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FAQs you should answer before starting P2V conversions
P2V conversions can trip up even experienced IT pros. Be sure you know the answers to these frequently asked questions before starting a migration. FAQ
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VMware Workstation vs. Player: A guide to test-and-development choices
VMware Player is free. VMware Workstation is not. But in a comparison of VMware Workstation vs. Player, cost is only one consideration. Tutorial
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Pop quiz: Know your VMware ESXi commands
Think you know the most important VMware ESXi commands? Take this short quiz to find out if you're a command-line champ. Quiz
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VMware for small business IT infrastructures: Top 5 tips
In the past, only enterprise IT invested in VMware software. Today, VMware for small business virtualization is a growing trend. Feature
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Must-know vSphere 5.1 features for VMware admins
guide
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Compare VMware and Hyper-V, and other smart New Year's resolutions
Whether it is to compare VMware and Hyper-V features/costs or to better listen to customers, IT professionals are making good New Year's resolutions. Feature
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Disk cleanup and IT chargeback tools on VMware admins' holiday wish lists
If you could implement one tool or process for your IT shop, what would it be? This wish list exercise could help you plan budget priorities in 2013. Feature
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Expect more SMB virtualization and hypervisor choices in 2013
In 2013, VMware shops will upgrade to vSphere 5.1 and vCloud suite, but Windows shops going virtual will have options. Plus, SMBs will virtualize. Feature
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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. Quiz
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VMware quiz: Virtualization on a tight IT budget
Free and low-cost VMware virtualization options exist -- if you know where to look. See if you're making the most of your IT budget with this VMware quiz. Quiz
- See more Essential Knowledge on VMware basics
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VMware administrator jobs call for vSphere know-how, cloud readiness
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. News | 09 May 2013
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So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye … to Eric Siebert
Eric Siebert is leaving SearchVMware.com, after writing countless tips and columns. In his final article, Siebert recounts his favorite assignments and experiences as a writer. News | 24 Aug 2011
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Top five lessons learned from a virtualization veteran
Everyone knows the basic pros and cons of virtualization, but lessons about 100% virtualization and virtual infrastructure design are learned only through experience. Column | 14 Jun 2011
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A VMware 2010 report card
This year, VMware receives high marks for its certification line up, product innovation and general future vision but could improve on pricing, quality assurance, and public communication. Article | 30 Jun 2010
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VMware CTO Steve Herrod talks vSphere: A Q&A
VMware's top technology executive discusses the future of vSphere, the company's virtualization suite and current features that don't get respect. Article | 20 May 2010
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VMware strives to fill Active Directory support gaps
An agreement between VMware and Likewise will give ESX and ESXi hosts native integration with Microsoft Active Directory. Article | 22 Mar 2010
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Could Microsoft Hyper-V usage boost VMware vSphere adoption?
