we can enable any user to go up to any computer on campus and get exactly the applications they need. SoftGrid addresses key issues we thought might never be solved.”

“Utility computing promises to help dynamic enterprises handle IT complexities more easily and cost-effectively. SoftGrid Enterprise can make this possible for applications with a new approach to a virtualized environment that addresses the real challenges of large, global organizations in a simple, reliable way,” said Dan Kusnetzky, Vice President, System Software Research, IDC.

SoftGrid Enterprise Edition

Without any re-programming, SoftGrid transforms Windows applications from products that must be installed locally into virtual services that can be centrally configured, managed, and deployed on-demand to desktop, laptops and servers. SoftGrid’s patented “Application Virtualization” enables applications to run without installation or alteration to the host operating system, allowing any applications to run side-by-side without conflict or the need for regression testing.

The new SoftGrid Enterprise Edition was enhanced with capabilities that meet the unique needs of large-scale organizations:

-) ?Application Portability? for Network-free Delivery of Virtualized Applications

IT can have all the advantages of application virtualization without delivering applications across a network. Designed for end-users on low-bandwidth connections, SoftGrid?s Application Portability supports the deployment of virtualized applications via CD or data keys instead of network delivery. Once deployed, the virtualized applications have all the advantages of network-delivered SoftGrid applications, including license compliance and real-time access to updates and patches anywhere in the world.

-) ?Application Replication? for Business Continuity and Branch Office Support
By virtualizing applications, SoftGrid turns applications into data files. As a result, these virtualized applications can be treated ? and replicated ? just like data, making them much easier to manage. This enables:

-) Seamless, synchronized disaster recovery for applications:
Applications are kept up-to-date between live sites and back-up sites by automatically replicating virtualized applications files on the live sites? SoftGrid servers with the SoftGrid servers at the back-up site. This not only provides dramatic time savings ? the alternative is to install application to each terminal server and desktop at the back-up site each time a change is made at the live site ? it also reduces end-user downtime to minutes instead of hours or days in case of a disaster.

-) Branch office support:
Using application replication, anytime an application update or patch is added to a SoftGrid server at the main data center, the change is automatically replicated to branch office servers, which then deploy the change to local end-users. This greatly reduces WAN traffic, and enables IT to update applications for an entire global organization with one change to their central SoftGrid server.

-) Enabling the Virtual Desktop for ?Free Seating? and ?Hoteling?
Dynamic organizations must be able to seamlessly assign people new desktops and quickly provide them with applications they need. This is critical for replacing desktops that fail and for users that access ?hoteling? desktops (where different people use the same desktops at different times). Without SoftGrid, this requires the time-consuming process of re-installing the operating system and applications each time a new user accesses the computer.

SoftGrid?s combination of virtualization, on-demand delivery and user-driven application rights transforms machines from being application-centric to user-centric. This means that based on users? credentials, they?ll automatically get access to applications they have the right to regardless of the client device. This also impacts business continuity, as any user can be moved to any location served by SoftGrid and get just the applications they have the right to access.

-) Increased scalability

SoftGrid now supports over 1,000 concurrent connections on a single processor SoftGrid Virtual Application Server.

…

Pricing and Availability

SoftGrid Enterprise Edition will be available this summer. It is priced per concurrent user. Starter solutions begin at approximately $15,000. SoftGrid is available through Softricity and its Partners.

Microsoft is going to release long awaited Virtual Server 2005, but also wants to address physical to virtual (P2V) customers needs.
To do so the software giant didn’t develop a brand new piece of software, but preferred to adapt an existing one for a new role: Automated Deployment Service (ADS) 1.0 will be extended with a Virtual Server Migration Toolkit (VSMT), reaching P2V capabilities.

A new entry in Virtual Server 2005 FAQ states that VSMT beta will be available for early July.