History

Just 2 weeks before the start of TSX 2007, VMware finally publishes the agenda which includes several interesting sessions for who didn’t attend VMworld 2006 in Los Angeles:

• Introducing ACE 2
• Workstation 6 Technology Update
• VMware Lab Manager Technical Background
• Introduction to VMware Fusion – Virtualization on Macs
• VMware Capacity Planner
• VMware Consolidated Backup: Today and Tomorrow
• Architectural Directions for Virtual Infrastructure

anyway the most interesting session will probably be What should be VMware’s next big thing?, where VMware will unveil results of a poll conducted among customers, to understand what they are looking for in near future.

Check all other sessions here.

Despite such delay in sessions announcement, which obliged attendees to blindly register the event, this year edition records a huge success with over 1,000 attendees expected.

virtualization.info will be there and I’d be happy to meet as many readers as possible, as well as VMware employees, customers, partners, researchers and analysts. So be sure to stop by and say hello!

If you are in late and still have to register do it here.

The most famous liveCD Linux distribution, Knoppix, embraced virtualization completely with its 5.2 version.

The new release in fact sports all open source virtualization packages, including Xen, OpenVZ, QEMU (with KQEMU accelerator), VServer, and UML, up to most recent solutions KVM and Virtual Box.

This almost complete set (VMware Server/Player for Linux are the only missing since they are not redistributable), along with easiness of liveCD approach, makes Knoppix probably the best solution to approach virtualization for newcomers.

Unfortunately Knoppix 5.2 has been presented and distributed at CeBIT 2007 on physical support only. Who didn’t attend the event will have to wait April to download the DVD/CD ISO, free of charge as usual.

Take a look at the remarkable features list here.

Techworld published a brief review of VirtualCenter 1.4, last version of 1.x branch VMware is offering as management solution for its free vitualization platform, providing following conclusion:

…

Indeed it’s worth pointing out that, apart from centralised management, VirtualCenter adds very little in the way of extra functionality on top of what comes as standard in VMware Server itself. The only exception is the ability to monitor virtual machine activity and set alarms when, for example, a VM hangs or CPU/memory usage exceeds pre-set limits. There are also tasks you can’t perform from the VirtualCenter, such as take VM snapshots, which mean you can’t throw away the individual server console altogether.

Given its limitations and cost, VirtualCenter for VMware Server is far from an obvious purchase. Its main advantage is clearly the convenience of being able to manage a distributed virtual infrastructure from a single console, but you do need a critical mass of servers to make that worth having….

Read the whole review at source.

Quoting from the Novell official announcement:

…

With the latest update to the Xen* hypervisor (version 3.0.4++), organizations can reduce costs through server consolidation and improved system management. New paravirtualized network and block device drivers will allow Microsoft* Windows* Server 2000/2003/XP to run unmodified in Xen virtual environments on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 operating on Intel* Virtualization.

Seamless live migration is possible for paravirtualized virtual machines across distinct physical hosts.

…

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 has many new features designed to support the workgroup services in Open Enterprise Server 2, including updates to the DNS, DHCP and LDAP modules, as well as support for paravirtualized NetWare 6.5.

Novell plans to release this service pack for May 2007.

Quoting from Security Focus:

Xen is prone to an unspecified vulnerability that lets attackers obtain arbitrary information. The issue stems from a flaw in the VNC server code in QEMU.

An attacker can exploit this issue to access sensitive information that may aid in further attacks.

Currently reported affected systems are:

• RedHat Fedora Core6
• RedHat Fedora Core5
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Virtualization 5 server
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Desktop Multi OS 5 client
• RedHat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 client
• RedHat Enterprise Linux 5 server

Read the whole bulletin here.

It’s a sort of ironic that Red Hat, who had so much to say about Novell/Xen enterprise readiness, is exposing such Xen flaw just less than a week after its major OS release.

