VMware ESXi, vSphere and vCenter
Top Stories
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News
16 Dec 2024
Broadcom, AT&T settle lawsuit over VMware support
The companies have 'reached a settlement-in-principle,' but the telecom giant has indicated it's planning an exit from the virtualization platform. Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2024
Broadcom adds services to basic VMware subscriptions
These changes might be moot if Broadcom remains focused on its largest customers, according to one expert. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2016
Upgrade ESX to ESXi hosts in seven steps
The upgrade from ESX to ESXi hosts can be difficult; no current tools convert hosts for you and you can't preserve manual configurations. But there are ways to ease the process. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Jun 2016
What is the best way to log in to vCenter Server with vSphere 6 Web Client?
In order to successfully log in to vCenter Server with vSphere Web Client, start by figuring out which version of vCenter Server you're running. 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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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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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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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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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
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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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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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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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
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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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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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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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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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
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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Definition
09 Oct 2013
VMware vSphere App HA
VMware vSphere App HA is virtual appliance introduced with vSphere 5.5. It works with vSphere HA (high availability) host monitoring and virtual machine monitoring to improve application uptime. 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
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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Definition
07 Aug 2013
VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA)
VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA) is a virtual appliance used by admins to manage a data center from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. 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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Definition
10 Jun 2013
VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat (vCSHB)
VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat (vCSHB) is VMware's OEM version of NeverFail, which is designed to ensure the high availability and disaster recovery of vCenter Server whether on a LAN or a Wireless Wide Area Network. 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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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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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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Definition
14 Mar 2013
Changed Block Tracking (CBT)
VMware Changed Block Tracking is an incremental backup technology for virtual machines (VMs), comparable to snapshot differential or backup delta block. 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
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Definition
27 Feb 2013
VMware vShield
VMware vShield is a group of networking and security products for virtualized IT infrastructures, comprising vShield Manager, vShield Edge, vShield Zones, vShield App, vShield Data Security and vShield Endpoint. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Feb 2013
VMware template
A VMware template is a perfect, model copy of a virtual machine from which you can clone, convert or deploy more virtual machines. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Feb 2013
VMware vApp
A VMware vApp is a collection of virtual machines (VMs) and sometimes other vApps that host a multi-tier application, its policies and service levels. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jan 2013
VMware VMCI (VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface)
VMware VMCI (Virtual Machine Communication Interface) is a high-speed interface that virtual machines (VMs) on the same host use to communicate with each other and the host kernel modules. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jan 2013
Familiarize yourself with the VCP blueprint to pass the exam
When studying for his own VCP test, instructor Bill Ferguson realized that a grasp of the VCP blueprint was critical to passing. Check out his advice. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jan 2013
VMware Workstation encryption prevents unauthorized VM access
VMware Workstation encryption helps you protect information on VMs from unauthorized users. Learn how -- and when -- to encrypt virtual machines. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2013
VMware VADP and vSphere Data Protection FAQs
VStorage API for Data Protection replaced VMware Consolidated Backup and VMware Data Recovery. It works with VMware Data Protection and other tools. Continue Reading
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Quiz
28 Nov 2012
VMware terminology quiz: Do you speak virtualization?
Thought you left vocab quizzes back in the classroom? See if you've grasped the VMware and virtualization lingo by taking our definitions quiz. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2012
VMware vLockstep
VMware vLockstep is the technology supporting VMware's Fault Tolerance (FT) high-availability software feature. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2012
VMware resource pool
A VMware resource pool is the aggregated physical compute hardware -- CPU and memory, as well as other components -- allocated to virtual machines (VMs) in a VMware virtual infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Quiz
02 Jul 2012
Pop quiz: VMware snapshots 101
VMware snapshots play an important part in backing up many virtual infrastructures, but how well do you understand how they work? Take this quiz to find out. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jun 2012
Finding and correcting performance bottlenecks in a vSphere lab
Performance bottlenecks aren’t limited to production environments. Learn about the tools that can identify problems and prevent slow VMs from bogging down your vSphere lab. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2012
Installing a CIM provider to improve vSphere Client host monitoring
While ESXi includes support for many popular hardware platforms, comprehensive server health monitoring with the vSphere Client sometimes requires installing the correct CIM provider. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Apr 2012
VMware Lab Manager
VMware Lab Manager is a software development and testing tool that enables designers and engineers to pool network and storage resources ... (Continued) Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Apr 2012
Designing a virtual environment with VMware Capacity Planner
Using VMware Capacity Planner to inventory data center resources and project hardware needs, IT pros can save time and money when planning a virtual environment. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2011
Storage Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)
VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a load balancing utility that assigns and moves computing workloads to available hardware resources in a virtualized environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Sep 2011
ESXi console tech support mode: When the vSphere Client isn’t enough
The ESXi console and its tech support mode can solve many issues that the vSphere Client can’t. Once enabled, you have the power of the Linux command line at your disposal. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jul 2011
Configuring the ESXi firewall in VMware vSphere 5
The ESXi 5 hypervisor has a new firewall, similar to the ESX firewall of yore. You can configure it through the vSphere Client or command line, depending on your preference. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
12 May 2011
VMware storage options and Storage vMotion: A guide
VMware storage options include VMFS, thin provisioning, NFS and block-level storage. Virtualization storage features such as VMware Storage vMotion also help protect VM data. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2011
Deleting virtual machine snapshots without wasting disk space
You can avoid wasting disk space and performance problems when deleting, or committing, virtual machine snapshots. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Oct 2010
Why does vendor lock-in get such a bad rap?
