This blog will now focus on advanced monitoring of heterogeneous data centers. This includes traditional physical servers, both Microsoft and non-Microsoft platforms. It will also include the virtual space, both Hyper-V as well as VMware. Lastly, it absolutely will include networking components! http://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/atom.xmlCommunity Server2009-07-06T21:04:58Zhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/24/survey-mainframes-continue-to-play-key-role-in-data-centers.aspx2009-08-24T18:34:47Z2009-08-24T18:34:47Z<h4><a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Infrastructure/Mainframes-Continue-to-Play-Key-Role-in-Data-Centers-CA-Survey-Finds-572170/">Survey: Mainframes Continue to Play Key Role in Data Centers</a></h4> <h5>eWeek - August 20, 2009</h5>A CA survey of IBM System z mainframe users, most of whom also run distributed computing environments, found that the mainframes address key concerns of IT professionals, such as security, reliability, management, and efficiency.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3276376" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/24/techrepublic-cios-refuse-to-buy-virtualization-hype.aspx2009-08-24T18:34:14Z2009-08-24T18:34:14Z<h4><a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=23003">TechRepublic: CIOs Refuse to Buy Virtualization Hype</a></h4> <h5>ZDNet - August 20, 2009</h5>TechRepublic's CIO Jury has indicated that the vast majority of IT leaders have no plans to adopt desktop virtualization, although a minority group of IT chiefs are enthusiastic about it.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3276375" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/24/microsoft-university-researchers-sharpen-data-center-architectures.aspx2009-08-24T18:33:42Z2009-08-24T18:33:42Z<h4><a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082009-microsoft-sigcomm.html?hpg1=bn">Microsoft, University Researchers Sharpen Data Center Architectures</a></h4> <h5>Network World - August 20, 2009</h5>Microsoft and university researchers have come up with differing ways to address shortcomings of data center architectures and to promote the efficient use of virtual machines.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3276374" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/24/microsoft-hyper-v-halts-nissan-s-server-sprawl.aspx2009-08-24T18:33:17Z2009-08-24T18:33:17Z<h4><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230651300000000038">Microsoft Hyper-V Halts Nissan's Server Sprawl</a></h4> <h5>Manufacturing Business Technology - August 20, 2009</h5>Using Microsoft's Hyper-V, Nissan virtualized most of its servers, reduced the number of manufacturing operations servers from 159 to 28, decreased energy usage by 34 percent, simplified systems at each plant, and reduced physical space requirements.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3276373" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/19/ibm-running-late-on-863-million-data-center-project-for-texas.aspx2009-08-19T17:16:17Z2009-08-19T17:16:17Z<h4><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230610940000000109">IBM Running Late on $863 Million Data Center Project for Texas</a></h4> <h5>InformationWeek - August 13, 2009</h5> <p>The state of Texas says an $863 million data center consolidation project with IBM has fallen short of promised savings by $14 million and that only 75 servers were moved into the new facilities by July 31 instead of the 619 specified in the contract.</p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3274991" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/19/reconsidering-san-in-wake-of-scsi-disk-s-end.aspx2009-08-19T17:15:47Z2009-08-19T17:15:47Z<h4><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230631976000000016">Reconsidering SAN in Wake of SCSI Disk's End</a></h4> <h5>IT Jungle - August 17, 2009</h5>IBM will soon officially stop selling SCSI disks for System i and Power Systems servers, leaving serial attached SCSI (SAS) and solid state drives (SSD) as the only option for internal storage on the platform.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3274990" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/19/citrix-xenserver-virtualization-popular-among-fortune-500-companies.aspx2009-08-19T17:15:04Z2009-08-19T17:15:04Z<h4><a href="http://virtualization.sys-con.com/node/1072776">Citrix XenServer Virtualization Popular among Fortune 500 Companies</a></h4> <h5>Virtualization Journal - August 18, 2009</h5>Citrix Systems just announced that more than 10 percent of Global Fortune 500 companies have activated its Citrix XenServer virtualization platform in the last four months, with activations among large enterprises spiking significantly.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3274989" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/19/new-methods-to-control-data-center-costs.aspx2009-08-19T17:14:21Z2009-08-19T17:14:21Z<h4><a href="https://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230631936000000300">New Methods to Control Data Center Costs</a></h4> <h5>New York Times - August 17, 2009</h5>From using innovative construction methods to examining tax options, Microsoft and Google are exploring new strategies to save money on power-hungry data centers.<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3274988" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/downturn-boosts-importance-of-data-centers.aspx2009-08-16T20:20:50Z2009-08-16T20:20:50Z<p><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230613792000000065">Downturn Boosts Importance of Data Centers</a></p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273970" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/how-to-recycle-virtualization-resources-for-improved-data-center-optimization.aspx2009-08-16T20:20:26Z2009-08-16T20:20:26Z<p><a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Green-IT/How-to-Recycle-Virtualization-Resources-for-Better-Data-Center-Optimization/">How to Recycle Virtualization Resources for Improved Data Center Optimization</a></p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273969" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/cisco-hp-specs-suggest-competing-system-designs.aspx2009-08-16T20:19:44Z2009-08-16T20:19:44Z<p><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230611896000000245">Cisco, HP Specs Suggest Competing System Designs</a></p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273968" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/consultant-issues-caveats-on-storage-virtualization-for-disaster-recovery.aspx2009-08-16T20:19:16Z2009-08-16T20:19:16Z<p><a href="http://cp.llesiant.com/Delivery/ExternalContent.asp?contentId=230611696000000084">Consultant Issues Caveats on Storage Virtualization for Disaster Recovery</a></p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273967" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/making-a-move.aspx2009-08-16T20:11:27Z2009-08-16T20:11:27Z<p>Three years as a Senior Consultant in MCS has provided me with tremendous opportunities to acquire experience and develop skills in several technolgies. I have recently accepted a role as an ITAP Architect. I am very excited about this role because I can begin focusing on technology strategy and planning, two areas I have always wanted to transition into. The good news is I am officially retired from road travel and will have considerable more time to tend to my blog. Check back soon! </p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273965" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/08/16/sun-exec-virtualization-key-to-cloud-efficiencies.aspx2009-08-16T15:17:00Z2009-08-16T15:17:00Z<p><a href="http://www.crn.com/software/219300129;jsessionid=BLYV142XIJYZHQE1GHOSKHWATMY32JVN">Sun Exec: Virtualization Key to Cloud Efficiencies</a></p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3273966" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspxhttp://blogs.technet.com/wchomak/archive/2009/07/06/virtualization-videos.aspx2009-07-06T23:04:58Z2009-07-06T23:04:58Z<p>If you haven't checked these out yet, there are some virtualization "How to" videos on technet: <p><a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/dd353206.aspx">http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/dd353206.aspx</a> <p>There are also "how to" videos on other technologies as well that are really good. <p><a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/cc138021.aspx">http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/cc138021.aspx</a> <p>&nbsp; <p>Courtesy of Dottie Shaw, Sr. Program Manager | Core IO</p><img src="http://blogs.technet.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=3261677" width="1" height="1">walterchhttp://blogs.technet.com/members/walterch.aspx