2014 Recap of Virtualization Technologies

2014 was another banner year in data center virtualization innovations for storage, networking and integrated resource management. Advances were also made in response to demands for higher security, support for hybrid cloud and virtualization services, and the pervasiveness of enterprise workforce mobility. Here are ten of last year’s most important developments.

1. VMware embraced OpenStack, the leading IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) solution in cloud computing for controlling pools of storage, networking and processing resources. Their OpenStack distribution, labeled VMware Integrated OpenStack or VIO, allows customers to migrate to an open source base while retaining the ability to manage through VMware’s vCenter.


2. VMware expanded their leadership in the software-defended data center (SDDC) space via PaaS EVO Rail and EVO Rack hyper-converged infrastructure packages for small and large organizations, respectively. These cross-provider hardware and software packages are designed specifically to streamline deployment in support of SDDC expansion. Already, OEM partners Supermicro, EMC, Inspur, Fujitsu, Dell and Net One Systems Co. are certified to offer single-point integrated systems.


3. Companies are racing to virtualize their mission critical applications and data in the public cloud as they become familiar with new security and privacy solutions. The advantages of dynamic scaling and infrastructure efficiency by utilizing the public cloud for the largest applications has become impossible to ignore.


4. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure made a big leap forward this year in engineering graphics applications. For example, VDI technology from Citrix paired with NVIDIA’s most powerful GPUs and Dell computing hardware allowed Boeing to efficiently design the 787 Dreamliner using a global engineering and design team accessing a single database.


5. Mid-year, VMware brought a new level of capability to VDI and DaaS technology with its release of Horizon 6.0. It supports enterprises that rely on a mix of VDI and non-VDI machines. End-user software is containerized, deployed in the public or private cloud or on the desktop. Users can access enterprise apps via Workspace from any device whether they exist as a public or private cloud service or a desktop application.


6. VMware announced a new suite of products based on a more scalable architecture under the brand name vRealize. This major release allows single-console visibility of an entire enterprise’s network, storage and computing devices plus state-of-the-art analytics, alerts and support for problem detection and remediation.


7. Virtualization within the ‘Internet of Things’ leapt forward in 2014. For instance, Wind River®’s release of a new virtualization profile within its VxWorks® OS supports embedded virtualization by allowing any combination of VxWorks, Windows® or Linux OS to share memory and processing cores.


8. Nearly 100 percent of technology companies have implemented bring-your-own-decive (BYOD) initiatives as of the end of 2014. Furthermore, well over 50 percent of IT companies have identified support for mobility and BYOD as top spending priorities in the years ahead.


9. Network-as-a-Service or NaaS, began a new chapter with the Metro Ethernet Forum’s announcement of a Third Network Initiative based on the forum’s Ethernet 2.0 specification. Service coordination, APIs, network protocol independence and clarity around physical and virtual service endpoints will be included. The goal is to provide on-demand, secure and scalable network service across multiple network providers while meeting existing SLAs.


10. 1As containerization technology grew from a niche into common knowledge, the implementation of virtual micro-services and the architectures to support them went mainstream in 2014. This development is leading to increased economic advantages for both large and small players, especially in mobile cloud and virtualization services.

In the near future, 2014 may be seen as a watershed year for virtualization technologies and services as they become imperatives for IT companies going forward. Keep an eye on 2015 to see how these new developments play out.

Product Highlight: Official VCP5-DCV Practice Exam

You’re studying for the VCP5-DCV exam, and you’ve mastered all the concepts but have no clue how these concepts will come across in a real-world exam setting. The Official VCP5-DCV Online Practice Test is a complete, timed practice exam that helps solve this problem. It includes 255 questions similar to the ones you’ll see on actual exam day, comprehensive answers and references, a timed certification mode and an instant score report.:

Candidate Experience
The candidates who have the best chance of passing the actual exam are usually infrastructure personnel who have had about 6 months of firsthand experience installing, configuring and administering vSphere 5. They should also know how to install and configure ESXi hosts, maintain and troubleshoot virtual machines by using VMware vCenter and typically already have other general IT certifications or about 2-5 extra years of similar experience.

