One of the drawbacks of using an Apple computer (i.e. Macbook Pro, iMac, etc) are the numerous applications available only to Windows machines. VMware Fusion is the answer for those who want to use an Apple computer but need access to Windows based software.

Fusion is an application that allows you to install any version of Windows, Linux, etc., onto your Mac and run it as an application. Upon opening Fusion you can install Windows as you would on any normal PC and create a “virtual computer” that runs on top of the Mac OS.

In this virtual machine you can install software, run applications and use it as you would a regular Windows machine, all inside your Mac. It is the ideal solution for corporate employees who need a Windows environment for networking or to run native Windows applications, like full Microsoft Office.

Fusion is also useful for the average consumer who would like to purchase Windows-only software, like a CD label maker. VMware Fusion is available through VMware.com and costs $79.99.

Installation Requirements

Before installing Windows 7 you will need to have VMware 3.0 or higher installed on your computer. I will be running VMware Fusion 3.1 on a Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz Macbook Pro running Snow Leopard 10.6.3. The full system requirements are as follows:

• Any Intel® Mac
• Minimum 1GB of RAM (2GB RAM recommended)
• 700MB free disk space for VMware Fusion and at least 5GB for each virtual machine
• Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later; Mac OS X 10.6 or later
• Operating system installation media (disk or disk image) for virtual machines

If you are running Fusion 2.0, you can purchase a downloadable update or the full version here: http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/. You will also need a licensed full-version disc of Windows 7, not an upgrade disc.

Installing Windows 7 in VMware Fusion

When VMware Fusion 3.0 is first opened you will be greeted with the following screen (Figure 1.1) containing three options. Choose “Install Windows or another operating system (OS) in a new virtual machine (VM).”

Figure 1.1

A new window will pop up and ask you to insert your Windows disc, which you may do now and press “continue.” I will be installing Windows 7 with an .iso file and selecting “Continue without disc.” If you choose this method you will see the following options (Figure 1.2). Choose “Use operating system installation disc image file,” browse to the folder where you have placed the .iso image, select it and press “continue.”

Figure 1.2

On the next screen, choose “Operating System: Microsoft Windows and Version: Windows 7,” as seen in Figure 1.3, and press continue.You’ll now be given the option to choose Windows Easy Install by checking the “Use Easy Install” box. Using Easy Install will bypass the Windows setup screens that help you create a user account, password, etc and complete those steps right now. I suggest keeping this box checked to make things easier as the setup continues. For this tutorial we will keep the box checked as we proceed

Figure 1.3

Enter the password you will use for the administrator account on this virtual machine as well as the Product Key that came with your Windows 7 software. You will also need to specify the Windows Version that you will be installing: Home, Professional, Ultimate and press continue.

The last step before installation is choosing the level of integration your virtual machine will have with your Mac. The “More Seamless” option will allow your virtual machine complete access to any file on your Mac that Windows can open. While this makes using Windows applications to edit your current files easy, it increases the risk for Windows viruses to cross over to your Mac files (Figure 1.4, 1.5). Choosing “More Isolated” will require you to drag and drop files into the virtual machine in order to edit them. Using the isolated option, you will still be able to create a shared folder between your Virtual Machine and your Mac to exchange files. I prefer the more Isolated choice and will continue with that bubble selected.

Figure 1.4

Figure 1.5

You will now be able to review the specifications and memory allowances for this virtual machine. The “Customize Settings” button will allow you to choose where on your computer the Virtual Machine will be saved. I have created a folder in My Documents where I will save all Virtual Machines. When you are ready to begin installation, press “Finish.”

The Windows Virtual Machine will now start up automatically and begin the installation process. During installation the Virtual Machine will restart itself several times. Once completed, you will be brought to the sign-in screen. Your password is what you entered during the setup process (see Figure 1.6). After signing in, VMware will begin to install Vmware tools which is required for everything to work properly. The virtual machine will then restart once more and bring you to the sign-in screen.

Figure 1.6

After signing in again, your virtual machine is ready to use. You may have noticed that the screen resolution during installation was incorrect. Ctrl-click on the virtual desktop and click “Screen Resolution.” A window will pop up and you may select your resolution. All of your trackpad gestures should also be working, including two-fingered scroll, secondary tap, etc.

Inside the virtual machine you can choose to view in “Full Screen,” which will expand the Windows desktop and make it seem as though you’re strictly using Windows. You can return to the single window view by placing the mouse in the top center area of the desktop to bring up the following menu (Figure 1.7). Selecting “Unity” will hide the Windows desktop but allow you run any application within the virtual machine as though it is native to your Mac (Figure 1.8). You can run an application though the VMware icon in the menu bar as well as return to Single Window view, suspend the Virtual Machine, shut down, etc.

Figure 1.7

Figure 1.8

When you’re finished with the Virtual Machine you can suspend it, which saves its current state and allows you to return to it by pressing “Resume.” Or you can Shut it Down completely by pressing the VMware icon in the menu bar or Virtual Machine > Shut Down. Quitting Fusion will also ask you to Shut Down the virtual machine.

The next time you start up Fusion, you will either be greeted with your Windows 7 virtual  machine in a suspended state or the “Virtual Machine Library” which can also be accessed from the menu bar by clicking Window > Virtual Machine Library. A list of your virtual machines will be displayed in the left hand column with their status on the right. Clicking the play button in the left hand column or the round “Start Up” button will both open your Windows 7 virtual machine and begin the start up process. Pressing the “Settings” button will allow you to customize the permissions of the virtual machine: CPU power, Folder Sharing, USB Devices, etc. In the event you wish to delete the selected virtual machine, just press the delete button on the bottom right hand corner.

When you’re ready to install another virtual machine, you can do so by pressing the Home button in the left hand column and repeating the process for a Windows or Linux machine.

Related posts:

1. Working with the VMware Tools
2. How to Install Windows 7 in VMware Workstation
3. How To ThinApp OpenOffice in 7 Easy Steps
4. VMware Server: Creating a Virtual Machine
5. Go Virtual for Free with Sun xVM VirtualBox

Sun xVM VirtualBox is completely free and open-source. It will run on 32- and 64-bit platforms and supports Windows, Linux, and MAC OS X hosts. Additionally, it has great guest OS support of Windows and Linux operating systems.

According to Sun, VirtualBox is getting attention. They have had over five million downloads, and this number seems to be rising.

I downloaded VirtualBox very quickly and did not have to fill out any lengthy forms, which is a relief. Within five minutes of loading the software, I was installing a virtual machine (VM) of Windows XP with SP3. It is a simple interface, and it looks like you can get it running very quickly.

In Figure A, you can create a new virtual machine, look at your details, create a description of your VM, and take snapshots. Snapshots let you take a picture of the OS at a specific point in time, and then you can go back to that point again whenever you choose. It is a great feature to have for development and testing.

Figure A: Sun xVM VirtualBox Command Center

When you click New, a virtual machine wizard will appear and walk you through the creation of your VM; it is very easy. In this example, I mounted an ISO image of Windows XP and began loading, as shown in Figure B.

Figure B: Loading a Windows XP virtual machine in VirtualBox.

In the window below, you can enter Fullscreen Mode, Adjust Window Size, Take a Snapshot, and a host of other functions, as shown in Figure C. The menu is simple and intuitive, and did I tell you, it’s free!

Figure C: Virtual machine commands.

On the Devices menu, shown in Figure D, you can mount CD/DVD images and install Guest Additions. This is similar to the VMware Tools in VMware Workstation.

Figure D: Managing devices.

About 20 minutes later, I had my first VM running Windows XP SP3. I loaded the Guest Additions and had to reboot to begin using the VM (Figure E).

Figure E: Installing the VirtualBox Guest Additions.