Most companies avoid purchasing components from a single vendor -- otherwise known as 'vendor lock-in.' But a single-vendor approach has its advantages. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2010
VMware vSphere's built-in performance monitoring tools
VMware vSphere features several free performance monitoring tools that can help assess the health of your virtual machines and fix resource bottlenecks. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 May 2010
Troubleshooting VMware snapshots
Virtual machine (VM) snapshots are a great tool to identify problems with VMs. An expert explains troubleshooting common problems that arise with snapshots in VMware ESX Server. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2010
Configuring VMware vCenter Server Linked Mode: A walkthrough
VMware vCenter Server's new Linked Mode capability allows administrators to manage complex vSphere virtual environments. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2009
What is the free VMware OVFTOOL and how can it help you?
VMware's OVFTOOL is a conversion program that eases distribution of virtual machines, converting them from the OVF format to .VMX, .OVA, .VMX files and others. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Sep 2009
VMware vSphere hot-add RAM and hot-plug CPU: Not so 'hot,' but still cool
In theory, hot-add RAM and hot-plug CPU should allow you to easily add RAM and CPU as necessary while your virtual machine is running ("hot") to meet your workloads' needs. Not so, but the two are still useful add-ons. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Aug 2009
PowersHell: Factory Reset of ESXi
During the course of my travels in powersHell with VMware – I’ve begun to put together my own JACS (Just-Another-Configuration-Script). The idea is to take a clean-factory set ESXi build, and use purely powersHell to configure it. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jul 2009
Installing VMware ESXi on a physical server
In this two-part series, we show you how to convert an existing physical server into a virtual machine, then how to install VMware ESXi on the server hardware and load the virtual machine back onto it. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jul 2009
Converting a physical server into a VMware ESXi virtual server
With VMware Converter, convert underused physical servers into free VMware ESXi-based virtual machines running multiple applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Feb 2009
Why you should delete outdated vCenter Server data
With SQL commands, you can delete superfluous vCenter Server database information and save disk space and boost system performance. But you need to monitor database table size. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Feb 2009
Recovering RDM data with VMware ESX troubleshooting
Accidentally deleting important VMware ESX partitions cost our expert raw device mapping data. But a last attempt with an unlikely solution finally saved the day – and the data. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Dec 2008
Understanding VMware ESX virtual machine physical and virtual hardware
You can better manage virtual machines by understanding the virtual hardware that makes up a VM. This tip explores VM physical and virtual hardware issues, including configuring virtual hardware and assigning virtual memory. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jul 2008
VMware VI Client plug-ins and how to manage them
VMware VI Client plug-ins can provide a VirtualCenter implementation with a functionality boost. Discover more on plug-in management tactics and plug-in options, including the Juxtaposition RDP plug-in, in this tip. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2008
Obtaining server health status in VMware ESX and VMware ESXi
VMware ESXi can easily provide you with information about a server's CPU, memory, storage and more, but getting this info from ESX Server requires some additional steps. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2008
Storage options for virtual machines: Raw device mappings, VMFS
Virtual Machine File System is VMware's preferred storage option for virtual machines, but raw device mapping provides similar performance and can be a better choice depending on the specific storage configuration. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Jun 2008
embedded hypervisor
An embedded hypervisor is a hypervisor that is programmed (embedded) directly into a processor, personal computer (PC) or server. This architecture offers convenience at the cost of some flexibility compared with conventional hypervisors ... (Continued) Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jun 2008
VMware Site Recovery Manager: How it can help you
VMware's Site Recovery Manager (SRM) application enhances the disaster recovery capabilities of your virtual environment. An expert discusses SRM implementation and use in this tip. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jun 2008
Troubleshooting common VMware ESX host server problems
Get a grip on potential VMware ESX host server problems including the purple screen of death, a frozen service console, and rebuilding your network configurations after they've been lost. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Mar 2008
Troubleshooting failed VMware Converter P2V migrations
A failed VMware Converter physical-to-virtual migration has numerous sources of potential failure, and even your best-laid plans may not prevent a problem. But this tip offers detailed troubleshooting to identify the problem. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Feb 2008
VMware DRS and VMotion: Improve workload balance, prevent problems
Learn how both VMware DRS and VMotion work individually, how they work together, and get configuration tips for optimal virtual machine performance in an environment that takes advantage of both technologies. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 May 2007
Updated: Enabling VMotion from the CLI/Kickstart Script
Describes how to enable VMotion from the CLI/Kickstart Script. Continue Reading