Cretec's Blog

Came across this great article on setting up a scripted installation of vSphere 4.1.

Here is a quote from the article...

"Scripted installation is a new feature for ESXi which is introduced with the release of vSphere 4.1. In this article I’m describing the setup of my home lab in which I use this new feature. Please be advised that this article assumes some basic understanding of Windows and ESX and gives you some guidelines which you can alter for your own specific needs."

I highly recommend reading this guide if you are interested in scripting / automating you vSphere installations.

Full Article

Egenera recently announced that they are launching a partner program in EMEA (story below). This could be a game changer if it catches on with the right partners and if it makes it to the US. For most of the past decade Egenera was the innovator that always seemed to be ahead of its time. Sure it had many high profile and successful customers, but most were still trying to figure out who they were. Many had reservations based on the fact that they were not only selling you a management system, but hardware as well (like Cisco UCS does now). Unfortunately the hardware was expensive and a small name it the world of proven server vendors.

That changed when the signed an OEM agreement with Dell. They finally separated the software from the hardware. However traction was still very difficult as it was an entirely new area for both Dell and Egenera and neither could really get the train moving fast enough. Ironically it was not until Cisco brought out UCS that most finally understood the identity of what Egenera was offering. It came at the expense of a giant in the networking area entering as a major competitor. Now there are many advantages for both systems and I will not get into that now.

The major problem with the Cisco UCS system is that it ties people not only to a software package, but a single hardware vendor as well. Not to mention that while Cisco is known in the networking world they are not known as a server vendor. Now while Egenera was able to separate the software from the hardware and enter OEM agreements with server vendors like Dell, it still seemed to be limited. With this announcement of a Partner Program this may be the first step to bringing this type of managed converged network to the masses. Only time will tell!!

Good article on Cloud as an enabler for small business from vAusTek.

Quote...

One of the hottest technologies around right now is Cloud computing. You think about how Google has been able to turn the tables on traditional office and email applications like Microsoft Office, Exchange, etc. Granted they are still just a small percentage you see the impact and realization from the giants that they are now changing their models to match.

Quote...

Many small businesses and specifically start-ups need to rely on technology just as much as larger businesses, but without the budget or personnel to do so. Both Cloud and SaaS have delivered models that can give the tools needed to compete and ran the day to day business at a much better value.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virtual Bridges, makers of the VERDE™ suite that offers the industry’s lowest TCO for desktop management and provisioning solutions, today announced the immediate availability of VERDE 4. This major release sets a new industry standard for VDI with respect to simplicity, ease of deployment and management for administrators, as well as ease of use and a high-fidelity desktop experience for end users, often cited as major issues in VDI deployments.

There are quite a few new features in VERDE 4 to add to what may be the best kept secret in VDI.

Full Story (Business Wire)