VMware Resources
Top Stories
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Feature
10 Sep 2010
Refresh, Recompose and Rebalance - VMware View: Chapter 10
Mike Laverick explains the VMware concepts of Refresh, Recompose and Rebalance as the three main tasks that may need to be carried out on your linked clones. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Apr 2016
How can you disable snapshots in vSphere 6?
Reducing the number of snapshots that you have could boost performance. Here's how to disable snapshots completely. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Mar 2016
Using shared disks to set up virtual clusters in ESXi
Thanks to some expert advice, we've come up with some best practices for building a Red Hat-based Linux cluster in an ESXi environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Mar 2016
Deconstructing disk capacity using VM thin provisioning
Although thin provisioning promises to reduce the disk footprint of VMs, it can lead to an increase in disk capacity usage, making capacity monitoring absolutely essential. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Feb 2016
Prepare yourself for these VMware administrator interview questions
Before you get to your VMware interview, prepare yourself with these questions. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2016
Scripting workflows with the VMware vRealize Orchestrator
Understanding the essential elements of how vRealize Orchestrator workflows work is just the first step to increasing functionality, simplicity and compartmentalization. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Nov 2015
Creating virtual machine blueprints with vRealize Automation
In this installation of our VMware vRealize deployment guide, we take an in-depth look at creating virtual machine blueprints and servers with vRealize Automation. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2015
Correcting your cables with PCI bus enumeration
Sometimes, fixing cables is as easy as making sure they're plugged in correctly. Other times, it might be an issue with the server. Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2015
The Best of VMworld 2015 Awards
The Best of VMworld 2015 Awards recognize the most innovative new server virtualization, cloud and end-user computing products. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Aug 2015
How do vRealize Automation and vRealize Orchestrator differ?
VMware offers two products that can help automate cloud management tasks to provide more consistency with the distribution of IT services. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Aug 2015
Why production environment testing is better than a lab setting
Should you test a monitoring tool in your production environment? Only if you want it to get an accurate look at the infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Jul 2015
Can a VMware snapshot resurrect a VMDK file?
Snapshots can be used to undo botched upgrades, but can they be used to rebuild a broken VMDK file? Continue Reading
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Guide
15 Jul 2015
Avoiding downtime with VMware Fault Tolerance and High Availability
This guide delves into two of vSphere's key uptime features, High Availability and Fault Tolerance, how they keep the business running and how they differ. Continue Reading
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Answer
14 Jul 2015
Is there an SDN open source alternative to NSX?
VMware's NSX and Cisco's ACI platforms have gotten the most attention in the SDN space, but is there room for open source alternatives? Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jun 2015
How the balloon driver helps VM performance
Using the balloon driver in VMware Tools is a better option for reclaiming RAM from a VM; otherwise there may be a bigger performance issue. Continue Reading
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Guide
20 May 2015
How to choose the right VMware type-2 hypervisor
This guide can help decide which of VMware's hosted hypervisors best fits the needs of your data center environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2015
How to build your own virtual test lab
A virtual test lab can give you a place to test patches and configuration changes -- and avoid the potential for downtime in the production environment. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2015
Tracking VMware's expansion from humble beginnings
VMware got its start by overcoming the technical hurdles of server virtualization and now faces other barriers as it expands its reach to other markets. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2015
Horizon View Direct-Connection Plugin streamlines configuration
The Direct-Connection Plugin lets Horizon View users connect to a virtual desktop without connecting to a Connection Server first. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Apr 2015
Working with the vSphere 6.0 Web client
Your stance on the vSphere Web Client may determine your level of happiness with VMware's latest server virtualization platform. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Apr 2015
Taming data center disturbances with vRealize Operations Manager
As more workloads and servers are virtualized, the vSphere administrator will need some kind of tool to help keep an eye on resources and make intelligent choices. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Apr 2015
How do I address capacity issues in VMware VDP?
A certain amount of data will need to be backed up before the advantage of deduplication in vSphere Data Protection will become apparent. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
24 Mar 2015
The top 10 PowerCLI scripts for vSphere administrators
There are numerous PowerCLI scripts to help a busy administrator get through the day. Here's a few highly recommended by one of our experts. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
17 Mar 2015
Staying safe while manually modifying a VMX file
What happens when you can't make changes to a VM in the vSphere client? There's more than one way to tweak the configuration file. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Mar 2015
What a desktop assessment can do for you
Is every physical desktop a candidate for virtualization? A desktop assessment can help make this determination before a major VDI investment is made. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Mar 2015
What causes UUID errors with Replication 6?