It looks like you have to have your VM powered off to take a snapshot, but in any event, the snapshot feature worked well (Figure F).

Figure F: Taking Snapshots.

Overall, if you do not want to spend money for desktop virtualization or are just looking to get your feet wet, VirtualBox is a good bet, and its features are very comparable to VMware Workstation. Download a free copy of VirtualBox and give it a try today!

Related posts:

1. Windows Virtual PC: Create & Configure New Virtual Machines
2. Working with the VMware Tools
3. How to Install Sun VirtualBox and Widows 7 in Ubuntu 9.10
4. How to Use VMware’s Virtual Disk Manager
5. How to Install Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode for Windows 7

I recently aquired an Iomega Ix4-200D which is a 4TB NAS or SAN (which runs for under $999). It does not only Windows file share but can also be enabled for iSCSI (and many other protocols).

I have used advanced vSphere features on it such as VMotion, SVMotion, and even performed VM backups of VMFS datastores on the array with the destination being a CIFS file share on the array (causing some major contention) with the array handling it well.

I have been so pleased with the array I thought that I would create this video to share briefly the models of the product line and, in more detail, how you connect one of these arrays to vSphere using iSCSI. Here is what you’ll learn:

• Overview of the Iomega NAS/SAN Product Line
• How to enable iSCSI in the Iomega StorCenter
• How to enable iSCSI in vSphere and connect to the SAN
• How to format the new iSCSI disk with VMFS
• How to migrate a running VM to the Iomega SAN with SVMotion

See More Videos from David Davis on VMwareVideos.com

Related posts:

1. Video: How to Install VMware vSphere Client in Windows 7
2. Master VMware vSphere and Transform Your IT Infrastructure
3. New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol 1– Now Available
4. VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol. 2 — Now Available!
5. VCP & vExpert David Davis Shares His Home VMware vSphere Lab

With application virtualization, you can abstract the OS resources and present them to the application as a virtual resource. Once configured, you have 1 executable that contains the application and user settings all contained in one file. This file can be copied to a network drive, shared, and/or even placed on a thumb drive to be carried around; it is independent of the OS or OS agnostic.

Introducing ThinApp

ThinApp is an application designed by VMware to help separate your applications from your OS.  In order to use ThinApp, you must create a clean virtual machine using VMware Workstation as your base. Once that is configured and completed, you would install VMware ThinApp within the virtual machine.

Next, perform a snapshot on the virtual machine. This is necessary to be able to ThinApp an application and then revert back to a clean OS again to ThinApp an additional application.

For example, once you performed the above tasks, you would install your software, virtualize it, revert the OS back to its base, install new software, virtualize it, etc.

ThinApp 4.5: Support for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2

Recently, VMware released their latest version of VMware ThinApp; it fully supports Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (32 & 64 bit).  ThinApp support for Windows 7 will help move the adoption of Windows 7 as you rollout the new version and still support legacy applications using application virtualization. Since the applications are removed from the OS barrier, it is a much easier process to move from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Thinapp in Action

Now that you have some background information on ThinApp, let’s take it for a spin.

Open ThinApp from the Start menu and run “Setup Capture.” ThinApp performs a “Prescan” of the registry prior to loading your new software. Once the “Prescan” is complete, minimize the application and load your software.

After your software is installed, click “Next” to perform a “Postscan” of your registry.  Now you are ready to highlight the executable you are virtualizing and build the project and specify the default directory.

Once the project is complete, you can browse to the isolated applications executable and run the application virtually. Additionally, you can take it a step further and explore the advanced features ThinApp has to offer.

ThinApp can be downloaded and evaluated 60 days for free. After 60 days, you can purchase the entire ThinApp suite for $5,000.00 and it is also bundled in the Premier version for $250.00 per concurrent user.

Virtualize an App with VMware ThinApp in under 5 minutes

If you’re ready to give ThinApp a try, take a look at the video below from David Davis on how to virtualize an app with VMware ThinApp in less than 5 minutes.

Related posts:

1. How to Virtualize an App with VMware ThinApp in under 5 minutes
2. How To ThinApp OpenOffice in 7 Easy Steps
3. VMware 101: Which VMware Products Are Right For You?
4. How to Install Windows 7 in VMware Workstation
5. VMware Training is Finally Here!

Virtualization made most (if not all) top IT job skills lists this year and recent salary surveys show that VMware certified professionals’ salaries are edging near the $100k.

The top virtualization player is not surprisingly VMware, and the most in demand virtualization skills hover around VMware vSphere.

Learn To Use VMware vSphere Like A Pro!

Our brand new vSphere Pro Series Training Vol. 2 is the second in our collaborative

VMware training series that is meant to elevate your vSphere knowledge to expert level.

This release packs almost twice as much information, tips, tricks and resources as Vol. 1 offering you over 21 hours of video training on:

• Site Recovery Manager (SRM)
• Veeam Management Suite
• VMware Data Recovery (VDR)
• PowerCLI
• vSphere Advanced Features

The best thing about our vSphere Pro Series is the quality instruction from four of the world’s top VMware users, all of whom have received vExpert awards from VMware.

The instructors of our new VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol. 2 include:

• David Davis (VCP, vExpert) — Train Signal’s VMware vSphere and vSphere Pro Series Vol. 1 instructor, founder of VMwareVideos.com and 15 year industry veteran, David is also a columnist for Virtualization Review Magazine, and a speaker at this year’s VMworld conference. (@davidmdavis on Twitter)
• Hal Rottenberg (vExpert, Microsoft MVP) — Train Signal’s vSphere Pro Series Vol. 1 instructor, co-host of the PowerScripting Podcast, author of Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell: TFM, and blogger at TechProsaic. (@halr9000 on Twitter)
• Eric Siebert (vExpert) — Founder of vSphereland.com, and author of Maximum vSphere and VMwware VI3. (@ericsiebert on Twitter
• Sean Clark (VCP, vExpert) — Blogger at SeanClark.us and member of the VMworld Underground. (@vseanclark on Twitter)

Learn More About The New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol.2 Today!

The main goal of our vSphere Pro Series Training Vol. 2 course, along with Volume 1 is to teach you what you need to know to leverage vSphere in your organization and show you how advanced vSphere features, 3rd party virtualization tools and PowerCLI can help you take virtualization and cloud computing to the next level.

New to VMware vSphere? Start Here

If you’re new to VMware vSphere or virtualization in general, this training release might be too advanced for you.

Virtualization beginners should start with VMware vSphere Training before moving on to the Pro Series courses. However, vSphere Pro Series Volume 1 is not a prerequisite for Volume 2.

You can also get all three courses — vSphere Training + Pro Series Vol 1 + Pro Series Vol 2 — together in our VMware vSphere Training Package for an unbeatable price!

Learn More About The New VMware vSphere Training Package

Related posts:

1. New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol 1– Now Available
2. Master VMware vSphere and Transform Your IT Infrastructure
3. VCP & vExpert David Davis Shares His Home VMware vSphere Lab
4. Video: How to Install VMware vSphere Client in Windows 7
5. Video: Configuring an Iomega SAN and VMware vSphere for iSCSI

I have 3 videos that will 1) Provide a future vision of VMware’s cloud computing model, 2) let you know what VMware is planning in desktop and application virtualization, and 3) cover the latest news in storage and virtual infrastructure integration from the hottest names in this industry.

Video 1: Learn the Cloud or Die

In the first video, VMware’s Cloud Evangelist, Mike DiPetrillo tells us how with cloud computing we not only enhance our skills but prepare ourselves to CHANGE as “infrastructure will move to the cloud and we will be obsolete if we don’t improve our skills and knowledge”.

