ZFS Build Checklist

I’ve decided to replace the Windows Home Server Vail server with something capable of handling newer builds of ZFS and the inherent deduploication. Here’s a quick kit list and build diary I’ll try to keep up-to-date as I go along. Kit: Dell Perc6i – this is essentially a port multiplier. I scored it from eBay …

Macbook Pro 15″ i5 Unibody Upgrades

I’ve finally purchased a MacBook Pro, and things are going pretty well. Most of my work these days involves using servers for heavy lifting, but I still use Windows 7 from time to time, and Lightroom 3 almost all the time. Unfortunately, Lightroom 3’s catalog is essentially a database of photos, and the more you …

Windows Home Server in VMware Fusion 3

I set off on a quest to get the home backup / media server / remote access solution Windows Home Server with Power Pack 3 running inside of VMware Fusion 3 running on top of Apple OSX Snow Leopard (10.6).

g4u and Virtualization

A quick note about g4u – g4u (Ghost for you) is a hard disk imaging tool similar to Norton Ghost, but without the cost. g4u allows you to image hard disks to both files and physical media. This can be accomplished within a physical machine, a virtual machine, or by using an FTP server on …

Leopard Server on Leopard with VMware Fusion 2.0!

VMware has just announced support for their 61st OS supported by Fusion 2.0 – Mac OS X Server 10.5 (Leopard). This is great news for those looking to test things like the new Active Directory wizards, calendar server and enterprise blogging that come with the new version of the server. Not to mention that because …

VMware Announces VMSafe Hypervisor Security Platform

As described in the VMware announcement: [A] new security technology called VMware VMsafeâ„¢ that protects applications running in virtual machines in ways previously not possible in physical environments. The VMsafe APIs allow vendors to develop advanced security products that combat the latest generation of malware. VMsafe technology integrates into the VMware hypervisor and provides the …

Download Thinstall from VMware – Project North Star

VMware has recently updated the VMware Thinstall page and is now offering a download of what they call “Project North Star” – a Thinstall product. Also not that there is a thinstalled version of Firefox available for download from the same page. Through Dianne Green didn’t speak a whole lot about Thinstall at VMworld today, …

Novell to Acquire Platespin for 205M

More purchases and conglomeration on the way this year. The buzz at VMworld Europe, before it has even started, is that Novell is to purchase Canadian data center management software company Platespin. Novell has now posted the news on their site, and many are scrambling to figure out where this will lead them as the …

Learning VMware ESX 3.5 on the Cheap

Lately I’ve been scouring the web for used gear because there seems to be an influx of incredibly powerful stuff at amazing prices. This all came about with me wanting to learn ESX 3.5 and how to build profitable online business, and needing the hardware as well as the network to run a feasible set …

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 2.0 Download

VMware VDI 2 can now be downloaded from the main VMware site, as of today! Virtual Desktop Infrastructure allows you to provision desktops as if they were terminal server sessions, but gives users access to their very own desktop. From VMware’s page on VDM / VDI: “VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is an end-to-end solution …