There are a few situations that will trigger a UUID issue when using vSphere Replication 6 to copy VMs -- and one direct way to correct it. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Mar 2015
Connect the dots to uncover Replication RPO violations
When attempting to troubleshoot an RPO violation in vSphere Replication, the underlying cause is oftentimes more complex than it appears on the surface. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Mar 2015
How to troubleshoot VMware vSphere Replication issues
When problems occur with the tool you use to protect your data, it's imperative to track down the logs that can help restore order. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Jan 2015
How does VMware App Volumes differ from ThinApp?
VMware App Volumes, formerly CloudVolumes, is the virtualization company's attempt to speed application deployments and reduce IT headaches. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jan 2015
How are SSD garbage collection, wear leveling and TRIM different?
While using solid-state drives in a vSphere environment can give a boost to VMs that require high performance, it's important to know how certain longevity features function in the storage hardware. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Jan 2015
How much longer will that SSD last in a vSphere server?
Even modestly sized SSDs can be more expensive than traditional hard drives, but do the benefits outweigh any concerns about longevity? Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Dec 2014
What are some key VMware Workstation features?
While VMware Workstation offers flexibility for a busy test/dev shop, it won't help if the hardware underneath can't meet end-user demands. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
26 Nov 2014
Five popular VMware Flings to make your job easier
If you're a vSphere administrator looking to save time and money in your troubleshooting endeavors, there are new utilities available for free on a routine basis at VMware's Flings site. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Nov 2014
What are some vCloud Director features for cloud management?
In virtualization's evolution from servers to the cloud, VMware has several offerings for managing resources in virtual data centers. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Nov 2014
How does a VMware vApp compare to ThinApp, RDSH apps?
There's a variety of options for an enterprise to deliver applications to its customers and employees, but settling on one delivery method requires weighing the pros and cons of each. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Nov 2014
How can an enterprise benefit from using a VMware vApp?
By developing a virtual appliance technology, VMware has given businesses a way to both bundle and manage multiple VMs into a single package. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Sep 2014
Answering common VMware NSX platform questions
VMware's network virtualization product promises both flexibility and security in one of the few areas where innovation has lagged in the data center. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Sep 2014
Monitoring virtual CPU states to improve performance
A good understanding of vCPU run, wait and ready states can help deliver more responsive VMs. Continue Reading
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Video
29 Aug 2014
Mixed reactions for VMware SDDC, EVO:RAIL at VMworld
Hyperconverged infrastructure, EVO:RAIL, and rebranded management suite, vRealize, show promise, but VMware still has some work to do. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Aug 2014
Is vCenter Operations Manager good for storage analysis?
There are many infrastructure management tools on the market to check the health and speed of your storage, but there's a free tool that can do the job. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Aug 2014
Is VMware Integrated OpenStack just a development tool?
VMware is touting its OpenStack offering as a way to ease the deployment and operations in the open-source cloud environment. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Aug 2014
Key advantages to a virtualized server environment
An infrastructure architect details his journey to increasing the number of virtualized servers in his UNIX environment. Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2014
Software-defined data centers pique IT’s interest
IT pros’ interest in software-defined data centers continues to grow as tools, such as VMware’s EVO:RAIL, offers IT an effective small business option. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Aug 2014
Is thick provisioning better than thin?
There's some doubt about whether there is an advantage to using thin provisioning over thick when setting up virtualized storage; our expert weighs in. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Aug 2014
What licensing is required to use vCloud Air?
Potential users of VMware's vCloud Air offering may not know what type of tools they need to manage the hybrid cloud offering. Continue Reading
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Video
27 Aug 2014
VMware users ponder Docker containers
VMware jumped into the container market and announced a partnership with Docker, Google and Pivotal at VMworld 2014. VMware says that virtual machines and containers will work together. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Aug 2014
VMware vSphere Fault Tolerance gets a makeover
Users left wanting to know more about vSphere 6.0 after day one of VMworld. Their wishes were granted on day two when VMware introduced new features in its latest suite of virtualization products. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Aug 2014
EVO:RAIL creates buzz after release at VMworld 2014
VMworld 2014 started off with EVO:RAIL, the company's hyper-converged infrastructure. The release caused constant chatter on social media. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2014
VMware doubles down on software-defined data centers
VMware is going hard core to convince IT shops to move toward software-defined data centers and away from hardware-oriented data centers. But will its latest offerings debuting at VMworld this week make them true believers? Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Jul 2014
What's better? An OVF or an OVA file?