Mike said that IT people who currently maintain the infrastructure must be prepared to learn new IT skills and perform more important ROI-based projects for the company as our old maintenance jobs will go away with cloud computing.

This “learn the cloud or die” message is a tough sell to IT Admins like us. But, you know what? Haven’t we always had that same message in IT? We all know that we must continue to improve our skills or be out of a job. Thus, I don’t see anything really scary about this cloud message.

If all we know how to do is to install the Windows OS or provision disks on the SAN and that is all we can do then we need to be out of a job because we haven’t expanded our skills. So, I think that the take-away for us as IT admins is a reminder that we must “continue learning or be out of a job”. (no fear! Train Signal Training is here!)

Video 2: Virtual Desktops

In the second video is VMware’s Desktop CTO, Scott Davis. In this video, Scott talks about why with Windows 7 it makes sense to begin virtualizing applications with ThinApp and moving off of physical hardware and onto thin clients.

Scott talks about the upcoming features of View 4.5 (to be released later this year) such as the “persona” that will allow admins to upgrade the OS and applications without affecting user data (like that background of Miley Cyrus I know you are using).

Video 3: vExperts Talk

In the third and final video, you get an expert panel discussion between multiple vExperts who are the real “powerhouses” in the industry.

Moderated by Rich Brambley (@rbrambley on Twitter and author of vmetc.com), the panelists were:

• Chad Sakac (of EMC, @sakacc on Twitter, VirtualGeek.com),
• Vaughn Stewart (of NetApp, @vStewed on Twitter and author at VirtualStorageGuy),
• Mike Laverick (@Mike_Laverick and author of RTFM-ed.co.uk),
• Scott Lowe (of EMC, @scott_lowe on Twitter, author of Mastering vSphere, and Blog.ScottLowe.org).

In the panel, the vExperts discuss many topics including how the new VMware vSphere API for Array Integration (VAAI) will allow you to offload storage-related virtualization funtions (like moving a VM) to the array, saving time and tremendously reducing the load on your servers. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol. 2 — Now Available!
2. Master VMware vSphere and Transform Your IT Infrastructure
3. GoGrid or Go Home – GoGrid Cloud Hosting
4. Windows Virtual PC: Create & Configure New Virtual Machines
5. The Problem With Cloud Computing

Enter server virtualization.

Virtualization gives you the opportunity to collapse multiple server instances onto a single piece of hardware. It is no surprise that the demand for IT Professionals with virtualization skills are in such high demand.

Interested in demonstrating your virtualization knowledge to current or potential employer with VMware certification?

According to a Payscale.com survey, top VMware certified professional salaries are edging near the $100k mark.

Here’s how you can become a VMware Certified Professional.

VMware Certification: How to Become VMware Certified

VMware offers certification to validate technical knowledge of their products. Candidates will be proficient with the installation, management, deployment and support of their products. There are 3 levels of certification:

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) – entry-level
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) – intermediate
• VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) – advanced

Please note that you must attend the required VMware authorized courses appropriate for your experience level through VMware IT Academy in order to become VMware certified.

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)

The VCP certifies your ability to install, manage and deploy VMware vSphere 4. Based on experience, there are several paths to VCP certification, but each will require you complete three steps.

1. Attend the required VMware authorized courses appropriate for your experience
2. Gain hands-on experience with VMware vSphere
3. Pass the VCP4 Exam – $175

Required Coursework:

Required coursework is also based on experience level. Beginners should start with: Install, Configure, Manage. These are 4 day in classroom courses. You can search for class availability here.

• vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage – $2,995
• vSphere: Fast Track – $4,675
• vSphere: Troubleshooting – $3,295

In terms of exam preparation, be sure to review detailed test objectives. Also, check out the mock exam. When you are ready to schedule the actual exam, purchase your voucher and register with Pearson Vue.

More information on the VCP Certification is available on VMware’s education site.

If you’re interested in obtaining the VCP certification, make sure to check out David Davis’ video on How to Prepare for the VCP Certification.

• VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP)

The most recent entry into the Vmware certification lineup is the VCAP. Those who have obtained VCP status are eligible for this intermediate certification.

There are two VCAP flavors: Datacenter Administration (DCA) and/or Datacenter Design (DCD). Candidates can pursue either or both tracks.

• VCAP4 – Datacenter Administration

The VCAP4-DCA is aimed at system administrators, consultants and technical support staff, already proficient in VMware vSphere and VMware vCenter datacenter technologies. Typically, candidates are familiar with integrating application and physical infrastructure with virtual environments.

As this certification officially launches July 12, 2010, practice exam and full test objectives aren’t yet available. Check the Vmware website for updates.

• VCAP4 – Datacenter Design

The VCAP-DCD is geared more towards architects. These are the professionals who can design VMware solutions in large enterprise environments. In addition to the skills f a DCA, candidates should understand Vmware relationships to storage and networking.

While the VCAP-DCA will appear in July, the DCD will make its debut in August. Again, check the Vmware website for updates on testing and exam preparation materials.

If you’re interested in obtaining the VCAP certification, make sure to check out David Davis’ latest post on How to Earn Your VCAP Certification.

• VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX)

This is the highest level of VMware certification. Accordingly, requirements are more stringent. Candidates must be VCP certified and follow this process:

1. Obtain VCP certification & complete VCDX Qualification Review
   Either VCP3 or VCP4 are valid prerequisites. The VCDX Qualification Review must be completed and verified candidates will be receive a pre-authorization code for the VMware Enterprise Administration exam.
2. Pass Enterprise Administration Exam
   The VMware Enterprise Administration on VI3 exam blueprint provides detailed test objectives. A practice exam is also available.
3. Pass Design Exam
   The Vmware Design exam also outlines detailed test objectives in a blueprint available on their website.
4. Submit, Present & Defend your Design and Implementation Plan
   In this last step, candidates will need to complete an interview, undergo a project review, and design defense activity. The VCP3 (or VCP4) certification, passing the VMware Enterprise Administration and the VMware Design exams are required. Applications won’t be accepted without meeting the prerequisites.

Defense interviews are held worldwide on specific dates, to find a location near you, visit the website. For information on the VCDX4 track, click here.

If you’re interested in obtaining the VCDX certification, make sure to check out David Davis’ video on How to Prepare for the VCDX Certification.

VMware Certification Resources & Final Thoughts

Looking for other training materials outside of those offered on the VMware website? Train Signal offers several VMware vSphere training videos.

In addition, VMware Certified Professional Test Prep receives good reviews and is available on Amazon.com. And the VMware forum provides a community support option.

Many jobs today require a commitment to ongoing training and education. The IT Profession may lead the way in this regard. The cost savings and network simplification benefits of virtualization technologies have solidified their role in the enterprise. Certification is just one way in which to ensure your have the necessary skills to support today’s server environments.

Related posts:

1. How to Earn Your VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP)
2. VMware Certification: Preparing for the VCP & VCDX
3. Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) Certification Guide
4. SQL Server 2008 Certification Guide
5. Linux Certification Options

- Create virtual disk files
- Edit virtual disk files
- Manage virtual disk files with scripts
- Defragment virtual disk files
- Expand virtual disk files
- Create disk templates
- Shrink virtual disks

In order to run the Virtual Disk Manager, you must open a command prompt and browse to the directory where you installed VMware Workstation (see Figure A). To execute the program type vmware-vdiskmanager.exe. The parameters to run this utility are shown in Table A below.