Quoting from the Thinstall official announcement:

Thinstall, the leading Application Virtualization solution provider, today announced its Distribution Partner Program, naming Centia as European Distribution Partner, and Lifeboat Distribution, a subsidiary of Wayside Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSTG), as its North American Distribution Partner. The company also launched the Thinstall Certified Partner (TCP) program to give its distributor’s network of software resellers, VARs and system integrators the power of Thinstall’s certification to help corporate IT customers jump-start their virtualization programs…

Microsoft published a preliminary agenda for upcoming edition of TechEd US, taking place in Orlando in July 4-8.

Virtualization only takes a very short space, with mere 10 sessions on over 400. Half of them are interesting:

• High Availability for Physical and Virtual Environments with Windows Server Codename “Longhorn”
• Microsoft SoftGrid and Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003/System Center Configuration Manager: Better Together
• Running Paravirtualized Linux Guests with Microsoft Windows Virtualization
• Virtualization 360: Microsoft’s Vision and Strategy for Virtualization
• Virtualization Head-to-Head: Debunking Market Myths and Misperceptions

Register for the event here.

VMware arranged a new webcast for March 29 about disaster recovery capabilities of its ESX Server 3.0 & VirtualCenter 2.0.

Attendees will learn about:

• Ways that you can use VMware Infrastructure to provide better backup and easier recovery, including how to eliminate the need for backup windows by using VMware Consolidated Backup
• Options for leveraging replication to protect virtual machines
• Using VMware Infrastructure capabilities to provide easier testing of disaster recovery plans

Register for it here.

In April and in May I will speak at the Windows Server “Longhorn” Roadshow produced by Windows IT Pro.

During these months I’ll touch different US cities, presenting sessions about upcoming Windows Server Virtualization hypervisor (codename Viridian) in Virtualization and Server Management track, along with Michael Otey, Technical Director for Windows IT Pro and SQL Server Magazine:

This track provides detailed knowledge of Windows Server “Longhorn” based virtualization in terms of its architecture and key usage scenarios. In addition, this track provides a detailed discussion of Server Management technologies now part of Longhorn such as the new streamlined Server Core installation option, PowerShell for enhanced command line management, and Remote Management Scenarios for Windows Server “Longhorn”.

I’ll be in:

• Chicago – April 10
• Atlanta – April 12
• Anaheim – April 17
• Santa Clara – April 19
• Boston – May 02
• Detroit – May 08

I’d be happy to meet virtualization.info readers during the roadshow, so if you are going to attend be sure to stop by and say hello.

(if you are interested in knowing other events I’ll speak at check my 2007 speaking schedule)

In January 2007 virtualization.info launched the first online infrastructure available for rent, featuring enterprise-class servers, fibre channel SAN, and fully redundant network equipment: Rent-A-Lab.

Today, due to its big success, virtualization.info is happy to announce a remarkable hardware upgrade to this facility.

Almost all existing machines have been replaced by 6 brand new HP ProLiant DL 380 G5, each sporting 2 powerful Intel Xeon 5300 (Clovertown) Quad-Core 1.86GHz processors with Virtualization Technology (VT-x) extensions, with 4GB RAM (which can be extended on demand), a couple of ultra-fast 72GB 10,000RPM SAS hard drives (if you don’t need the available SAN), and 6 network interface cards with TCP/IP Offload Engine (for testing heavy network workloads scenarios).

The management station has been upgraded too, now based on a rock-solid HP ProLiant DL 380 G4 with a 2 Intel Xeon 3.2GHz CPUS and 4GB RAM.

With such configuration (8 cores per machine) customers are finally able to extend their testing from VMware and Microsoft products to new virtualization platforms like XenEnterprise and Virtual Iron (including new Microsoft Windows hypervisor, codename Viridian, when it will be available), and perform meaningful comparisons on their own without marketing meddling and without breaking any vendors’ EULA.

So go on and check the introductory demo of Rent-A-Lab, its topology map, its equipment’s detailed configuration and obviously its price list. And book it today!