And the winners for this week are:

1. Storage options for Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V via Jose Barreto's Blog
2. More on Storage Options for Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V via Jose Barreto's Blog
3. Microsoft Licensing: Part 5 (virtualization) via markwilson.it
4. Remote Access for Vendors via Life as a Healthcare CIO
5. Dice reports a 40% increase in the demand for virtualization jobs via virtualization.info

"The Microsoft Integrated Virtualization ROI Tool was developed independently by ex-Gartner TCO/ROI experts at leading ROI tool developer Alinean, Inc. This ROI tool helps partners and customers examine current production server, development/QA lab, desktop and application virtualization opportunities, quantifying the potential savings, service level and agility benefits, investment and ROI for implementing Microsoft Integrated Virtualization solutions.
 
The tool collects specific information about current infrastructure costs and opportunities for improvement, then uses research by Alinean to project potential costs and benefits for various optimization strategies using the Microsoft Integrated Virtualization solutions. All research was collected from the Alinean ValueBase™ of IT spending metrics, and Microsoft product and pricing experts to reflect typical costs and savings for similar company type and size."

You can access the tool here.

Posted by Gabriel Maciel

These are the articles and links for the last week:

1.VMware Certified Professionals command higher salaries, report shows via Server Virtualization Blog
2.Free Virtualization Capacity Planning, Courtesy of Microsoft MAP via Virtualization.com
3.Cool Technology of the Week via Life as a Healthcare CIO
4.My Thoughts on the Live Migration-Quick Migration Discussion via Scottlowe.org
5.Microsoft Blogs Part II via Yellow Bricks

Enjoy!

Posted by Gabriel Maciel

Another week, another five interesting articles to read!

1. Management Lessons Learned as a Parent via Life as a Healthcare CIO
2. Storage Design for Exchange Server 2007 via Microsoft
3. VMware white paper review: “Comparison of storage protocol performance” via Server Virtualization Blog
4. Saving money by using virtualization via Server Virtualization Blog
5. Actual ROI of Virtualization via Virtualization Stuff

Here are the links and articles for this week:

• 1. Support for Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) in 3.5 update ! via Yellow Bricks
• 2. Is Quick Migration good enough? via VMTN Blog
• 3. Virtualization tightening the IT job market? via ServerVirtualization Blog
• 4. Virtualization Wave To Cause Huge Market Disruption And Consolidation Through 2012 via Virtualization.com
• 5. After Hours Pay for IT Professionals via Life as a Healthcare CIO

Since a second SCSI adapter is mandatory for Microsoft Clustering Services running in VMware, and it will also provide better performance for any I/O intensive virtual machine like a database server, file server, etc; adding a second controller may be a necessity or valuable option for us. Here is how it can be done:

• After creating the VM we need to “Edit” its settings and select to “Add...” a new device

• We then choose “Hard Disk” (not SCSI device) and click “Next”

• We accept the defaults and click “Next” (unless we whish to re-use an existing vDisk)

• We input the size and move on to the next screen

• In here we need to select a different SCSI node so…

• We are going to choose “SCSI (1:0)” and then click “Next”

• Now we complete the Add Hardware Wizard by clicking “Finish” and then…

• We will be back to the VM Properties where, after clicking “OK”, the changes are going to be committed

Note: If we select to edit the VM one more time, we will see the second SCSI Controller



Posted by Gabriel Maciel

This is a new section that I am going to try to write every week. It will
have the links or articles that called my attention the most in the last 7 days, so you can have
them too. Here we go:

1. Cheap Hypervisors: A Fine Idea -- If You Can Afford Them via
   VMware: Virtual Reality (the comments are also very interesting)
2. The Complete Clustering How-To Presentation (VMworld 2007) via Jumé BV
3. Managing IT Projects via Life as a Healthcare CIO
4. Windows Server 2008 Step-by-Step Guides
5. Webcast: Hardening Windows Server 2008 and its guide