MeasureUp
MeasureUp has been a trusted source for certification guides and other preparation materials since 1997. Offering you the freedom to prepare for your exam the way it suits you, MeasureUp’s practice exams provide open and timed assessment modes and promptly deliver exam scores.

A vast amount of information and industry knowledge of virtualization has been streamlined into this comprehensive VMware Certified Professional 5 – Data Center Virtualization Practice Test from MeasureUp. With over 200 VCP510 study questions and detailed answers to train you, this practice exam is designed to lead you to success!

Practice Exam Topics
While there’s an immense amount of information you should expect to encounter, general topics (and number of questions per topic) will include:

• Establishing and Maintaining Service Levels – 52 questions
• Planning, Installing, Configuring and Upgrading vCenter Server and VMware ESXi – 45 questions
• Deploying and Administering Virtual Machines and vApps – 40 questions
• Performing Basic Troubleshooting - 38 questions
• Planning and Configuring vSphere Networking 31 and vSphere Storage - 34 questions
• Monitoring a vSphere Implementation and Managing vCenter Server Alarms - 15 questions

With the help of MeasureUp’s Official VCP5-DCV Practice Test, you’ll pass the exam with confidence and be ready to step into your new role as a VMware Certified Professional on Data Center Virtualization in no time.

5 Steps to Trim Your IT Budget Using Virtualization

Although the concept has been around for decades, the idea of employing virtualization on computers has just recently started gaining serious traction in business. Businesses of all types and sizes are learning the incredible benefits of server virtualization, including:

• The capability of running multiple applications and operating systems on one single computer
• Savings of more than one-half of ongoing IT costs
• Higher productivity as a result of hardware consolidation and the requirement for drastically fewer servers
• Faster deployment of applications, far less IT maintenance and a much simpler IT management system

5 Cost-Reducing Advantages of Virtualization

1. Typical business IT departments spend somewhere around 70% of their budget on maintenance of an ever-growing hardware infrastructure. Because most of today's business computers use an X86 platform, which are designed to run only one application or operating system at a time, more servers must be deployed to satisfy the needs of each data processing center - even though existing systems are typically only being used to about 15% of their computing potential. Creating virtual systems within a computer allows each server to utilize approximately 80% more of its potential computing power, far outpacing the average and inefficient 15% mentioned above.
2. Because the efficiency of each piece of computing hardware is significantly increased, this means the amount of required hardware is substantially reduced through consolidation to about 1/10 of what's required without the introduction of virtualization.
3. A more efficient, simpler and agile server setup not only reduces the amount of maintenance required to keep everything humming but, as a direct impact, creates savings in operational and capital costs of approximately 50% when compared to non-virtualized systems.
4. In addition to the Server Virtualization discussed above, Desktop Virtualization is an additional means of improving service through quicker response and cutting costs, by providing virtualized desktop computers to branch offices, offshore outsourcing partners and mobile employees staying in touch on portable handheld devices such as tablets. These virtualized desktop systems provide a secure, consistent and scalable solution that not only saves IT dollars but also increases productivity.
5. Data Storage Virtualization allows for a fundamentally more efficient method for managing storage resources that improves both utilization and flexibility. Storage Virtualization can be used as a means of complementing and leveraging the current, existing data storage infrastructure.

It's All Good, With No Downside

Traditionally, when computer apps started running slowly or more memory seemed to be required, the answer was to add more hardware to the system. This not only increased capital expenditures but also inflated ongoing maintenance requirements with their associated costs, thereby wasting funds that could have been better utilized elsewhere.

By virtualizing your IT infrastructure, you make it simpler, more efficient, faster and with better performance and availability. Briefly said, it's easier to implement and manage a virtualized system.

VCP5-DCV Exam Voucher & Official Practice Test Bundle

As companies continue to realize the real benefits associated with implementing technology strategies into their business processes, the demand for knowledgeable, experienced IT professionals continues to grow. Twenty years ago, firms that had already developed complex datacenter systems would have been considered frontrunners in the realm of information systems management, but today, having advanced data systems and being able to manage them effectively are a crucial part of a company’s success. For these reasons, the VCP Datacenter certification (VCP-DCV) has become the industry’s leading virtual datacenter certification.

