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.

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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.

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Virtual Updates 2020-02-17

VMware Licensing Change – Per CPU and Per Core
VMware is pushing out a change on how it licenses ESXi.
We are all familiar with the per CPU Socket model that has been in existence for some time (since the release of ESXi 1.x).
Well, now they are moving to per CPU with a max of 32-cores.
While that may not impact you right now, as CPU core counts go up, this will be something you have to deal with…maybe the next year or two.
What happens when you get a 36-core CPU? you will need 2 x CPU licenses to run ESXi on that.
Why don’t they just change their licensing to strictly be per core?
I don’t know…they didn’t ask me.
I truly believe if they want to start addressing cores, then just go straight core, and forget the CPU socket count. They already have figured out how much per core licensing would cost (~$118 or so, given the cost of ESXi Enterprise Plus per CPU socket licensing). Why not just do per core then?
With a mix of CPU socket and Core Count, I can see the nightmare coming….just like the vRAM Tax fiasco of the vSphere 5.0 release.
Remember that?
Having to do different designs for each solution to figure out the most cost effective way to deliver a mix of CPU and memory and determining how many hosts in each too.
I have no problem changing the licensing from CPU Socket to core, if that’s what you want to do.
I do have a problem with keep CPU Socket licensing, and limiting the number of cores to 32 per socket. Adding unnecessary design constraints to something in this manner will be a pain….again, not today, but next year & forward. If you run the new AMD chips (with 64-cores), you now have twice the expense to run ESXi on it…..
This happens on April 2, 2020.
Read the VMware News Post here.

Intel – another CPU vulnerability
Got another one to be aware of now.
Bob Plankers put out a post about these new vulnerabilities.
Nothing for us to do yet, as Intel hasn’t shipped a code-fix, but as long as you are patching your vSphere environment, you should be covered.

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Virtual Updates 2019-10-28

VMworld 2019 – Barcelona
Can’t wait to hear all the news from this next week!
With all the vRealize Suite 8 components released this past week…
I expect we can hear more about vSphere’s next release…

VMware Snapshot problems – Again!
I first came across this from a post on The Register.
Windows 2019 on vSphere 6.5 & 6.7 has quiesce issues….
This reminds me of the CBT bug from vSphere 6.0.
This VMware KB does not inspire me with confidence (recommends turning off App Quiesce OR to convert from GPT disks to MBR disks)…
I hope I’m just reading old news….

Sudo Flaw! – patch your distributions!
Found an article calling this out on thehackernews.com.
It summarizes how to use sudo without proper authorization or passwords.
It shows how to exploit it.
It states that all sudo versions prior to 1.8.28 are affected
(1.8.28 was released 10/14/2019)

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Virtual Updates 2019-08-05

VCDX Workshop at VMworld
Are you prepping for the VCDX certification?…and heading to VMworld?
Plan on being there for Sunday August 25 from 1:15pm – 6:00pm.
Its right near the Moscone, where VMworld takes place.
all you have to do is register via this link….

VTUG Summer Slam 2019
VTUG (Virtualization Technology User Group) has been around for a long time. This was the last event of the 13,000+ user community.
Paul Braren, of TinkerTry.com, put up a great post about the event.
Great take on the event, and a long list of links to theCUBE interviews.
(if you’d prefer theCUBE site’s link, here you go)

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Virtual Updates 2019-07-22

VMworld 2019 US
For those of you who have registered, I hope you have had time to get your session builder going.
Lots of sessions fill up fast, so getting registered for the sessions you want is a big priority.
…and so are parties.
Who wants to go to such an event, and not enjoy themselves at night after a long day of filling your brain with new ideas & thoughts…..
A couple of long time collectors of this information keep track of all the events going on at VMworld.
Andreas Lesslhumer from Running-Syststem.com keeps a list of VMworld parties.
Manfred Hofer keeps a list going to complement Andreas Lessluhumer.
Another thing, apparently, that is news around that, is the new
VMworld 2019 backpack.
Not sure if people are reading into it the same way I am, but look at the badge on the strap on the back! …..could that be an acquisition?….no sure thing, but you can infer what you’d like…..

VTUG – the final episode…
VTUG started out as the NE-VMUG back in the days when the VMUG’s were run by users in the community.
It is a sad day when VTUG officially ended….. (2019-07-18)
@TheCUBE interviewed @dawnharney & @csharney during the last event.
Give them an 8 minute view, and see what the community is all about.

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Virtual Update 2019-04-15

VMware EMPOWER is coming
Well, VMware Empower in Atlanta is this week.
I’m sure I’ll get a peek into some NDA futures, as well as information that I can share when I update this in two weeks…..

VMware software updates!
vCenter gets to 6.7 U2
ESXi gets to 6.7 u2
vROPs gets to 7.5
vRLI gets to 4.8
vRA gets to 7.6
vRO gets to 7.6
vRB gets to 7.6
vRLCM gets to 2.1
Updates to the vSphere ROBO edition
Details below

VMware VCP-NV 2019 (Network Virtualization)
The new cert is out, and for those of you who hold an existing VCP-NV, most of you will be able to update your cert to the current rev by attending an on-demand training videos (or you can take the test).
Follow the link, and check your upgrade path.

New Intel Chips / DIMMs / 100-GbE NICs
I don’t focus on hardware much, but I saw this and it sparked some interest.
This article caught my eye.
New Intel CPUs with 56 cores each (112 if you count HT).
Optane Persistent DIMMs up to 512-GB each.
…and a 100-GbE NIC….with a heatsink? (not seen that on a NIC before).

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