What is an OVA file and how does it compare to an Open Virtualization Format package? Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jul 2014
How to create a VMware OVF virtual appliance
Vendors can reduce potential issues by packaging VMs into a virtual appliance for customers. Here's how to create and modify the resulting OVF file. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jul 2014
Top 10 things to know about vCenter Server Appliance
Here's how VMware's vCSA differs from its Windows-based counterpart -- and why it's the wave of the future. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2014
Virtual switch tweak optimizes ESXi networking
Administrators in an ESXi environment should adjust the networking configuration to prevent slow VM migrations. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2014
New VMware beta program aims to kill vSphere 2015 bugs
The vSphere 2015 beta party is no longer invite-only. VMware pros hope the new program will reduce the amount of bugs in the next version of vSphere. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2014
Best of VMworld 2014 Awards: Rules and criteria
Read the official Best of VMworld Awards rules and find out how to nominate products. Continue Reading
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Guide
01 Jul 2014
VMworld 2014 conference coverage
Attendees flock to San Francisco for one of the largest IT conferences focusing on virtualization, enterprise mobility and cloud computing. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 May 2014
The right way to rename VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion
A quirk in older ESX/ESXi versions will not result in a prompt rename of a VM until it has moved to another data store. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Apr 2014
Using clones as templates in VMware Workstation
After you make sure the template is cleared of specifics, follow these steps to use clones as templates in VMware Workstation. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Apr 2014
How to hunt down VM network timeout issues with performance charts
Setting up the performance counters in the vSphere client can help troubleshoot a dropped packets issue. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Apr 2014
How to clear a clogged core dump in VMware ESXi
With a little manipulation via SSH or ESXi Shell, a locked core dump file can soon be just a distant memory for your ESXi environment. Continue Reading
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Quiz
20 Mar 2014
Test your VMware PowerCLI 5.5 IQ
Test yourself to see how well you know the newest iteration of VMware's PowerCLI. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2014
How to stop worrying and learn to love the new vSphere Web Client
Resistance is futile: If you want access to some of the new vSphere 5.5 features, then you need to get familiar with the vSphere Web Client. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2013
The top 10 VMware tutorials and tips for 2013
Backups, certification and desktop virtualization topped the list of the most popular VMware tutorials and tips from 2013. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2013
Virtualization giant extends its reach
VMware has made several bold steps to further its aim to be one-stop shopping for all your software-defined data center needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Oct 2013
One way to rev up critical VM performance? Make a priority list
All virtual machines are equal, but some are more equal than others. Here's how to make sure critical virtual machines get the attention they crave. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Oct 2013
Which CPU settings deliver optimal VMware Workstation 9 performance?
Newer processors pack more punch, but administrators still need to tailor CPU allocation for a smoother Workstation 9 experience. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Oct 2013
Copy VMDK files if you need to hand over a virtual machine
Copy VMDK files and then import them into the host if you need to hand over a VM to a client. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Sep 2013
What's the best number of virtual machines for a data store?
The best number of virtual machines on each data store depends on, among other things, the performance needs of each virtual machine. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Sep 2013
The vdmadmin utility puts the VMware View administrator in command
Using the vdmadmin tool, a VMware View administrator can make virtual desktops dance through command-line wizardry. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Sep 2013
Virtualization giant extends its reach: A look at VMware acquisitions
VMware has made several bold steps to further its aim to be one-stop shopping for all your software-defined data center needs. Continue Reading
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Guide
30 Aug 2013
The VMware infrastructure monitoring encyclopedia
This infrastructure monitoring guide can help administrators maintain the health of their vSphere and vCloud environments. Continue Reading
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Video
26 Aug 2013
Will VMware shops push toward automation and Desktop as a Service?
As VMware rolls out vCloud Automation Center and NSX, will more data centers make the jump to automation and Desktop as a Service? Continue Reading
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Video
26 Aug 2013
How will VMware NSX change network virtualization practices?