While SMBs might be enticed by the ready availability of Windows Server 2008 to try Hyper-V, evaluation and forward-looking planning could cause many companies to drop the younger, cheaper platform in favor of its main competitor, VMware vSphere. Article | 17 Mar 2010
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VMware at a glance: VMware outperforms Wall Street expectations; joins NetApp, Cisco in alliance
This week in VMware news: VMware outperforms Wall Street's earnings expectations and joins forces with NetApp Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. in a joint effort to deliver end-to-end server stacks. Article | 02 Feb 2010
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VSphere 4.0 upgrades simple, but not without pitfalls
One IT director explains that his vSphere 4.0 upgrade went more easily than he expected, but there were still problems. Article | 09 Dec 2009
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The top 5 barriers to expanding a virtual infrastructure
Budget, performance and support concerns top the list as to why some organizations haven't moved past phase I of a virtualization implementation. Article | 05 Nov 2009
- See more News on VMware basics
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How to set up a home vSphere lab using a nested hypervisor
A vSphere lab created with a nested hypervisor can be more stable with less overhead than a similar home lab on a hosted hypervisor like Workstation. Tip
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How to avoid costly problems during a VMware vSphere upgrade
Keep your vSphere upgrade on time, on budget and on target with these lessons learned from virtualization expert Mak King's recent upgrade. Tip
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A vCloud Director lab is within reach, even on virtual lab setups
VMware admins can't learn everything they need to know about vCloud Director by reading. It's time to build a vCloud Director lab -- here's how. Tip
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Ready for a vSphere 5.1 upgrade? Depends on your current version
Not all virtual infrastructures are created equal, and not everyone should invest the time and effort into a VMware vSphere 5.1 upgrade. Tip
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VMware for small business owners: The wrong kit could cost you
VMware virtualization is typically associated with enterprise IT. But, with the right kit, it's good for small business virtualization projects, too. Tip
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VSphere 5.1 licensing changes offer SMBs enterprise-class computing
VMware's new tiers for vSphere 5.1 licensing give SMBs access to enterprise-class virtualization capabilities such as data protection and vMotion. Tip
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Evaluating VMware vSphere for Exchange 2010 virtualization
An Exchange 2010 virtualization project is not to be taken lightly. When shopping for hypervisors, give VMware vSphere a long look -- and here's why. Tip
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When you need, and don't need, vCenter Server
Some organizations don't need the advanced features offered by vCenter Server and can effectively manage their infrastructure with the free vSphere Client. Can yours? Tip
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VMware training at a discount: Is all-access eLearning worth it?
Formal VMware training is notoriously expensive. With many organizations slashing training budgets, find out if $500 for an all-access eLearning subscription is worth the money. Tip
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Top five tips to improve VMware server capacity planning
Server capacity planning is an important part of every environment, and VMware shops have some specialized tools to help them make the most of their hardware resources. Tip
- See more Tips on VMware basics
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Parsing the use of vSphere vs. ESXi to describe VMware virtualization
VMware's virtualization hypervisor goes by ESX/ESXi and vSphere. The difference in when to use ESXi vs. vSphere terms is subtle. Answer
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Moving virtual machines from VMware to Hyper-V with SCVMM and MVMC
Find out how easy it is to make the transition from VMware to Hyper-V with SCVMM or the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter. ATE
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VMware market share is high in a small pool of virtualization
Storage expert Jon Toigo explains how VMware is the market leader, and why virtualization growth statistics seem more impactful than they truly are. Answer
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Install vSphere from USB keys without a quality crisis
Mixing USB drives and a VMware virtualized infrastructure is a terrible idea... but everybody does it. Here's how to install vSphere from USB keys. Answer
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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. Definition
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VMware snapshot
A VMware snapshot is a copy of the virtual machine's disk file (VMDK) at a given point in time. Definition
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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. Definition
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VMkernel
VMkernel is a POSIX-like operating system developed by VMware. The VMkernel is the liaison between virtual machines (VMs) and the physical hardware that supports them. Definition
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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) Definition
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memory overcommit (or overcommitment)
Memory overcommit (or overcommitment) is a hypervisor feature that allows a virtual machine (VM) to use more memory space than the physical host has available. Definition
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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 ... (Continu... Definition
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VMware Converter
