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KeyNote Part1

VMware: EVO:RAIL – It looks like our shift to SuperMicro for VSAN was the right choice. Will be be looking for
EVO:Rack – A vBlock without limits? We will see.

OpenStack – VMware is doing a massive amounts of code push to OpenStack so OpenStack can control vSphere, NSX etc allowing for people to run VMware API’s and OpenStack API’s for higher level functionality.

Containers – Docker, Google, Pivotal are allowing very clean and consistent operational deployments.

NSX – Moving security from the edge to Layer 2. Get ready to hear “Zero Trust networking”. The biggest challenge in Enterprise shops is they are going to have to define and understand their networking needs on a granular level. For once network security ability will outrun operational understanding. If your a Sysadmin today get ready to have to understand and defend every TCP connection your application makes, but take comfort in that policy engines will allow this discussion to only have to happen once.

Cloud Volumes – While I’m most excited about this as a replacement for Persona, there are so many use cases (Physical, Servers, Thinapp, Profiles, VDI) that I know its going to take some serious lab time to understand where all we can use this.

vCloud Air – In a final attempt to get SE’s everywhere to quit calling it “Veee – Cheese” VMware is re-branding the name. I was skeptical last year, but have found a lot of interest in clients in recent months as Hurricane Seasons closes in Houston

VMworld Day 1

I’m looking forward to this week and here are a few highlights of what I’ll be looking into.

On the tactical

1. Settling on a primary load balancing partner for VMware View. (Eying Kemp, anyone have any thoughts?). I’ve got a number of smaller deployments (few hundred users) that need non-disruptive maintenance operations, and patching on the infrastructure and are looking to take their smaller pilots or deployments forward.

2. Learn more about VDP-A designs, and best practices. I’ve seen some issues in the lab with snapshots not getting removed from the appliance and need to understand the scaling and design considerations better.

3. Check out some of the HOL updates. Find out if a VVOL lab in the office is worth the investment.

On the more general strategic goals.

Check out cutting edge vendors, and technologies from VMware.

CloudVolumes – More than just application layering. Server application delivery, Profile abstraction thats fast and portable, and a serious uplift to persona and ThinApp. Really interested in use cases having it used as a delivery method for Thinapp.

DataGravity – In the era of software defined storage this is a company making a case that an array can provide a lot of value still. Very interesting technology but the questions remain. Does it work? Does it Scale? Will they add more file systems, and how soon will EMC/HP buy them to bolt this logic into their Tier 1 arrays. Martin Glassborow has made a lot of statements that new vendors don’t do enough to differentiate, or that we’ve reached peak features (Snaps, replication, cache/tier flash, data reduction etc) but its interesting to see someone potentially breaking outside of this mold of just doing the same thing a little better or cheaper.

VSAN – Who is Marvin? What happened to Virsto? I’ve got questions and I hope someone has answers!