Thank you for this post to Virtualization.info   

 

Today VMware releases one of the most wanted product in its growing portfolio: Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 1.0 (build 97878).

 

 

This is the second company's attempt to enter the security market: VMware started with Assured Computing Environment (ACE), which could represent an effective endpoint security solution but had very acceptance.
With SRM VMware moves to disaster recovery but differently from ACE, this product is not a security solution that can be used in any environment. SRM is a DR solution for VMware Infrastructure only (Standard or Enterprise edition).

 

 

SRM 1.0 comes as a VirtualCenter 2.5 plug-in and allows VMware customers to design, test and execute a seamless migration of virtual machines from the production site to the recovery site and vice versa (if you want SRM to bi-directionally protect both sites).

 

 

The product allows to define virtual machines groups with different recovery priorities (including non-essential VMs which just stay off), the single VMs restart order, and the SLA for recovered VMs.
Additionally, SRM takes care of which site is in read/write state and which is in read-only state during the whole process.

 

Obviously virtualization makes the implementation of a recovery site a much cheaper project, but the real selling point of SRM is that customers can actually test the DR plan.
Verifying a disaster recovery plan is a very expensive and time consuming task, and it interrupts the services availability.
Since the mission critical services are the ones that should be tested, only some companies really try their recovery procedures. The others simulate them on bogus or secondary services which makes the whole test useless.
SRM instead allows to test the recovery plan on the entire data center without down times.

 

 

To make the whole thing possible SRM coordinates a block replication between storage arrays at both sites, and this implies that each storage vendor produces a plug-in, Storage Replication Adapter or ARA, to makes the equipment SRM-aware:

 

 

I would to add a link from VMware site where is possible to download .Pdf Documentation about Site Recovery MAnager, following the link:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/srm_pubs.html

Hi all this is a very exciting news for virtualization community!!  

Following some detail:

 

 

·         HTTP streaming. 

·          New Sequencer UI. 

·         Dynamic Suite Composition (DSC) for MSI packages. 

·         Improved integration with SCCM 2007 R2. 

·         Reporting. 

·         New Manageability tools. 

·         Client cache improvements. 

·         New MSI package capability. 

·         Accessibility. 

·         Documentation.  

 

As part of the RC, Microsoft  has updated the online help that is included with the product. In addition, we are releasing a Planning and Deployment Guide and a FAQ for Upgrading to Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5.  

 

Please read all detailed information on Microsoft Softgrid Blog  

 

How to download the RC  

 

Anyone may download the RC via the Microsoft Connect site (http://connect.microsoft.com).

 

 

Hi all   19^th  June 2008 from 02.00 at 07.00 a.m. (GMT +2.00) Italy time, my provider will issue a intervention of enlargement and strengthening of server farm intended to ensure services more and more advanced and efficient (I hope….)

 

I’m soory if in this time the blog will be not reachable…

 

From Virtualization.info

 

 

The easy to say and to remember SoftGrid product, acquired by Microsoft in 2006, has now two names: the long one, Application Virtualization, and the new short one, App-V.

 

 

The use of category names for a product is already confusing enough: the newest application virtualization product from Microsoft is called Application Virtualization, while the newest virtual machines security wrapper is called Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (formerly Managed Workspaces, acquired from Kidaro in 2008).

 

 

But having two official names is even worse: App-V is a short and easy name which pairs nicely with the upcoming Hyper-V (which should be called HW-V at this point), and may be easily accompanied by a future OS-V (as soon as Microsoft will finally invest in the OS virtualization approach).

 

 

The Hyper-V role enables you to create a virtualized server computing environment using a technology that is part of the Windows Server® 2008 operating system.

 

The Failover Clustering feature enables you to create and manage failover clusters. A failover cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability of applications and services. The clustered servers (called nodes) are connected by physical cables and by software. If one of the cluster nodes fails, another node begins to provide service (a process known as failover). Users experience a minimum of disruptions in service.

 

This Microsoft’s guide shows you how to use these two technologies together to make a virtual machine highly available. You will do this by creating a simple two-node cluster and a virtual machine, and then failing over the virtual machine from one node to the other.

Download Document HERE....

This VHD release is available in English only and is for evaluation and testing purposes. Evaluating Windows Server2008 software does not require product activation or entering a product key. Any edition of Windows Server 2008 may be installed without activation and evaluated for an initial 60 days.

 

At this Microsoft web page there are all requirements and link to download Server 2008 for Hyper-V.

 

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security in Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 is a host firewall that helps secure the computer in two ways.

 

This guide from Microsoft helps you design Windows Firewall with Advanced Security settings and rules that meet your goals for network security. I suggest you to read this document before planning or implementing a security design in customer environment.

 

Download Microsoft’s document here…