The Virtualization Practice

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02/10/12--10:17: Hyper-V: Is it there yet? (chan 1654118)

For a good portion of the time I have been working in the virtualization space, there has been plenty of hype about how it is just a matter of time before Microsoft “leapfrogs” ahead of VMware in the area of virtualization and with the massive upgraded version of Hyper-V 3.0 that will ship with Windows Server 8, there is thought that Microsoft might just pull off that upset. So in classic Microsoft style, let’s take a look and compare VMware today (ESX/vSphere5) with what Microsoft will have with Hyper-V 3.0 sometime possibly in the “Fall” of 2012. [...]

Hyper-V: Is it there yet?|The Virtualization Practice

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02/13/12--05:09: When to use a Virtual Firewall (chan 1654118)

The 2/9 Virtualization Security Podcast was a discussion on when would one use a virtual firewall. This was in response to being told that there are some people that would never use a virtual firewall for anything, and that got me thinking. Outside of the politics involved with using virtual vs physical firewalls, when would you use one? What are the cut offs, and best practices around using virtual firewalls. We were joined by Rob Randell of VMware to discuss this point. [...]

When to use a Virtual Firewall|The Virtualization Practice

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02/14/12--05:23: HP Delivers High Performance and Security to Thin Client Line (chan 1654118)

As Virtual Desktops become standard components of the entire desktop environment there are increasing demands on the end point devices to provide the performance of legacy desktop computers they are replacing. Devices with more memory, faster processors and expandable peripheral device support are quickly replacing the utility devices most associated with thin clients. On Monday February 13, 2012 HP announced the release a new class of thin client devices that are designed to address the end user performance needs and adds security architecture to combat increasing security threats. [...]

HP Delivers High Performance and Security to Thin Client Line|The Virtualization Practice

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• Client Hypervisor Security
• Virtual Computer collaborates with Lenovo-NxTop the industry’s best enterprise-class type 1 client hypervisor?
• XenClient 2.0: An Enterprise Ready off-line XenDesktop…or not?




02/15/12--06:36: Mitel and VMware combine technologies to Bring VDI to the Call Center (chan 1654118)

While desktop virtualization may never achieve the desktop dominance that was foretold by many analysts, new technologies continue to appear that both reduce costs and increase deployment opportunities. This week, Unified Communications (UC) vendor Mitel Networks announced its first foray into the virtual workspace market by announcing support for the VMware View UC APIs within its Contact Center Solution to offer contact center employees access to cloud-based unified desktop and communications services wherever they may be. [...]

Mitel and VMware combine technologies to Bring VDI to the Call Center|The Virtualization Practice

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• Bring Your Own Computer Model to Reinvent the Corporate PC?
• Microsoft to Bring the Cloud to the Datacenter with Server App-V
• The Effects of Virtualization on Data Center Power and Cooling




02/16/12--05:15: SSD options for Virtual (and Physical) Environments, Part II: The call to duty, SSD endurance (chan 1654118)

Let’s continue by taking a look at endurance for storing and retaining data using nand flash SSD. The importance of the first part of this series is to understand the basics of nand flash based SSD in order to make informed decisions on what is the best for your virtual or physical environment. In addition to SLC (high cost, improved duty cycles) and MLC (higher capacity, lower cost), there is also EMLC or Enterprise MLC which is striving for a balance between SLC and MLC characteristics. [...]

SSD options for Virtual (and Physical) Environments, Part II: The call to duty, SSD endurance|The Virtualization Practice

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• SSD options for Virtual (and Physical) Environments: Part I Spinning up to speed on SSD
• News: Virsto introduces new virtual storage options for VMware and Hyper-V
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02/17/12--05:04: Who’s Who in Managing your Virtual Infrastructure (vSphere, Hyper-V, etc.) (chan 1654118)

Virtualization is such a profound change to how systems operate that it not only creates new management requirements, but it also breaks legacy management solutions. For these reasons, enterprises should look outside of traditional legacy management vendors for their virtualization performance and capacity management solutions. The focus should be on the richness of the virtualization aware functionality in the solutions, their support of multiple platforms, and how easy the solution is to try, buy and implement.

Who’s Who in Managing your Virtual Infrastructure (vSphere, Hyper-V, etc.)|The Virtualization Practice

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02/20/12--05:56: Cisco VXI gets closer to Citrix and VMware, playing the field or looking for a long-term partner? (chan 1654118)

Cisco surprised a few people on Monday morning with two press releases announcing that it was to start reselling both Citrix XenDesktop and VMware View.

Cisco VXI gets closer to Citrix and VMware, playing the field or looking for a long-term partner?|The Virtualization Practice

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02/21/12--07:57: Application Security within the Virtual and Cloud Environments (chan 1654118)

Virtualization and Cloud Security architects, pundits, and writers like myself often talk about protecting the data within the virtual and cloud environments. However, in order to protect that data we need to be able to determine how the data will be used, accessed, modified, and eventually removed. So, how can we understand data security without understanding the application around it. But there is an even more fundamental problem, how do we define the application and the security measures we should take?

Application Security within the Virtual and Cloud Environments|The Virtualization Practice

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02/22/12--02:58: Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) is Great, But which one should you Bring? (chan 1654118)

My answer to my computing needs is a very high end Windows 7 desktop, a very low end Windows 7 Netbook and an Android phone. I am and will always be a non-fan of the vertically integrated Apple model. I will probably always pay a price in terms of complexity of my computing life for this bias. But being a free market economist at heart, I like Shrek believe in the value of layers. I believe that processors, system software, device design, operating system design, applications development and content are all separate disciplines with completely separate bases of comparative advantage. I believe that attempts to integrate across these layers in a proprietary and closed way will fail. Windows computers have always outsold Mac's for this reason. Android phones are already outselling iPhones for this reason. If Microsoft could get its act together on the phone and tablet front, it could restore the natural economic order of the marketplace to the device industry. But that is the subject of another post.

Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) is Great, But which one should you Bring?|The Virtualization Practice

Related posts:

• Bring Your Own Computer Model to Reinvent the Corporate PC?
• If Citrix is on a buying spree – should its next purchase be Virtual Computer?
• Quest and Virtual Computer to take on Citrix XenDesktop and VMware View




02/23/12--06:38: Wouldn’t It Be Nice To Have … Appliances for All? (chan 1654118)

I was involved with the design and deployment of a small proof of concept that would introduce virtualization to a local SMB in my area. The idea was to build them something small that they would grow into and at the same time demonstrate all the really cool things that virtualization can bring to the table. I built a couple of hosts and deployed virtual center virtually, as well as added the VMware Management Appliance and the VMware Mobile appliance. It is really fun to get a chance to introduce virtualization to people, it is almost as fun as bringing a child to a candy store. Showing the client what they can do with virtualization as well as what they can do on their iPad is just priceless.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice To Have … Appliances for All?|The Virtualization Practice

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• Private Cloud Security Nice to Have!?
• Distributed Virtual Switch Failures: Failing-Safe
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