Figure A: VMware Virtual Disk Manager

Table A: VMware Virtual Disk Manger Options

How to Create a New Virtual Disk

We’ll begin by using this utility to create a new virtual disk. In this example, let’s create a 5GB IDE fixed virtual disk with the following command:

Vmware-vdiskmanager –c –s 5GB –a ide –t 2 ssw.vmdk

Virtual disks are created in the directory where VMware Workstation has been installed unless otherwise specified . If you want to create your virtual disk in a different directory use the following syntax, which  specifies a location:

Vmware-vdiskmanager –c –s 5GB –a ide –t 2 “d:\my virtualmachines\test.vmdk”

The interface for creating virtual disks is very intuitive. Using the command line, you can create disks that are growable and/or preallocated. You can be as creative as you like using this interface to create disks. Let’s move forward now and defrag a virtual disk. The command line for defragging a virtual disk is as follows:

VMware-vdiskmanager.exe –d “D:\My Virtual Machines\windows 2000 Advanced Server.vmdk”

In this example, we defragged a Windows 2000 Advanced server disk located in a different directory other than the default.  Let’s continue by changing the ssw.vmdk disk above from a preallocated disk to a dynamic growing disk. The syntax is as follows:

VMware-vdiskmanager.exe -r ssw.vmdk -t 0 sswgrowable.vmdk

Once you have attached the new disk within the VMware Control Center and tested the new disk with the applicable operating system, you can delete the old disk or vmdk file. At this point you should be feeling pretty comfortable and confident using this tool. Let’s keep going and expand the preallocated 500Mb disk to 1Gb with the following syntax:

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation>vmware-vdiskmanager -x 1gb “d:\my virtual machines\Windows_XP.vmdk”

Let’s say at some point you  want to shrink a virtual disk. This can be done by using the following syntax:

vmware-vdiskmanager.exe -k “d:\my virtual machines\windows 2000 advanced server.vmdk”

These examples should provide you with the basics to use this powerful utility. Let me know what you think?

Related posts:

1. VMware Server: 8 Must-Know Tips and Tricks
2. How to Create a Differencing Disk using Windows Virtual PC
3. VMware Training is Finally Here!
4. VMware Server: Creating a Virtual Machine
5. VMware — The Virtual Machine in Action

For example, you a create a base virtual machine with Windows XP SP3 that has all the service packs and updated hot-fixes. You now are tasked with researching different virus protection systems. A simple way to do this would be to create 3 child virtual machines and create a differencing disk that holds different virus protection systems.

The following diagram shows the configuration we will create.

Now that you know what you are tasked with, your fist step would be to make a copy of the existing Windows XP SP3 base configuration. After a copy is made, set the Parent VHD to read-only so you cannot accidently make changes to it.

Note: If you make changes to the Parent VHD, it will break the children per the diagram above.

Our next step is to create  3 new virtual machines, following the instructions from my previous post. The only thing that changes now is that you create a Differencing disk, as shown in below, and choose the Read-Only Parent VHD.

Now that you have all three vm’s created (see below). You can start each of them up and install the appropriate virus protection for testing.

The screenshot below shows all three Windows XP machines with Differencing disks configured with virus protection.

As you can see, working with Differencing disks in Windows Virtual PC can be very powerful. After creating my base (Parent) image, I was able to create the 3 virtual machines with Differencing disks in under 5 minutes.

Related posts:

1. Windows Virtual PC: Create & Configure New Virtual Machines
2. How to Use VMware’s Virtual Disk Manager
3. Speed Up Your Windows Easily with Disk Defragmenting
4. Virtual Computing: Prepare for Your Exams with Virtualization
5. How to Install Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode for Windows 7

ThinApp 4.5 allows you to move to newer Operating Systems (OS) such as Windows 7 by virtualizing applications and removing all dependencies and links to the OS. With application virtualiztion, the applications are OS agnostic.

ThinApp will basically package and combine applications into a single executable that you can deploy via a MSI, network share, Active Directory, and/or USB key (Figure A).

Figure A: ThinApp by VMware

Now that we know what ThinApp can offer, let’s virtualize OpenOffice using ThinApp.

How to ThinApp OpenOffice

1. Click Start | All Programs |VMware | Thinapp Setup Capture (Figure  B & C). Setup Capture will prescan the registry so when you load your software, Thinapp can identify the changes that have taken place.

Figure B: Welcome Screen

Note: You must have a clean baseline OS with nothing installed. In order to virtualize your applications, create a VMware virtual machine (VM) and perform a snapshot of it with ThinApp installed. Now everytime you want to virtualize an application, you can snap the machine back to a clean baseline.

Figure C: Setup Capture - Ready to Prescan

 
2. Once the Prescan is complete, install OpenOffice inside your virtual machine (Figure D & E).

Figure D: Setup Capture - Install Application

Figure E: Installing OpenOffice

 
3. After the install is complete, you are ready to perform a Postscan. A Postcan  (Figure F.) will detect all changes that have happened to the OS after the Prescan was completed.

Figure F: Setup Capture - Postscanning

 
4. On the Setup Capture – Entry Points page, select your entry points for OpenOffice to work. For example the entry points I have chosen are as follows:

• OpenOffice.org Impress.exe,
• OpenOffice.org Math.exe,
• OpenOffice.org Writer.exe,
• OpenOffice.org.exe.

Figure G: Entry Points

 
5. You now can save and build the project (Figure H). You also have the ability to generate a MSI file to deploy the projects to multiple machines. Basically, when you build the project, it creates an MSI install in addition to the virtualized application files.

Figure H: Setup Capture - Package Settings

 
6. Open C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware ThinApp\Captures\OpenOffice\bin folder (Figure I) and the following files are available. You can copy these files to a USB stick or a network share. If you createad a MSI, you could copy to a computer and run it to deploy these files.

Figure I: OpenOffice virutalized

 
7. Next, click on one of the files in Figure I and the virtualized application will run as shown in Figure J and Figure K.

Figure J: Launching virtualized application

Figure K: Word processing program virtualized

And That’s How You ThinApp OpenOffice!

You have successfully virtualized OpenOffice. Now you can begin to virtualize all of your applications. You can download a 60 day trial of Thinapp for evaluations purposes and see how well it works for you.

Related posts:

1. What is VMware ThinApp and How Do I Use It?
2. How to Virtualize an App with VMware ThinApp in under 5 minutes
3. Working with the VMware Tools
4. Run Windows on OS X: Installing Windows 7 in VMware Fusion
5. How to Install Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode for Windows 7

Today I thought we’d take a step back and review the VCP (VMware Certified Professional) and VCDX (VMware Certified Design Expert) certifications.

In the video you will discover the benefits of becoming a VCP and some of the best ways to prepare for your VCP and VCDX exams.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What are your VMware Certification options?
• What does it take to get a VCP?
• What are the benefits of becoming a VCP?
• How to upgrade your VCP certification?
• How to prepare for the VCP exam?
• What does it take to get a VCDX?
• What is a vExpert?

And if you haven’t already, please make sure to read my article on the new VCAP Certification.

Related posts:

1. VMware VCP, VCAP, & VCDX Certification Guide
2. How to Earn Your VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP)
3. VMware Training is Finally Here!
4. New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol 1– Now Available
5. Learn VMware for FREE!

This article looks at three of the most popular open source solutions: OpenVZ, Oracle’s Virtualbox and Citrix’s Xen.

The first thing that must be understood is that each of these products takes a slightly different approach to virtualization. OpenVZ utilizes what is referred to as Operating System (OS) virtualization, Virtualbox utilizes hardware virtualization and Xen utilizes paravirtualization and virtualization.

So the first question that we’ll tackle today is: What is the difference between these types of virtualization solutions?

Virtualization Types

With OS virtualization, a special kernel is run which includes support for what OpenVZ calls containers (VPS’s). Inside each of the containers runs another copy of the host operating system. OpenVZ is limited to running both host and guest OS’s; however the guest can be running a different flavor, but must be able to share the same special kernel.

