Gabbs' Random Thoughts – Page 16 – Finding a Way To Fill The Web

Virtual Updates 2020-07-06

VMUG Boston – Virtual Get Together
Trying out a new platform.
Late notice, as this even is today July 6 at 4pm (sorry).
Get registered here.

Nutanix User Groups
I’ve been NUG (Nutanix User Group) Champion for the New England chapter for a few months now.
Started with plans for an in person get together, which got squashed by Covid19
In the interim, we started doing bi-weekly (every two weeks) sessions covering the Nutanix software offerings for our group.
Having discussions with users about them presenting their solutions and such now! That’s what a User Group is all about….not just the vendor’s offerings!
Can’t wait to start hosting the in person get togethers….
Join us every other Thursday until we meet up in person, and focus on networking and having fun!

VMware KubeAcademy
Been a while since I brought this up, but VMware has some free online Kubernetes web-based courses available.
Looks like the list got larger too.
Plus it has CKA exam tips.
This requires a new login (not your MyVMware login).

Virtual Updates 2020-06-22

VMworld 2020 Virtual – Registration Now Live
Given that I have been to every VMworld since 2007….this is a bit of a change.
Now this event is Virtual
Now this event is FREE TO ALL WHO REGISTER!!!!
Registration opens June 23, 2020.
It will not be the same as being there, but it is now accessible to all!

Nutanix Has free NCP Exam Offer
Essentially….you can take this exam for free till 9/20/2020.
And since you can do it from home, no need to travel.
I’ll just post to the Twitter site that has the code here.

Virtual Updates 2020-06-08

vSphere 6.7 End of Support date extended
People were unsure why VMware had vSphere 6.5 and 6.7 with the same end of support date in November 2021.
Well, now vSphere 6.7 has an end of support date of October 15, 2022.
VMware Blog post is here.

vSphere 7 – Kubernetes Pods Explained
I like Mike Foley’s ability to explain nearly anything.
His focus on security over the past years has been awesome.
Now he’s explaining how vSphere Pods work on vSphere 7.
A quick read, and you understand it.
Do you need to know the details of how to run apps in containers?
No (helps, but not required), but as a vSphere Amin (or IaaS provider now), you need to get a good understanding of what you’ll be running.

Virtual Updates 2020-05-25

VMware VCP & VCAP – Around the World
Love this annually released infographic.
VMware Blog post is here.
VCDXs Around the world? VMware Blog post from 2018 is here.

DEMO VCF with vSphere 7 & Kubernetes
This is pretty cool.
On the StorageHub part of the VMware website, you now have a click-through demo of deploying this (on VCF workload domain).
Kinda a Hands on Lab light version…
I like this, as it can show someone how simple it is to use VCF to manage a full SDDC stack, or even one that uses NFS or FC.
Good demo tool for all. 10-15 minutes for your first review.

Virtual Updates 2020-05-11

Best Post from VMware on vSphere 7 with Kubernetes
This comes right from Kit Kolbert, VMware’s VP & CTO of the Cloud Platform Business Unit.
There have been slightly varying messages heard by my clients, and this will be the default page I send them to.
This VMware Blog post explains how Kubernetes IS built into vSphere 7, but that to leverage its full capabilities, you need NSX, and how to get there today with VMware Cloud Foundation.

Azure VMware Solutions
Run VMware infrastructure in Azure?
Looks like its coming, as it is now in Preview….
Microsoft is flexing its muscles here with Windows & SQL Server licensing benefits (can’t fault them for that one).
My big concern here though….is support.
How is Microsoft Azure support going to compete with VMware support (not that VMware support has any advocates out there)?
Here is a Microsoft blog post on this.

VMware Official (not-official) Visio Stencils updated!
Why oh why has VMware NEVER released proper Visio stencils?
I’ve been questions VMware staff for years on this one.
Good thing the community has you covered.
Graham Barker has you covered.
His latest post has the updated VMware Visio stencils based on SDDC (which are used in VVD (VMware Validated Design) documents.

Virtual Updates 2020-04-27

VMware finally has Remote Testing!
Well, its announced, and available since 4/20 (huh huh).
VMware Blog post here.

GitHub for Teams if now free?
Yup. GitHub post about it here.
Yes, premium features still cost money, but they cut the pricing too.
Not what I expected ….

VMware Tanzu – more releases….
So Tanzu itself is not a product.
Just like vRealize is not a product…it is a set of products with a common brand
That is Tanzu…..many products under a common brand.
Tanzu Application Services has been released.
Tanzu Build Service has been released.
Tanzu Kubernetes Grid has been released.
Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Integrated Edition (formerly known as VMware Enterprise PKS) 1.7 is now generally available.
Read more at VMware Tanzu site.

Virtual Updates 2020-04-13

This week is a bit light.
I spent so much time these past 2 weeks reading the vSphere 7 documentation, rebuilding the classroom to run vSphere 7 (and doing all the patching of the Windows OS), and updating process documentation, that I missed keeping up on this post.

vSphere 7 – Released
OK, so there are a lot of things on this one note.
I’ll have a collection once you click “read more” on this post.
I’ll link the release notes here, but the collective of posts and informative notes will be linked as a collection below.
I’ve read through the 3500 pages of documentation already.
Lots of good information in there.
I have prepped a vSphere 7 What’s New that I plan on delivering to folks who would like to hear it.

Remote Access, VPN, VDI, or EUC
Lot of conversations about this these past few weeks.
I am doing a session on this today.
Thought I’d share some really good posts around that.
Brian Madden post on VMware’s Blog Site on VDI or VPN, what that means, and the considerations you should take, depending on your partners.
VMware has a Steps to Enable a Remote Workforce with Workspace ONE
This post gives the 10,000 foot view of the process of standing up Workspace ONE.