Nutanix Calm – Gabbs' Random Thoughts

Virtual Updates 2020-11-30

VMware vExpert applications are open!!!
Already a vExpert? Looking to become one for the first time?
(if you are not confident and want some assistance, there ARE a group of vExperts with vExpert PRO willing to help you through the process.
All must go through the application process,
which is currently open until January 9, 2021.
vExpert Blog Post is here.

AWS re:Invent – Starts today for 3 weeks
AWS re:Invent is THIS week, online, and free.
Starting today, 2020-11-30, and running till 2020-12-18,
this event is now a 3-week long online event.
Pretty different schedule versus the one week in Vegas it has been.
Want to attend?
Register for AWS re:Invent here.

VMware Vulnerabilities – Critical
Affects ESXi, VM Workstation, & Fusion (so not vCenter?)
VMware Advisory Post 2020-0026 here.

Virtual Updates 2020-11-02

Continuing Education
Most of us who work in IT spend quite a bit of time learning new things.
I can’t remember a year where I haven’t been learning something new.
Wanted to put together a list of good training offerings that are out there, many are free & there are some pay for sites int he list, and keep this list going every week (it’ll be at the bottom going forward).
A Cloud Guru
CodeClouds
HashiCorp Learn
KubeAcademy
Nutanix University
PluralSight
vBrownBag
VMware Hands On Labs

Virtual Updates 2020-09-21

Nutanix .NEXT – content still available!
Nutanix .NEXT is done, and nicely summarize here.
Want access to all the content?
No problem….all the content is still available to continue learning!

VMworld is coming up!
Don’t forget….free to attend, just get registered.
(Yes, there is a premier pass for $299 for access to things like INSTRUCTOR led Hands on Labs.
September 29 & 30 (for USA).

Virtual Updates 2020-07-20

VMworld Registration & Content Catalog – now live
VMware is holding 1 event this year for VMworld.
Registration is free.
There is a paid option for a couple of perks.
The content catalog (sessions list) is now available.

vSphere with Kubernetes – for evaluation?
Sure.
William Lam, a pretty good source, lays it out for us.
His recent blog post will help a lot.
Customers want to skip the NSX-T piece, and just use Calico for the networking part of the vSphere with Kubernetes deployment.
Can’t …. (Just ask William Lam).
vSphere w/K8s requires NSX-T ….

vSphere 7 Performance Best Practices
The PDF is now available!
(since May 29th…..missed it)
VMware Blog Post is here.

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 2019-11-11

Conferences…..
VMworld 2019 Europe has wrapped up this past week.
So has MS Ignite 2019.
Lots of good announcements, some of the ones I found most exciting are below…..
AWS re:Invent 2019 is coming up in a few weeks!
A Veeam online event is next week….

VMworld -Security, Project Pacific & Project Tanzu
Was able to find some pretty good summaries of these from VMworld.
(sorry that they are embedded in Twitter, but these are all short & sweet)
Tanzu Mission Control in 82 seconds
Project Pacific in 97 seconds
NSX Intelligence in 72 seconds
NSX + AppDefense + Carbon Black in 102 seconds
Workspace ONE + Carbon Black in 132 seconds
…and of course, William Lam has already posted his VMworld 2019 EU direct playback & download URLs for all VMworld sessions

vCenter / Skyline – Upgrade Checker & Validation
Skyline had a VMware Blog post on this.
VMworld Europe sessions highlighted this within vCenter.
Software Interoperability checks to be performed in vCenter /Skyline.
Upgrades processes (when you have multiple products) & sequence provided.
To me, this means less time spent int he VMware Interoperability Matrix, and less risk in performing updates / upgrades.
Can’t wait to see that feature become reality.
Even still…..we’ll have to upgrade the old way to get to a point where these checks and validations are done for us….THEN the NEXT upgrade will be easier.

vROPs – Expiring Certificates
Saw this in my inbox this week. First I’ve heard about it….
Replace expired internal certificate in vROPs 6.3 & later
Sounds like anyone who’s deployed vROPs should check this out….
Apparently, the certificates expire on 11/19/19?
Simple check and fix in the linked VMware KB article.
This could be for things deployed as late as 8.0 (possibly)?

Virtual Updates 2019-08-19

VMworld 2019 US starts next week
VMworld is back in San Francisco.
My first of many VMworld events (this year makes my 13th showing) was in San Francisco.
Looking forward to catching up with my peers, validating that WEI is doing right by our customers, and getting a glimpse of whatever else I can find to make our day to day lives in IT easier….and with the Update 3 announcements this past week, I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s next.
OneRepublic is the band for the Wednesday VMworld Party.
Don’t forget to download the VMworld 2019 app on your mobile!

vSphere 6.0 End of Support
This is coming on March 12, 2020.
That is only 7 months away folks!
Here is a link to the latest (Aug 1 2019) Product Lifecycle Matrix.