It's been a long time coming. Most of us read during the vSphere 4.0 Update 1 release that future vCenter versions were going to be 64-bit only. Well here we are today and VMware vCenter 4.1 is a 64-bit only installation. Likewise, that transition from moving to Windows Server 2008 R2 is now a reality because R2 is a 64-bit only Operating System (OS).

The screenshot below was taken from the vSphere Compatibilitiy Matrix Guide.

Everyone knew about virtualization.info releasing a bunch of leaks of new features for vSphere 4.1. Well today, VMware KB has added a new section and has already posted new KB articles for vSphere 4.1.

New dropdowns for:

• VMware ESX 4.1.x
• VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
• VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
• VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
• VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 4.1.x
• VMware vCenter Update Manager 4.1.x

Some favorites so far:

KB Article: 1022842 - Changes to DRS in vSphere 4.1

KB Article: 1022290 - USB support for ESX/ESXi 4.1

KB Article: 1022263 - Deploying ESXi 4.1 using the Scripted Install feature

KB Article: 1021953 - I/O Statistics in vSphere 4.1

KB Article: 1022851 - Changes to vMotion in vSphere 4.1

KB Article: 1022104 - Upgrading to ESX 4.1 and vCenter Server 4.1 best practices

Here is one networking configuration step that seems to get overlooked. The Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP) is an link-layer protocol that should be built into all switches. Let's take a look at how Spanning-Tree works and what it does.

By definition, STP is used to prevent loops in switching architecture and it is enabled by default on most products. How does a switching loop happen? take a look at the diagram below.

Seeing as how this weekend marks USA's 4th of July, and in patriotic fashion, I'll quote part of our Declaration of Independence. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of 100% Virtualized.

As a vitualization admin, we have the tendancy to try and virtualize everything we can get our hands on. Whether it's NT4, Linux, Oracle, SQL, Exchange, Domino, SAP, etc. nothing stands that can't be virtualized in our minds. Thus, alot of us share the common goal to pursue a 100% virtualized datacenter.

If you are familiar with my blog, you'll know that I'm a huge advocate of the NFS protocol with VMware. I firmly believe that over the next few years, ethernet storage will be the front-runner of VMware deployments. Most of the people that I talk to that have a Fiber-Channel (FC) based environment are in large enterprises that made the switch to VMware but used their existing FC environment. Which is great, but now is the time everyone is starting to virtualize their whole environment and money talks when it comes to scalability. I won't go into Ethernet vs FC because there is boat loads of information already out there, but let's talk about NFS. NFS is that guy sitting in the corner that doesn't get much attention, but NFS is making headway into the marketplace. VMware must be taking notice because of the ability to see NFS stats in ESXTOP in the latest vSphere Update.

I ran across this LinkedIn discussion in the VMware Certified Professionals group the past week and thought this was something worthy to get out to anyone else who hasn't read the thread.

The title of the thread is "Recruiters that offer a low rate for VMware/VCP engineers.... What to do?". I'm sure all of us have seen short-term and long-term contracts that are considered well below the pay grade that the certification deserves. The only way a VCP can get what he/she deserves is by figuring out your own self worth..

There hasn't been much talk (and sometimes that can be a good thing) about the quiet release of Update 2 to different products of the vSphere suite. There have been some pitfalls already, but it seems as if most of them have been addressed relatively quickly.

vSphere products with new updates:

• ESX(i) Update 2
• vCenter Update 2 (includes Update Manager Update 2)
• VMware vCenter Update Manager 4 Update 2
• VMware Data Recovery 1.2
• VMware Consolidated Backup 1.5 Update 2

As many of my followers know on twitter, the past two weeks have been filled spending massive amounts of time on a new adventure in my life. I got married on June 5th, 2010 to my lovely wife Lauren (http://kennyandlaurenswedding.com, http://laurenmolter.com, @VideoEditorGirl). Last Friday night I was finishing up the rehearsal dinner at an awesome local Italian restaurant and I took a few minutes to check my blackberry while a group of friends and I were heading out for a few more drinks. I saw an email from John Troyer that said "VMware vExpe...", I checked it immediately and saw that I've been awarded the title of VMware vExpert 2010. I capped off the rest of the night, got married the next day, and I've been on my honeymoon in Maroma Beach Mexico for the past week (hence the muchas gracias). Still can't stop saying little bits of spanish because I've been doing it for the past week.