What these containers essentially resemble are a highly evolved version of chrooting, with each of the host and guest operating systems isolated from each other but able to share the same physical resources. This type of implementation while limited by its support of only Linux also has a performance advantage (debatable by some) because the amount of virtualization overhead it very limited (1 – 3%).

Now paravirtualization (Xen) and full (hardware) virtualization (Virtualbox) are similar in that the purpose is to allow total guest isolation and “almost complete” to “complete” hardware emulation.

With paravirtualization, the guest operating systems are able to communicate with the hardware via a hypervisor; this hypervisor manages the guest access to the hardware and emulates hardware in software when required. Paravirtualization’s disadvantage over full virtualization is that it does require that the guest operating system have a modified kernel that is aware of its relationship with the hypervisor.

With full virtualization the guest operating system can run with pre-built unmodified kernels. It should be noted however that many operating systems which are popular have modified kernels available which allows them to be run.

Top Free Virtualization Solutions: OpenVZ, Xen, VirtualBox

• OpenVZ

Having used OpenVZ, I believe that it is an excellent, solid product which is very easy to manage once it is up and running. However, one of its best advantages is also one of its biggest problems; that being operating system virtualization. The host operating system must be supported and run a modified OpenVZ supported kernel, if this kernel has not been previously compiled for the operating system requested then the kernel must be compiled with support for OpenVZ.

Now the efficiency is worth the trouble that installation can be, but only if you are skilled in Linux. Once up and running however, OpenVZ runs very stable and supports a very large number of overall containers. OpenVZ also has another ability which makes it a good selection for certain implementations, that being that resources can be easily shared. This includes the ability to easily oversubscribe both the CPU and the memory of the host computer. Now as long as the host computer has enough hardware to support the requested resources (Live requests, not on creation) you will be fine.

One thing that can be hard to find with OpenVZ is a good stable feature rich management GUI, there are several available but none which ever lived up to my expectations.

If you’re interested in giving OpenVZ a try, here’s where you can get more information: wiki.openvz.org.

• Xen

Xen is a very popular virtualization solution which works on a number of different platforms including Redhat RHEL 5 and Fedora 7, Sun Solaris and Debian Etch, Lenny and above. Citrix also has a Xenserver platform which is targeted at the enterprise space. As stated above, Xen mainly has worked through the use of a hypervisor which emulates a hardware platform which is used by the guest operating systems.

This paravirtualization technique is able to achieve high performance on a number of different architectures including Linux and Solaris and support an even larger number of guest operating systems including Windows. This technique does require that the guest operating system be aware of the hypervisor and thus requires a modified kernel on most hardware. The exception to this is with newer systems running Intel’s VT-x and AMD’s AMD-V architectures; with the host hardware supporting these extensions, many guest operating systems are able to be run unmodified and Xen becomes more of a full virtualization solution.

There are several management tools which are available for Xen, most of which this author has not used so their complete feature support and ease of use is unknown.

If you’re interested in giving Xen a try, here’s where you can get more information: citrix.com

• VirtualBox

Virtualbox is a newer solution which has only been around  a couple of years. Virtualbox differs from the other two solutions because it is a full virtualization solution. What this means is that the guest operating system sees a copy of the hardware which the host system is running on. At this time the only supported hardware platforms are x86 and x86-64.

At the time of this writing, Virtualbox supports a large number of host operating systems including Linux, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Solaris. Along with this large list of host operating systems comes a larger list of guest operating systems including all the host operating systems and includes FreeBSD, OS/2 Warp, Haiku, Syllable, ReactOS and SkyOS additionally. Virtualbox also has support for the virtual hard drive formats from VMWare (VMDK) and Microsoft (VHD) as well as their own proprietary Virtual Desktop Image (VDI) format.

Virtualbox’s limitations include no support for 64-bit guest operating systems without virtualization hardware (VT-x or AMD-V) as well as very limited support for oversubscription compared with OpenVZ.

If you’re interested in giving VirtualBox a try, here’s where you can get more information: Virtualbox.org

Give Virtualization a Shot

Each of these solutions has their specific segment of the market which works very well for each of them. Each of them provides solutions which can be overlapping and selection greatly depends on the knowledge of the installer and the feature requirements of the end solution.

OpenVZ is a great ISP VPS solution as it provides isolation and great oversubscription while also supporting most Linux features. Both Xen and Virtualbox are great solutions and which one to use depends on the specific features required.

Xen and Virtualbox both compete with VMware as well, and each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Xen is a proven solution and has been around for quite a while, this longevity makes its support wide ranging and support for it equally as wide. Virtualbox is a newer solution but is supported by a large company (Oracle) which means that at the very least the basic support should be available.

At the time of this writing, Xen and Virtualbox can be quite easy to install and configure both with CLI and web based tools. And since all three are open source products, there’s plenty of free tutorials, help and community support for these virtualization solutions.

Related posts:

1. Go Virtual for Free with Sun xVM VirtualBox
2. 15 Reasons To Consider Virtualization
3. How to Install Sun VirtualBox and Widows 7 in Ubuntu 9.10
4. Top 3 Free Remote Access Solutions
5. Two Free Virtualization Events You Can’t Miss

In this article we’ll take a look at the top VMware products so that you may better determine how they might benefit your organization.

We’ll cover VMware products for servers, desktops, Macs and the cloud.

VMware for Servers

VMware vSphere 4

First up is the flagship server virtualization product. vSphere is VMware’s first cloud based operating system. VMware vSphere is also the company’s most mature offering. The latest version features improved security with vShield Zones, Storage VMotion integration, vStorage thin provisioning to cut down on storage consumption, and improved fault tolerance capabilities.

VMware Server

Unlike vSphere, VMware Server is hosted and runs on top of an operating system like Windows or Linux. Because this is a free product that installs like any other application on a server, this is a perfect way to test how virtualization will work in your environment.

VMware ESXi with Vmware Go

Also free, VMware ESXi provides for an easy way to assess how virtualization can benefit your enterprise. VMware Go is a web based service that simplifies and automates the process. Hypervisor virtualization architecture allows this product to be operating system independent. It features advanced memory and storage management, and a tiny footprint.

VMware on the Desktop

VMware View 4

VMware’s View 4 solution is to the desktop, what VMware Server was for the server. With this product, the desktop becomes virtual and can follow the user to any number of locations as a managed service. The data center delivers the virtual desktop to end users on demand.

VMware ThinApp

This product differs from View 4 in that it provides virtualized applications. As the applications are isolated from each other, conflicts are eliminated. Also of great benefit to system administrators, apps can be easily deployed to different Windows platforms without the need for testing and retrofitting.

VMware Workstation

With VMware Workstation you can run multiple operating systems simultaneously on one computer. Now you can run Windows, Linux and in fact, multiple versions of each, on the same box. No longer will your hardware purchasing decisions depend upon applications that are specific to a single OS.

VMware ACE

Wondering how to manage all these virtual workstations? That’s where VMware ACE come in o play. This is a product that handles provisioning and through configuration tools, increased security. Simple create a virtual machine that matches internal IT policies.

VMware Player

Looking for a free alternative to VMware Workstation? VMware Player provides much of the same functionality, without the price. Some of the missing features include: multiple snapshots, clones and virtual rights management features.

VMware for the Mac

VMware Fusion

Fusion is simply the Mac incarnation of VMware Workstation. Now, if you’d like to run a copy of Windows on a Mac computer, you can install it in a virtual machine, without the need to reboot. The latest version includes improved graphics and overall performance enhancements.

VMware and the Cloud

VMware vCloud

With this product, applications can now be run, secure and managed in a private or public cloud. With vCloud, VMware offers a way to manage the virtual resources in the cloud. Of note is the vCloud advanced programming interface (API) which allows for providing and using virtual resources in the cloud.

