Check out the already extensive list of sessions for VMworld Europe 2008! There are a couple of sessions I will attend for sure: VMware Infrastructure 3 Networking – Advanced Configuration and Troubleshooting, Smart Application Deployment – Moving Beyond VirtualCenter Templates and ESX Server best practices for performance. See you in Cannes!
Various
Xenserver patchmanagement
One of the things that Xenserver, still lacks is decent patch management. VMware solved this in ESX3.5/VC2.5 with the “update manager” which is an awesome tool for updating your ESX Hosts. (Yes it can be used for Windows/Linux and applications, but it needs to be refined in my opinion.) Patching Xenserver is a manual job, but not for long. Citrix just announced a new feature for the upcoming Xenserver release, pool-wide patchmanagement.
Pool-wide patch management has been integrated into the product, and, in conjunction with a wizard in XenCenter, will allow you to:
- Check the Citrix XenServer website for updates
- Download any pending updates to your XenCenter system
- Choose which servers in your managed pools you wish to apply the patches to
- Put each server in maintenance mode (with their VMs kept online on another server via XenMotion)
- Apply the patches
- Bring the server back online and move VMs back to it automatically
All in a single guided process.
There should be a beta available soon. It’s good to see Citrix is bringing Xenserver up to speed. This competition/rivalry will eventually make all products better! Read it at the source.
Sun to aquire MySQL
I don’t know what’s going on these days but Sun just bought MySQL AB for approximately $1 billion. After Xensource another open source related company that gets picked up by a market leader. Read it at the source!
New VMware certification?
Where’s the new VMware certification? I received an email about this “VMware Certified Design Expert” certification about two months ago? Beneath is what I received but I haven’t seen any new details since, although it clearly states “later this month”. Maybe you guys have?
A new advanced certification for design architects of enterprise deployments, VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDE), will be in beta toward the end of November. The VCDE measures the consultants ability to design, implement, document and test a VMware Infrastructure data center for the enterprise. Requirements for the VMware Certified Design Expert include:
- VMware Certified Professional (VCP) on VMware Infrastructure 3
- Pass a VMware Infrastructure 3 Enterprise level exam and a VMware Infrastructure 3 design exam
- Submit, present and defend a successful virtual infrastructure design plan
Additional information will be posted to the VMware certification page later this month.
MCSE 2003 upgrade to MCTS on Windows Server 2008
Just did the upgrade exam to Windows Server 2008 and passed it. It was by far the easiest exam I did over the last couple of years… 55 questions divided in three sections, mainly about IIS, Active Directory and Terminal Services. If you are an MCSE on Windows 2003 look into this exam.