VMware Converter is a utility that facilitates the creation of VMware virtual machines from physical systems or virtual machines associated with third-party vendors. The utility also enables migration of virtual machines between VMware platforms from... Definition
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VMware VMFS (Virtual Machine File System)
VMware VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) is a cluster file system that facilitates storage virtualization for multiple installations of VMware ESX Server, a hypervisor that partitions physical servers into multiple virtual machines... (Continued) Definition
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VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler)
VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a utility that balances computing workloads with available resources in a virtualized environment... (Continued) Definition
- See more Definitions on VMware basics
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Hypervisor Huddle: Burton analyst discusses Citrix, VMware virtual desktops
Burton analyst Chris Wolf and SearchVMware.com staff discuss how the Swine Flu scare is helping to fuel virtual desktop adoption, and the ins and outs of Citrix XenDesktop and VMware View 4, and more. Podcast
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VMware Ready logo now identifies compatible software
The VMware Ready logo now lets third-party vendors show that their software is compatible with VMware environments. Learn more in this edition of This Week in Virtualization. Podcast
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Hypervisor Huddle podcast roundup: VMware-related news and interviews
Our archive page for SearchVMware.com's biweekly podcast, the Hypervisor Huddle. tune in to stay up to date on VMware happenings in the virtualization space. Podcast
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VMware talks overall focus; calls Hyper-V R2 a 'nonevent'
VMware discusses rumors about lowered pricing, Hyper-V R2's free Live Migration functionality, its overall strategy in a tougher marketplace and more. Podcast
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Podcast: VMware lures Virtual Iron users with 40% discount, goes after SMB market
Hear news writer Bridget Botelho, site editor Hannah Drake and VMware expert Eric Siebert sound off on VMware's recent 40% discount to Virtual Iron users, how VMware is making a play for SMB customers as the competition heads up and whether or not VM... Podcast
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A tour of VMware vSphere 4
See what's new in VMware vSphere 4 with this video tour. Video
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Screencast: Cloning VMware ESX guest OSes
Learn how to clone VMware ESX guest operating systems with this screencast by David Davis. Video
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Screencast: Introduction to VMware ESX VLAN networking
VMware expert David Davis explains what a VLAN is and how it works with VMware ESX in this screencast. Video
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Installing VMware ESX
Learn how to install VMware ESX by watching this step-by-step installation screencast. Video
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Parsing the use of vSphere vs. ESXi to describe VMware virtualization
VMware's virtualization hypervisor goes by ESX/ESXi and vSphere. The difference in when to use ESXi vs. vSphere terms is subtle. Answer
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VMware administrator jobs call for vSphere know-how, cloud readiness
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. News
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How to set up a home vSphere lab using a nested hypervisor
A vSphere lab created with a nested hypervisor can be more stable with less overhead than a similar home lab on a hosted hypervisor like Workstation. Tip
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Moving virtual machines from VMware to Hyper-V with SCVMM and MVMC
Find out how easy it is to make the transition from VMware to Hyper-V with SCVMM or the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter. ATE
-
VMware market share is high in a small pool of virtualization
Storage expert Jon Toigo explains how VMware is the market leader, and why virtualization growth statistics seem more impactful than they truly are. Answer
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How to avoid costly problems during a VMware vSphere upgrade
Keep your vSphere upgrade on time, on budget and on target with these lessons learned from virtualization expert Mak King's recent upgrade. Tip
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FAQs you should answer before starting P2V conversions
P2V conversions can trip up even experienced IT pros. Be sure you know the answers to these frequently asked questions before starting a migration. FAQ
-
VMware Workstation vs. Player: A guide to test-and-development choices
VMware Player is free. VMware Workstation is not. But in a comparison of VMware Workstation vs. Player, cost is only one consideration. Tutorial
-
Pop quiz: Know your VMware ESXi commands
Think you know the most important VMware ESXi commands? Take this short quiz to find out if you're a command-line champ. Quiz
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A vCloud Director lab is within reach, even on virtual lab setups
VMware admins can't learn everything they need to know about vCloud Director by reading. It's time to build a vCloud Director lab -- here's how. Tip
- See more All on VMware basics
About VMware basics
There's a lot to learn as a new VMware administrator. This section offers a collection of beginner tips that walk you through everything from installing VMware products such as VMware Server, vSphere 4.0 and VMware ESX and ESXi, to introductory articles on the basics of what VMware Distributed Power Management (DPM) is, how it works, and when to use it, for example.
Our contributors will also help you get started using PowerShell scripts to manage VMware ESX if you haven't started doing so, explain the basic ESX networking options and give you pointers for improving ESX performance.