VMware vCloud Express

vCloud Express is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solution provided by VMware service provider partners. Organizations with fluctuating needs will benefit from this pay-as-you-go type infrastructure. Think of this an an on-demand, cloud service provider.

VMforce

This is the first product that allows for developing Java applications in the cloud. VMware and salesforce.com partnered to deliver this service. The need for dedicated hardware and development software may just become a thing of the past. Developers can use the standard Spring Eclipse-based IDE and deploy their application with just 1 click.

Give VMware a Try!

With such a vast repository of products, it seems that VMware is not a vendor that will be content to rest on its laurels. In order to stay abreast of tips and tricks, be sure to check out my post on virtualization resources. And for a complete list of products,free trails, and demos visit VMware’s website.

Related posts:

1. VMware Training is Finally Here!
2. VMware ESX Server Compared
3. How to Install Windows 7 in VMware Workstation
4. How to Virtualize an App with VMware ThinApp in under 5 minutes
5. Master VMware vSphere and Transform Your IT Infrastructure

There are many vendors including VMWare, Citrix and even Microsoft operating in this arena. You might find yourself overwhelmed and wondering how best to keep up with the latest industry news.

Today we’ll explore 3 easy ways to stay in the know with virtualization.

1. Top Virtualization Sites and Blogs

The Internet is always one of the first places to start. Vendor website are an obvious place to obtain specific information, but there are also blogs and other sites to visit. Here are a few:

Virtualization Info

This website contains the latest news, whitepapers, books suggestions, and other information to keep you up to date on the entire virtualization industry.

DABCC

Having partnered with some of the major vendors, this is probably the most extensive website on the subject. DABCC features: virtualization news, technical support, podcasts and videos. There are also downloads and Citrix support, VMware support, Microsoft Virtualization, Remote Desktop Services (Terminal Services), Application Virtualization, Server Virtualization, Desktop Virtualization (VDI), Virtualization Security, and Desktop Management Software. They top all this off with an events calendar that focuses on virtualization events.

Virtualization Directory

A collection of news and reports from a variety of sources. Think of this as a website virtualization aggregator.

There are also a few more widely recognized industry websites that cover a variety of technical topics, but have special focus areas on virtualization:

InfoWorld’s Virtualization Center

InfoWorld is a leading technology website. They cover a variety of hardware, software and industry topics along with their dedicated virtualization segment.

Eweek Virtualization Center

Eweek is another widely read technology news source. They also have a dedicated virtualization topic center.

ZDNet’s Virtualization Center

This topic center has news, webcasts, and whitepapers all on virtualization. Also included is the column Virtually Speaking by Dan Kusnetzky & Paula Rooney. Good advice can also be had at the TechRepublic community discussion board.

CIO Magazine’s Virtualization Center

Coupled with general IT industry news aimed at the CIO, you’ll also find virtualization news, expert analysis and advice, case studies, how-to, and blogs on virtualization issues.

As far as virtualization blogs go, there are hundreds to choose from. Thankfully, Eric Siebert has narrowed the list down to top 66 virtualization blogs and had the community vote on their favorite ones. Here are the top 5 virtualization blogs:

• Yellow Bricks by Duncan Epping
• Virtual Geek by Chad Sakac
• Scott Lowe
• NTPro.nl by Eric Sloof
• RTFM Education by Mike Laverick

For a complete list of top virtualization blogs visit vsphere-land.com.

2. Virtualization Conferences and User Groups

Looking to network with other virtualization industry leaders and peers? Conferences provide a forum for networking and learning about the latest news and products.

VMworld 2010

This is an annual conference both in the U.S. (August 20-Sept 2, 2010) and Europe (October 12-14, 2010, Copenhagen). It is also the biggest virtualization event of the year.

Virtualization Conference & Expo

In its 10^th year, this conference in Santa Clara California is hosted by Sys-Con Media, a technology magazine publisher. This year the conference is from November 1-4, 2010.

Interop (Virtualization Track)

Interop is UBM Techweb’s annual technology conference. This year, it will take place in New York, October 18-22, 2010. Virtualization will be one of the focus topics, led by Track Chair – Barb Goldworm.

Virtualization User Groups

Don’t forget about your local virutalization user group, this can be a great way to continue learning about virtualization throughout the year. A quick search for virtualization user group in your area will get you to a good start.

3. Virtualization Magazines

Admittedly, many magazines are of the online variety nowadays. The list below includes both online and print versions.

Virtualization Journal

Published monthly by Sys-Con Media, Virtualization Journal has both print and online versions available.

Virtualization Review

Virtualization Review, is a brand new publication from the 1105 Enterprise Computing Group (ECG) covering the products, vendors, issues and techniques in the virtualization space. Virtualization Review targets IT professionals working with virtualization technology.

The first print issue of Virtualization Review launched in March 2008 and is delivered monthly.

If you do get your hands on a print copy of Virtualization Review keep an eye out for David David’s column The How to Guy!

Virtual Strategy Magazine

This online only magazine features news, feature articles, audio & video segments. Virtual Strategy Magazine launched in 2005 as the first news and information portal focused exclusively on virtualization technologies.

What’s Your Favorite Virtualization Resource?

Few technologies have been adopted as quickly as hardware and software virtualization. Reduced costs realized through hardware and software savings make a compelling case for the widespread adoption of this technology.

I hope this list provided you with resources that will help keep you abreast of the latest developments in the virtualization community. If there’s another great virtualization resource not on our list please share it in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Vote for Your Favorite Virtualization Blog & Win vSphere Training
2. Two Free Virtualization Events You Can’t Miss
3. IT News: For IT Students, a $1,000 Reason To Stay in School
4. Virtually a Reality — Virtualization in the IT World
5. Microsoft’s Desktop Virtualization Offering

The VCP is VMware’s introductory certification. It requires a VMware Education class and successfully passing the VCP exam at a local testing center. The VCDX is VMware’s highest level certification, requiring a VCP, two mid-level exams, a design proposal, and the defense of that design at a VMware-chosen location.

While the VCP has been wildly popular and the VCDX has generated a lot of interest, the issue has been the wide knowledge gap between these two very different certifications. The VCDX is ideally suited for high-level enterprise designers and consultants with extensive experience and it IS NOT the next logical step after you achieve your VCP.

Because of this gap, VMware has introduced a new certification with TWO LEVELS. The new certification is the VMware Certified Advanced Professional, or VCAP and its two different levels are the “DCA” and “DCD”. More specifically, these expand out into…

• VMware Certified Advanced Professional Datacenter Administration (VCAP-DCA)
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional Datacenter Design (VCAP-DCD)

Before anyone gets confused, you don’t need to take both of these tests, only one test is required to achieve the VCAP. Let’s cover each of these in more detail…

VCAP – Datacenter Administration

Ideal for virtual infrastructure designers, the “DCA” focuses on large and complex virtual infrastructures. You should be able to plan, implement, manage, and maintain vSphere deployments. You must already have your VCP4 certification and they you can take the new VCAP-DCA exam, which will be available after July 12, 2010. Unlike the VCP, there is no VMware Education course required (but you must already have your VCP4). Unlike the VCDX defense, the VCAP-DCA can be taken at a locally authorized testing center (similar to the VCP).

VCAP – Datacenter Design

Like the name suggests, the “DCD” is tailored toward virtual infrastructure designers. You should be able to design a large multi-site enterprise virtual infrastructure. You’ll have to have a “deep understanding” of VMware core components, design methodologies & principles, and understand how application and infrastructure services relates to the virtual infrastructure. Assuming you already have your VCP4, you would take the VCAP-DCD exam which will be available in August. Again, there is no VMware Education class required for the DCD and you can take it at a locally authorized testing center.

What Do I Get?