Networking has always struggled to keep up with VMware. Will VMware NSX be a game changer? Continue Reading
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Video
26 Aug 2013
VMware falls short explaining the software-defined future
The VMworld 2013 keynote featured plenty of software-defined chatter, but VMware still has some explaining to do. Continue Reading
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Video
26 Aug 2013
Flash, spinning disk, caching? VDI storage should be context-aware
Rather than VMware's universal approach to VDI storage, data centers would likely benefit more from context-aware storage architecture. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
23 Aug 2013
Virtualization giant extends its reach: A look at VMware acquisitions
VMware goes beyond the virtualization arena with acquisitions to further its goal of being the one vendor that can cater to all facets of IT. Continue Reading
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Quiz
23 Aug 2013
VMware DRS quiz: Rules, settings and best practices
Knowing how to use VMware DRS is key to getting the most out of vSphere, so quiz yourself on its features. A high score could mean high utilization. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Aug 2013
Correcting misconfigured ESXi shared storage settings
IT shops that started small may find they need to update their ESXi shared storage settings to prevent significant issues when a host fails. Continue Reading
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Quiz
02 Jul 2013
VMware DRS quiz: Rules, settings, requirements and best practices
Knowing how to use VMware DRS is key to getting the most out of vSphere, so quiz yourself on its features. A high score could mean high utilization. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2013
Getting VMware terminology straight
VMware terminology can be confusing: Some terms are new, some VMware acronyms mean more than one thing and some product terms are unique to VMware. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 Jun 2013
Cloud management tasks that VMware vCAC can and cannot do with vCD
VMware vCloud Director and vCloud Automation Center manage cloud resources together. But depending on your VMware vCAC version, they hardly interact. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jun 2013
Building an empire around the free VMware hypervisor
You can pull together a viable free virtual infrastructure, starting with a free VMware hypervisor and adding reporting, backup and other tools. Continue Reading
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Quiz
12 Jun 2013
VMware NSX pop quiz: Do you know NSX's network virtualization features?
Test your knowledge of VMware NSX, which evolved rapidly out of VMware's homegrown and acquired network virtualization technologies. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
12 Jun 2013
Platform, strategy options for VMware cloud providers
Cloud service providers adopt VMware vCloud Director because of enterprise customers' familiarity with vSphere, but it isn't always a smooth road. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
11 Jun 2013
Getting VMware terminology straight
VMware terminology can be confusing: Some terms are new, some VMware acronyms mean more than one thing and some product terms are unique to VMware. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
10 Jun 2013
Building an empire around the free VMware hypervisor
You can pull together a viable free virtual infrastructure, starting with a free VMware hypervisor and adding reporting, backup and other tools. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
03 Jun 2013
Comparing VMware's Type-2 hypervisors
With VMware hosted virtualization, your choices are dictated by price, features and the underlying desktop OS that supports the Type-2 hypervisor. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 May 2013
Ways to investigate and fix VMware View Connection Server issues
VDI admins can troubleshoot and fix problems in a VMware View Connection Server and its LDAP directory using just a few commands. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2013
VMware administrator job description calls for vSphere, cloud know-how
VSphere experience is a must-have in job listings for VMware administrators, but vCloud and Hyper-V know-how are on hiring managers' wish lists too. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 May 2013
VMware snapshot size and other causes for slow snapshots
Snapshots offer multiple restore points for VMs, but add complication. Poor performance can stem from the VMware snapshot size and other root causes. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
06 May 2013
Extreme makeover: VMware end-user computing edition
VMware's EUC tools manage cloud storage, file sharing, mobility and desktop virtualization, some new to enterprise IT. Learn how to implement them. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Apr 2013
Which VMware network settings to adjust to troubleshoot VM packet loss
Even the best VMware networking setups hit snags, but you have tools. Adjusting specific VMware network settings can fix packet loss in a VM. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Apr 2013
VMware IaaS: Converting from virtualization to a software-defined data center
From vSphere virtualization to VMware Iaas: Read how data centers look before and after the adoption of a vCloud software-defined data center. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Apr 2013
How many VMs can vSphere vMotion move at once? And other questions
VMware vMotion live migrates VMs between hosts. Evolving with vSphere, vMotion has gained a lot of capabilities, but it still has limitations. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
22 Apr 2013
ESXi management options, from CLIs to iPad apps
VMware offers several free tools that work with vCenter Server for ESXi management, and each has its own pros and cons. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Apr 2013
Ways to mirror vSphere networking with VMware Virtual Network Editor
Not every VMware vSphere networking option is available in Workstation, but it's a useful tool for users to mirror the ESXi network for tests. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2013
VMware Fusion vs. Workstation: Choosing an end-user virtualization tool
VMware Fusion and Workstation are similar virtualization tools for end-user computing, and do many of the same tasks. Here's how to select a product. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Apr 2013
Is VMware Capacity Planner free?
Many consultants offer VMware Capacity Planner free to interested virtualization admins, but if you dread their sales pitch, consider vBenchmark. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Mar 2013
Migrating from a standard switch to VMware vDS with no downtime
Replacing standard switches with VMware vDS will broaden your virtual network's capabilities. Learn how to migrate switches without powering down VMs. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Mar 2013
VMware View best practices for every stage of VDI implementation
Whether your VDI implementation is in pilot or deployed enterprise-wide, these VMware View best practices will improve user and admin experiences. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2013
Moving VM testing from VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi to Workstation
VMware admins can't skip VM testing just because it eats up vSphere resources. Testing ESX/ESXi VMs in VMware Workstation frees up vSphere for production. Continue Reading