The Bundle
With the MeasureUp VCP5-DCV bundle, you not only get the VMware Certified Professional DCV exam voucher but you also get the official MeasureUp practice test to help you prepare for the exam. The practice exam is available as a digital download, so you can get started preparing for your exam right away with study guidance, timed certification mode, detailed answers and reference and an instant score report once you’ve finished.

The Practice Test
This MeasureUp practice exam for the VCP510 certification test is one of the most comprehensive practice exams on the market. These award-winning practice tests match the learning objectives of the real exam by including questions modeled after real exam questions. The VCP5-DCV practice exam has different study modes, so you can choose to work through each problem one at a time with thorough explanations or have the option to use the simulated timer mode to help prepare you for the real exam environment. The following objectives are covered in the 255 questions of the MeasureUp VCP510 practice test:

• Plan, Install, Configure and Upgrade vCenter Server and VMware ESXi 45
• Plan and Configure vSphere Networking 31
• Plan and Configure vSphere Storage 34
• Deploy and Administer Virtual Machines and vApps 40
• Establish and Maintain Service Levels 52
• Perform Basic Troubleshooting 38
• Monitor a vSphere Implementation and Manage vCenter Server Alarms 15

The Exam Voucher
If you’re looking to expand your career into the field of datacenter architecture, administration and management, then the VCP5-DCV is your ticket in. In order to take the exam, a VCP5-DCV exam voucher is required, which is why VMware Certification Marketplace has bundled it up with the practice exam. Once you have this VCP voucher, you will be able to register for the VMware Certified Professional Level exam.

The next window of opportunity for your IT career opens up when you become VCP certified. Start your new path into the rapidly expanding field of datacenter management today with the VMware Certified Professional DCV Exam Voucher & Official Practice Test Bundle.

5 Things You Need to Know About Hybrid-Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a relatively new trend in the Information Technology Industry. Because it is still a growing field, its precise definition is still a bit ambiguous. Generally speaking, cloud computing gives you the ability to deploy applications, systems and IT resources as services that reside in a global connected network known as the “cloud.” You can pull resources from the cloud whenever you need them, and you only pay for what you use.

A hybrid cloud is a cloud computing environment in which an organization provides and manages some resources in-house and has others provided externally. For example, an organization or company might use a public cloud service to store archived data but will continue to use in-house storage for operational data. Thus, let us look at the essential benefits of hybrid cloud solutions.

1. Cost efficiency - Hybrid cloud computing can maximize cost efficiency, especially capital expenditure. A hybrid cloud gives companies the leverage of accessing IT resources without an initial capital investment. Because a hybrid cloud uses both private and public clouds, it allows users access to significant economies of scale without exposing too much of their important data and vital applications. Thus, cloud computing shifts a company’s IT investment from capital expenditure to an operational expense.
2. Exit Strategy - Hybrid cloud computing can help a business build an exit strategy. One of the main concerns that companies have with a public cloud is the low level of data security. By using a hybrid cloud, businesses can maintain an in-house storage of operational data in their private clouds while using public clouds to store archived client information and data.
3. Speed - When it comes to running your business, it’s all about efficiency and speed. The elastic and rapid nature of a hybrid cloud may be one of the best attributes that contribute to the success of running a business. There are services available through the hybrid cloud that are less expensive than maintaining in-house IT departments. A hybrid cloud strategy will make it easier to bring on new resources more quickly and efficiently.
4. Stretch the Risk - From the perspective of cost, performance and rapid recovery, internally managed Disaster Recovery (DR) cannot touch the capabilities of a cloud or hybrid cloud system. Thus, using multiple providers to distribute the responsibility can help. Businesses can have one provider assume full responsibility, in case the other is compromised. This will give them the flexibility to switch to one from which they can operate efficiently post-disaster.
5. Bidding - Your hybrid strategy can allow you to accomplish bidding deals with vendors, allowing you to manage service levels through competition. You set the criteria, and a pre-reviewed list of capable suppliers bid on the services you require according to the vendors own flexibility and asset availability.

Therefore, hybrid cloud computing can help your business function more efficiently, by decreasing risks and costs while providing more secure space for all of your business data.