Beyond having the VCAP letters after your name and the personal satisfaction, you may be wondering what else you get from passing a VCAP exam. While it hasn’t been released yet, there will be a VCAP logo that you can use on your business card. Beyond that, VMware is generously offering discount admission to VMworld, invitations to beta classes & exams, and inclusion in an “exclusive VCAP community”. VMware Education also told me that more benefits are on the way!

New VMware Education Classes

To aid those interested in getting their VCAP (and anyone else who just wants to learn advanced vSphere content) VMware is launching three new classes (all based on vSphere 4). They are:

• Troubleshooting
• Performance
• Design Workshop

And, VMware Education says that they have three other classes on the way:

• vSphere: Manage and Design for Security
• vSphere: Automation with VMware PowerCLI
• vSphere: Business Continuity Disaster Recovery Design

Upgrading your VMware VCDX3 to VCDX4

If you already are a VCDX on VI3 and want to become a VCAP4 or VCDX4, VMware has a nice diagram that lays out the path to VCAP4 and VCDX4. Here is how it all fits together:

In Summary…

Soon I will be taking the VCAP beta exams before they are released later this year. As soon as those exams are out of beta (and NDA) I will talking more about the exams blueprint and recommendations for study materials (without breaking any of the non-disclosure rules). Additionally, I will try out one of the new VMware Education classes and post a review on it. Finally, over the next month I am working with fellow vExperts to create the best video training you’ll find covering advanced vSphere topics (releasing soon in our vSphere Pro series video training) which may help you in preparing for the VCAP exams.

For more information on the new VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP), visit the VMware Education website.

ARTICLE UPDATE 6-14-2010: VMware Education has now released the Test Blueprints for each of the VCAP certifications.

Related posts:

1. VMware VCP, VCAP, & VCDX Certification Guide
2. VMware Certification: Preparing for the VCP & VCDX
3. Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) Certification Guide
4. CWDP & CWAP: Two New CWNP Professional Certifications
5. New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol 1– Now Available

VMware Go has been hugely successful and recently a new version of the web-based service has been released. The new version offers a number of updated features including an improved user interface and direct virtual appliance download and import.

My new video covers the updated version of VMware Go and will show you not only the new features in VMware Go but also:

• How VMware Go can help you
• How to find a server to install ESXi on
• How to download and install ESXi
• How to convert VMs, create new VMs, and download VMs with VMware Go
• How to manage ESXi and VMs with VMware Go
• How to scan guest VMs for patch compliance

Hope you enjoy the video! You can find out more about VMware Go at go.vmware.com and on my blog vmwarevideos.com.

Related posts:

1. Jumpstart ESXi and P2V with VMware Go
2. Video: How to Install VMware vSphere Client in Windows 7
3. Virtualization Forum 2009 + Win $5000 in VMware’s Video Contest
4. VMware 101: Which VMware Products Are Right For You?
5. VCP & vExpert David Davis Shares His Home VMware vSphere Lab

Let’s begin by defining desktop virtualization. Desktop virtualization is simply a way to separate a personal PC/Laptop environment from a physical machine through a client/server environment. Basically, a virtualized desktop is delivered to you via a server that is not physically connected to your computer. For example, you could be running Windows 7 on your desktop and then have a new desktop redeployed using Windows XP in minutes. What is on your physical desktop does not matter.

Let’s go over the following desktop virtualization solutions offered by Microsoft:

• User State Virtualization
• Application Virtualization
• OS Virtualization

User State Virtualization

This concept allows users to access their data from anywhere at any point in time. Basically, your user profile and data are available dynamically on any applicable or authorized PC. Additionally, in the event of theft, you can easily recover your files since they are stored in the Data Center servers. This functionality is native to Windows 7 and provides virtualization of the user state. They are: Roaming User Profiles, Folder Redirection and Offline folders.

Application Virtualization

Application virtualization delivers virtual applications to user desktops on demand without the need to embed the application in the physical machines registry with hooks deep into the Operating System (OS). Microsoft takes advantage of this technology with a product called Microsoft Application Virtualization (APP-V). RemoteApp is another product where Microsoft delivers programs through Remote Desktop Service (RDS). These programs appear on the local computer but are hosted applications.

Operating System (OS) Virtualization

OS virtualization gives you the ability to deploy an OS image across physical and virtual environments. There are two types of OS virtualization. They are as follows:

• Client-Hosted Desktop Virtualization
• Server Hosted Desktops

Client Hosted Desktop Virtualization

Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) is a product offering that allows you to deploy and manage virtual desktops on a Windows platform. For example, you can use MED-V to deploy Windows 7 desktops without the nuisance of application compatibility of Windows XP legacy applications. Microsoft leverages Windows Virtual PC to handle application compatibility issues while running Windows 7. Basically, you are running two OS’s on one device but can have seamless integration between the two.

Server Hosted Desktop Virtualization

Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) allows users to access their desktops that are hosted on servers. VDI allows you to deliver the latest technology such as Windows 7 to laptops that may not be suitable to run hardware physically. Since the Data Center hosts the desktop, you just simply need a tool to access your desktop.

Additionally, you can access Remote Desktop Services to remotely access a Windows Server OS with multiple sessions using a mature technology such as Remote Desktop protocol (RDP).

For more information on the products listed in this article check out microsoft.com/virtualization.

I am off to a Windows Server 2008 Server Core presentation. I’ll check back in later.

Related posts:

1. Microsoft Desktop Player for IT Professionals and Developers
2. 15 Reasons To Consider Virtualization
3. Longhorn Terminal Services: Better than Citrix?
4. Virtually a Reality — Virtualization in the IT World
5. 3 Easy Ways to Stay Up-to-Date with Virtualization

Opening Windows Virtual PC

Let’s begin by selecting Start | All Programs | Windows Virtual PC | Windows Virtual PC . A Windows Explorer snap-in appears with the ability to create new virtual machines.

Figure A: The Windows Virtual PC Snap-in is where you create virtual machines.

Creating a New Virtual Machine

Click “Create virtual machine” button and the “Create a Virtual Machine Wizard” appears as shown in Figure B.

Figure B: Specify the name of your virtual machine.

Type a name for the virtual machine you want to create. The virtual machine is automatically stored in the following default path: “C:\Users\Steven\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Virtual PC\Virtual Machines\.” Click  ”Browse…” if you want to save the virtual machine to a different path. Click “Next” and type the amount of memory you want to use (Figure C). In this example, I am configuring the memory to 1000 MB.

Figure C: Type the amount memory your virtual machine consumes.

Additionally, leave the default checkbox selected if you want to connect your virtual machine to an external network. If you want it disconnected from your network, deselect the check box. Click Next and you are ready to add a virtual disk as shown in Figure D.

Figure D: Adding a virtual disk (vhd)

You have the option of creating different kinds of virtual disks. They are: dynamically expanding virtual hard disk, fixed virtual hard disk, and differencing disk.

A dynamic disk requires 8 MB of free space and will grow until you use all the hard drive space on your disk. A fixed virtual disk allows you to specify a size and grows the disk to that particular sized. Finally, a differencing disk stores changes in a separate disk so that you are able to isolate your virtual disk changes while leaving the original virtual disk untouched. If you do not select a disk option, the default value is to create a dynamic disk.

You also have the options of selecting to enable “Undo Disks.” The Undo Disk will store all the changes you have made to a virtual machine from when you turn on the feature. When you shut down the virtual machines, you have the ability to snap the changes back to the baseline. The baseline is what is configured before you enable Undo Disks. When you are done making your selections, click the “Create Button.”

Configuring the Setting on  a Virtual Machine

Now that you have learned how to create a new virtual machine, let’s move forward and configure the setting of the virtual machine. Our next step is to highlight the virtual machine we created and select the “Settings” button as shown in Figure E.

