Edward L. Haletky

Why you shouldn’t restore VMware ESX from a backup

A common question that arises on the VMware Communities Forum is how to backup VMware ESX so that you can restore the backup if there is a problem, the theory being that this would be faster than reinstalling the server. As stated within the VMware KB article 1000761 it is possible to

Virtualization administrator holiday wishlist

Everyone has a holiday wish list. Some include the latest toys, gadgets, games, and other useful devices. But what do you get the virtualization administrator for the holidays? This rare individual has a need for gifts as well! Here are some useful suggestions:

• Any book or...

Top VMware security links

Keeping track of Security issues associated with virtualization requires a serious investment in time. To aid in that I have put together the top virtualization security links that will continue to grow over time.

Understanding VMware ESX security zones

There is confusion around VMware ESX with regards to security zones. On one hand VMware ESX is a single multi-homed physical machine. On the other hand, it contains multiple security zones. We need to look within the physical to properly understand security zones within VMware ESX and...

Security outside the box

Virtualization security depends on more than securing the virtualization host and hypervisor. It depends on everything that touches your virtualization host, directly or indirectly, also being secure. Let us take a quick look at the daily operations you may perform within your virtual...

Secure method to P2V across security zones

A common VMware Communities question is how to P2V or convert a system from within a demilitarized zone (DMZ) to a virtual machine (VM) running within an ESX host that will be part of the DMZ virtual network. P2V works by imaging the physical host within the DMZ and transferring that image to...

Replacing a VMware ESX SAN

Replacing or upgrading a SAN is no trivial task. There are a few tried-and-true steps to take when replacing a SAN which I'll outline in this blog post, including a key step to the process that will ensure a successful switch. I recently upgraded from an HP MSA 1000 to an IBM DS3400 because I...

VMware ESXi security review: Firewall, please

VMware ESXi may have a smaller footprint than VMware ESX, but the pro-security theory behind the skinny ESX version may be defunct given the lack of ability to create a Defense in Depth strategy around the...

Google and Microsoft creating virtualized cloud computing data centers

Google and Microsoft are forming mega data centers with low energy costs and serious tax advantages by using renewable energy solutions. Each...

VMware’s Bluelane purchase a move to true VDC-OS

There's more to VMware's purchase of Bluelane than meets the eye. Touted as a means to beef up VMware's security and high availability options within the virtual infrastructure, this purchase is instead more of a move to a full VDC-OS...and not just a concept as presented at VMworld 2008. The...