VMware Explore
Heading to VMware Explore?
The Content Catalog just released, so its time to review, and mark your favorites (which will make it much easier when it comes time to build your schedule).
VCF 9.1 – express patch 2 released
2 patches in the 6 weeks since 9.1 was released.
Keeping up with security vulnerabilities….
Release Notes are here.
VCF 9.1 – Real-Time Metrics
With VCF 9.1, a new component became available…Real-Time Metrics.
What is it?
Well, VCF Operations has been able to gather metrics from its collectors at
5-minute intervals (can be configured down to 1-minute).
With Real-Time Metrics, you can collect data down to 2-second intervals (for a subset of all available metrics)
Lengthy post, but it has a lot of examples.
Brock Peterson’s Blog Post on this is here.
Planning / Sizing Tool for VCF 9.1
Came across this VCF 9.1 Planning & Preparations Workbook online.
Very easy to use.
I figure it is important to plan before you start clicking, and this definitely makes it a bit easier to plan quickly.
Just not how many vCPUs you allocate right off the bat to rollout (most) of the components that exist for VCF’s Management Domain….you are at ~1.3 vCPU oversubscription right away.
Make sure you plan to get some new hardware to run those workloads!
(my post from February 2026 was about 9.0, but the logic still applies)
VCF 9.0 vs VCF 9.1 NSX Network Architectures
Stateless or stateful network services?
Which led to Centralized (preferred) or Distributed designs.
That used to be a make it or break it decision in VCF (and Tanzu).
Now, with VCF 9.1, the transition is fully visible, in that Distributed designs are getting 1st class capabilities of Centralized Designs.
I just expect that at some point, Centralized designs will go away, as Distributed will bring all the Stateful Services expected via Distributed.
Great Blog Post is here.
VKS on VCF – Top Questions
A good post covering some of the details of using VKS.
VMware Blog post is here.
vSphere Configuration Profiles – comparing to Host Profiles
Since vSphere 7, Image Based Management (Cluster Images) have existed.
Since vSphere 8, Configuration Profiles have existed….to fill a need.
Image Based Management can not use Host Profiles (and Host Profiles is deprecated).
How do you approach Configuration Profiles to get a similar (and easier) equivalent to Host Profiles?
VMware Blog post is here.
VMware Memory Tiering & Large Memory Pages
Wordy title, I know.
Great article though, as it reinforces the 1:1, 2:1, 4:1 ratios of overcommitting RAM based on the workload and the expected performance….
All while telling the story of how the technical details work….
VMware Blog post is here.
Running VCF 9.1.0 in the lab?
Might want this tidbit that allows for nested ESX hosts to upgrade to 9.0.1.0100.
William Lam, of course, has a blog post on this…..
Running VCF 9.1.0 for many people in your lab?
Want to give many people Nested VCF?
Use VPCs, and VyOS routers…..
Here’s how to build it in VCF Automation.
Tomas Fojta has you covered with his blog post here.
NKP – using AD Authentication – overview and gotcha
A case sensitivity issue in the UserPrincipalName
Blog Post is here.
Nutanix Approval Policies – require 3 x admins to approve deletes
Using your Nutanix “Protection Policies” to have snapshots of your VMs on a schedule?
Most of us are, for replication purposes, or even for local recovery (or remote recovery) of our VMs.
Nice benefit here….if you get ransomwared, ….deleting snapshots is one of the things that usually happens.
Prevent it, by requiring 3 x different administrators to approve that action.
Blog post is here.
Free Learning – GitHub Repo
AWS Workshops
KodeKloud
Nutanix University
Nutanix Next 2027– March 30 – April 1, Las Vegas, NV
PluralSight
vBrownBag
VMware Hands On Labs
VMware Explore 2026 – August 31 – September 3, Las Vegas, NV
VMware Explore 2025 Sessions (William Lam’s easier to search list version)