Figure E: Configuring your settings.

For example, you can change the memory by selecting “Memory” and changing the value (Figure F).

Figure F: Adjusting your virtual machine memory settings.

Adding virtual disks in Windows Virtual PC is as simple as highlighting Hard Disk 2 and clicking on the “Create” button and specifying the appropriate location.

Additionally, you can also switch back and forth from using ISO images and physical DVD media by choosing the following: “Open an ISO image” or “Access Physical Drive (Figure G).”

NOTE: ISO images are handy when your laptop or desktop doesn’t have a DVD drive installed.

Figure G: Changing your media.

When you are satisfied with your settings, click close. You can always power off a virtual machine and revisit this section when you choose to make changes.

Note: It is recommended that you spend some time on this page and explore all of the settings that are available to come up with your “sweet spot” virtual machine configuration.

Starting a New Windows Virtual PC Virtual Machine

Highlight the virtual machine you want to start and click the “Open” button. Additionally, you can right-click on the virtual machine and select “Open.” Once your virtual machine is running, you will notice how SLOWLY it runs–almost painful. At this point, I would like to introduce you to a feature called  Windows Virtual PC Integration Components. This is similar to what VMware Workstation calls VMware Tools. Installing Windows Virtual PC Integration components improves how your virtual machine will interact with your physical computer.

Note: Integration Components are supported only on the following Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista SP 1, and Windows XP SP 3

When you install the the Integration Components, you get the following enhancements:

• Mouse Integration – This feature allows you to move your mouse seamlessly between your virtual machine and your physical machine without lag.
• Time Synchronization – This feature synchronized your virtual machine (guest OS) to your physical machine.
• Clipboard Integration – This feature allows you to copy and paste between your guest OS and your physical OS.
• Disk Integration – This feature allows you to access physical disks within your virtual machine.
• Audio Integration – This feature allows you to direct your audio from your physical machine to your virtual machine.
• Printer Integration -This feature allows you to share  printers with your guest and physical machines.
• USB Integration – This feature allow you to use all physical USB devices within your virtual machine (VM).

Installing Windows Virtual PC Integration Components

Once you have your virtual machine powered on,  click Tools | Install Integration Components and a message appears that you are about to install the Windows Virtual PC Integration Components. Click “Continue.” Next, run the setup.exe and click “Next” when the Welcome screen appears.Once the installation is complete, you are prompted to reboot your computer. After your computer boots up and you login with your credentials, click Tools | Enable Integration Features.

Note: You may be prompted to reboot your computer again.

Once the Integration Components are installed, you can review your settings or make changes by selecting Tools|Settings. Highlight Integration Features and you can modify your settings as shown in Figure H.

Note: A reboot is required if you make any changes to your integration features.

Off to the Races

You now have all the tools necessary to begin working with Windows Virtual PC. Download the product today and begin your exploration of the world of virtualization.

Related posts:

1. How to Create a Differencing Disk using Windows Virtual PC
2. Go Virtual for Free with Sun xVM VirtualBox
3. How to Install Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode for Windows 7
4. VMware Server: Creating a Virtual Machine
5. Working with the VMware Tools

With the Nexus 1000V (N1KV), you get the Cisco IOS command line (actually NX-OS) for your virtual infrastructure, policies, QoS, security, and many other Cisco switch features that you (or your network admin) are used to using. 

VMware’s dvSwitch and the Cisco Nexus 1000V make a powerful team but you must also know how to install it, add ESX hosts to the new switch, and create port profiles.

The video below is part of our VMware vSphere Pro Vol 1 Video Training and the lessons covering the Nexus 1000V are taught by VMware vExpert, VCP4, and VCDX Rick Scherer of VMwareTips.com.

In the video below, Rick has already created the Cisco VSM (virtual supervisor module) and VEM (virtual ethernet module) and now must add an ESX host to the new Nexus 1000V switch. However, as Rick points out, there is more to this than just an ESX host and VM than just “adding you to the switch”.

After showing the correct way to add an ESX host to a switch, Rick also shows you how to create port profiles.

Checkout Rick’s video below and learn everything you need to know about the Nexus 1000V in our Cisco Nexus 1000-V training course.

Related posts:

1. New VMware vSphere Pro Series Training Vol 1– Now Available
2. Video: Configuring an Iomega SAN and VMware vSphere for iSCSI
3. Video: How to Install VMware vSphere Client in Windows 7
4. Master VMware vSphere and Transform Your IT Infrastructure
5. Free Cisco CCNA Training & Hardware Sponsorship – Signup Today

VMware Workstation 7 allows you to transform your desktop into multiple Operating Systems (OS) without the overhead of additional computers.

In the past, gaining knowledge for certifications required a lot of upfront overhead. With the introduction of virtualization, getting the knowledge to become certified has become much more cost effective.

What are the VMware Tools?

The VMware Tools are a special set of utilities that enhance your virtualization experience. All virtual machines created get better performance once the VMware Tools are installed.

The VMware Tools are stored as an ISO image within VMware Workstation 7. Workstation 7 upgrades the VMware Tools ISO image automatically. If you do not have the latest version of the VMware Tools, you are prompted to download the latest updates. This assures you have the latest and greatest VMware Tools when creating virtual machines.

Working with the VMware Tools

Open VMware Workstation from the start menu and select your virtual machine from the sidebar (Figure A). Power On your virtual machine (VM) by choosing VM | Power | Power On.

Figure A: The sidebar displays all your virtual machines.

Once your virtual machine is powered on, click on the Start button and Control Panel. Once the Control Panel opens, choose VMware Tools as shown in Figure B.

Figure B: Opening the VMware Tools via the Control Panel

Working with the Options Tab in VMware Tools

The Options Tab allows you to set the time synchronization between your Host and Guest (VM). Selecting this checkbox (Figure C) keeps the time synchronized between your host and guest computer.

Periodically, the Host checks the guest VM and if the time is incorrect, it is correctly synchronized.

Figure C: The Options Tab

Furthermore, this tab allows you to display whether you want the VMware Tools to display in your taskbar and whether you want to be notified via the taskbar if a VMware Tools update is available.

Working with the Devices Tab in VMware Tools

The Devices tab allows you to connect removable devices to your virtual machines such as floppy drives, DVD/CD-ROM drives, ISO images, USB drives, network, and sound adapters.

Alternatively, you can add/remove devices if you edit the settings of a newly created virtual machine.

 

Figure D: Working with the Devices tab

Working with the  Scripts Tab in VMware Tools

The Scripts tab allows you to run scripts that help automate your virtual machine(s).

For example, you can choose a script from the dropdown menu and click Run Now. Click the dropdown and experiment with the system delivered scripts to create your ideal virtual machine(s).

 

Figure E: Working with the Scripts Tab

Working with the Shrink Tab in VMware Tools

The Shrink Tab allows you to reclaim unused disk space in a virtual disk.

If you balloon a virtual machine and then delete the files, the virtual machine remains in a ballooned state with empty space. Shrinking a VM will erase this empty space and compact your virtual machine.

 

Figure F: Working with the Shrink Tab

Working with the About Tab in VMware Tools

The About tab displays VMware’s build number and copyright information.

 

Figure G: Working with the About Tab

 
Once you have a virtual machine created, it is equally important to understand how the VMware Tools work in conjunction with a virtual machine. By experimenting with the different setting in the VMware Tools settings, you can take your newly created virtual machines to the next level.

Related posts:

1. VMware Training is Finally Here!
2. How to Install Windows 7 in VMware Workstation
3. Go Virtual for Free with Sun xVM VirtualBox
4. How to Use VMware’s Virtual Disk Manager
5. How To ThinApp OpenOffice in 7 Easy Steps