Month: May 2016

vRA and NSX – Using Baseline Security Groups

#vRA and NSX – Using Baseline Security Groups

vRA and NSX – Using Baseline Security Groups

vRA and NSX came together back when vRA (a.k.a. vCAC) 6.0 was released, just as VMware was transitioning from vCNS to NSX. In vRA 6.x, inventory-collected security groups must be selected (checked) per Reservation prior to being available for consumption by a multi-machine blueprint (and only MMBP’s support NSX in vRA 6.x). As I’ve highlighted several times before, the latest release of vRealize Automation (7.x) delivers deeper integrations with NSX and unified service authoring capabilities to make delivering application-centric networks the new norm. See this post for how vRA and NSX are better together…I won’t repeat those details here.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

vSphere Thick Client End of Life – A Look at…

#vSphere Thick Client End of Life – A Look at the HTML 5 Client Fling #h5client

vSphere Thick Client End of Life – A Look at…

On May 18th VMware announced the end of the road for the C# vSphere Thick Client. The next version of vSphere-the thick client-will not be available. VMware has been building up to this moment and previously announced they wanted to move to a web based client to have maximum comparability and mobility. The current versions of the vSphere thick client will remain supported (5.5, 6.0) until their end of life cycle. So what does the future look like for the vSphere Client? VMware will keep the existing Flash web client and introduce the HTML5 based vSphere Client. The Flash web client will remain so third party developers can migrate their plugins over to the long term HTML5 client.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

Deploy and configure VMware NSX in 23 minutes

Deploy and configure #VMware NSX in 23 minutes – VMGuru

Deploy and configure VMware NSX in 23 minutes

VMware NSX is completely software based. This means it’s flexible as heck and you can have a lot of instances running concurrently. It also means you can go crazy with your network topology designs and amount of tinkering you can do with your virtual network. I am someone who loves to tinker. Sometimes a bit too much. A consequence of this, is that I sometimes break my virtual test lab and have to re-install it and return to the starting point. This has happened a few times.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

A Guide to Fumbling Through PowerCLI

A Guide to Fumbling Through #PowerCLI

A Guide to Fumbling Through PowerCLI

PowerCLI can come in quite handy in a vSphere environment, especially when you’re managing a large number of hosts. Sure, you can find sample scripts on the Internet to run, but it is also a good idea to at least get a fundamental understanding of how PowerCLI works. After all, you wouldn’t want to let a script loose in your environment if you didn’t have any idea what it did.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

[Technical webcast] Understanding the Benefits…

[Technical webcast] Understanding the Benefits of Containerized Desktops

[Technical webcast] Understanding the Benefits…

Join us for this technical webcast and learn about the security and productivity benefits of Horizon FLEX. This policy-based, containerized solution helps you deliver a corporate desktop to laptops you might not own—and extend legacy desktops to modern hardware.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

5 Common Errors While Installing vRealize…

5 Common Errors While Installing vRealize Operations Manager

5 Common Errors While Installing vRealize…

Understanding the most common errors associated with installing VMware’s vRealize Operations Manager (vROps) can drastically improve user experience. Currently, 85% of Blue Medora’s support tickets are related to user error during vRealize Operations installation and configuration. Below, I have outlined the top five errors that we see vROps users encountering, and how to avoid them if you’re looking to install vRealize Operations or integrate third-party management packs.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

Building a Home Lab for PowerCli Testing

Building a Home Lab for #PowerCli Testing – Notes of a scripter

Building a Home Lab for PowerCli Testing

After taking the PowerCli HOL from VMware, I been thinking of putting together a home lab. I been reading a lot of information about others bloggers using Mini PCs- such as the Intel NUCs, Mac Minis, and even custom built whitebox servers. Unfortunately, being a father of 3 kids means I have to be on a tight budget, and at the same time I don’t want to skimp and have a under powered home lab. I would also like the equipment to be quiet and fan-less if at all possible.

VMware Social Media Advocacy

It’s that time of the Year….

It’s already that time of the Year again… VMworld is just over the horizon. Registration is open and Early Bird pricing ends on June 6 and the Content catalog should be available June 21.

This is going to be my 12th VMworld and as always I’m really looking forward to it. For me the sessions isn’t the biggest part any longer. For me the most important part is now the networking and the chance to talk with some really amazing people. The hole community is very open and welcoming so even if it’s your first VMworld don’t be afraid to approach the Guru’s. They are almost always ready to help you and answer your questions. VMworld is a great opportunity to mingle with your peers and there is a lot of value to gain from visiting the Solution Exchange. Plan what sessions you want and when you hit the barrier where you just can’t process more information take a break and visit the Solution Exchange or try out a lab.

If you should run in to me then please come and say hi 😀

 

The end of the C# Client

VMware has announced that the C# Client will not be a part of the next version of vSphere.

What is the consequence of that decision for us admins? For a little while the embedded client has been available as a fling. This Embedded client is intended to be the tool for administrating the ESXi host directly without vCenter. The fling is now a part of vSphere 6.0 Update 2. As long as the ESXi Host web service is running we are able to administer the Host. My concern is that in the past I have seen Hosts where the web service has crashed but where I was still able to connect to the host with the C# Client and I don’t want to loose this option.

The Web Client has been much improved in vSphere 6 but in my opinion it is still not stable enough or fast enough. What really annoy me is that the status of running tasks is not updated fast enough compared to the C# Client.

Hopefully the new HTML5 Client is coming to the rescue. It is available as a fling but not yet full featured.
I hope that VMware gets this new Client fully ready very fast. It is very promising. If you haven’t tried it out do yourself the favor and get started.