Product Highlight: VCP-Cloud Official Cert Guide

Looking for a better job in the information technology industry? The IT industry has vast job and career opportunities for certified professionals. Getting certified as an IT professional is no longer a daunting task. In fact, becoming certified as a VCP Cloud professional has never been easier! We at VMWare Certification Marketplace bring you the VCP-Cloud Official Cert Guide.

The VCP-Cloud Official Cert Guide is part of the official learning path from VMware. It focuses specifically on the objectives for the VMware Certified Professional – Cloud Exam, giving you all the skills needed to pass the exam. The guide includes simulation and hands-on cloud training from authorized VMware instructors along with self-study materials. Experts Tom Ralph and Nathan Raper share preparation hints and test-taking tips. While this will definitely help you identify areas of weakness, it will also help improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills.

Material in the guide is presented in a concise and organized manner to help increase your understanding of the subject. Each chapter begins with “Do I Know This Already” quizzes that help you gauge how much time you will need to spend on each section. In addition, chapter-ending exam preparation tasks help you further understand the concepts presented in each section. The concepts covered in the book include:

• Installing vCloud Director and vShield Manager
• Learning the differences between roles and privileges and the principles of role-based access controls
• Coverage of the vCenter Chargeback Manager product, introducing the concept of chargeback and why it is needed in a cloud environment
• Understanding and troubleshooting vCloud Connector, including identification and functionality of the different components
• Constructing different types of vCloud networks and network pools and the requirements for each
• Creating and modifying vCloud Director organizations
• Allocating and managing vCloud resources
• Monitoring a vCloud implementation

In addition to the guide, the included DVD contains a powerful practice test engine that will help you focus on specific topics, or take a complete timed test. The assessment engine also tracks your performance and provides feedback to help you focus your study where it is most needed.

Do not wait any longer! Get certified today, and take advantage of the infinite opportunities the IT world has to offer.

How Virtualization Improves Your Company’s Security

Virtualization can offer many solutions and benefits to companies, but the issue of system security has always been an ominous cloud hanging over the ultimate decision of whether or not it is right for your business. Since the initial success of using virtualization as a tool for companies, security professionals have doubted the risk-reward ratio for implementing virtualization strategies to businesses. However, the truth is that virtualization technology actually has inherent security advantages. Some of those built-in virtualization security benefits include isolation, segmentation, and service insertion and chaining.

Isolation
By default, virtual networks are separated from the underlying physical infrastructure of a network as well as other virtual networks. This principle of isolation is the foundation of most network security and one of the core features of network virtualization. Virtualization provides isolation for the physical network, meaning that any attacks on the virtual network will not compromise the underlying physical infrastructure.

Isolation also means that virtual networks operating on the same hypervisor (or virtual machine manager) can have overlapping IP addresses, which allows for isolated development, testing and production of virtual networks. Even though the term “isolated” may be misleading, the isolation feature simply means that virtual networks can work simultaneously with less security risks.

Segmentation
The idea of segmentation is similar to isolation, except in the case of segmentation, the isolation takes place on a smaller scale where different tiers within a multitier virtual network are segmented from each other. Virtualization offers the big advantage of built-in segmentation. Traditional methods of achieving network segmentation is extremely time-consuming and highly prone to security breaches due to human error. Since network segmentation is a core capability of network virtualization, the need for segmentation configuration and maintenance of the physical firewall is eliminated.

Insertion, Chaining & Steering
All of the fancy terms like “insertion”, “chaining” and “steering” really just mean one thing: easier implementation of more advanced, third-party security services. The many inherent security advantages of virtualization are not always sufficient means of IT protection for certain businesses. In many cases, clients will choose to leverage a more advanced, third-party security service to protect their company.

Despite this, virtualization can make adding those third-party security services easier and more effective due to the inherent ability to distribute and enforce those services throughout the virtual network. In other words, virtualization technology enables security services, like next-generation firewalls, to be available locally on every hypervisor (VMM) in the network.

The security benefits of virtualization, discussed here, are not a fully exhaustive list, as there are even more ways that virtualization technology can reinforce your company’s system security. Virtualization can secure IT systems on the server, network and desktop level, making it a common software solution for many companies. VMware Certification Marketplace can provide you with all of the materials and information you need to become your company’s go-to virtualization expert — so get started at www.vmwarecertificationmarketplace.com today!