The vSphere HTML5 Web Client is here! It is written using HTML5 and Javascript, and we are looking forward to you trying it in your environment and hearing your feedback! For partners who want to extend the HTML Client, this Fling also includes a new HTML SDK. Please see the HTML Client SDK Fling Overview.pdf and download the html-client-sdk.zip.

This Fling has been designed to work with your existing vSphere 6.0 environments. The new client is deployed as a new VM from the downloadable OVA. Currently the installation instructions are command line-based, but we are working on a GUI installation and plan to release it as an update to this Fling once it is ready.

VMware intends to regularly update this Fling to both provide new features and address reported issues, based on feedback.

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What would you do if you could instantiate hundreds of VMs that are booted up and ready-to-use in just a few seconds? We present VMFork-- a new technology in VMware ESX Hypervisor-- that lets you do just that. VMFork enables "forking" instances of a live, powered-on VM, each with its own unique identity. By leveraging the existing linked-clone technology for disks and extending the hypervisor to enable Copy-on-Write memory and VM state, VMFork fosters instant creation of VMs with little CPU overhead.

VMFork for pyVmomi enables seamless integration of vSphere VMFork APIs into a customer's existing vSphere environment regardless of the platform it is running on. Previously this functionality was only available to PowerCLI, but now everyone can take advantage of VMFork without any extra overhead. All you have to do is import the module into an existing pyVmomi-enabled vSphere environment, and you'll be on your way to instantly clone virtual machines in no time. The examples also demonstrate the use of the primitive APIs in a full Linux workflow so that forking Linux VMs is just a button click away.

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The ESXi Embedded Host Client is a native HTML and JavaScript application and is served directly from your ESXi host! It should perform much better than any of the existing solutions.

Please note that the Host Client cannot be used to manage vCenter. Currently, the client is in its development phase, but we are releasing this Fling to elicit early feedback from our users to help guide the development and user experience that we are creating. As such, the client is not fully featured and only implements a hand full of the most important features.

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DRS Doctor is a command line tool that can be used to diagnose DRS behavior in VMware vCenter clusters. When run against a DRS enabled cluster, it records information regarding the state of the cluster, the work load distribution, DRS moves, etc., in an easy to read log format.

The goal of DRS Doctor is to give VI admins better insight into DRS and the actions it performs. It is very useful for analyzing DRS actions and troubleshooting issues with very little overhead. This is also an easy way for support engineers to read into customer environments without having to rely on developers to debug DrmDump logs in order to troubleshoot simple DRS issues.

DRS Doctor connects to the vCenter server and tracks the list of cluster related tasks and actions. It also tracks DRS recommendations generated and reasons for each recommendation, which is currently only available in a hard-to-read format in DrmDump files. At the end of each log, it dumps the Host and VM resource consumption data to give a quick overview of cluster state. It also provides an operational audit at the end of each log file.

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PowerActions integrates the vSphere Web Client and PowerCLI to provide complex automation solutions from within the standard vSphere management client.

PowerActions is deployed as a plugin for the vSphere Web Client and will allow you to execute PowerCLI commands and scripts in a vSphere Web Client integrated Powershell console.

Furthermore, administrators will be able to enhance the native WebClient capabilities with actions and reports backed by PowerCLI scripts persisted on the vSphere Web Client. Have you ever wanted to “Right Click” an object in the web client and run a PowerCLI script? Now you can!

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Onyx for the Web Client is a Fling that translates actions taken in the vSphere Web Client to PowerCLI.Net code.

This Fling was the winning entry in last year’s 2014 Fling Contest. It’s an update, of sorts, to the Onyx fling, as it allows for similar functionality in the web client. The Onyx for the Web Client Fling provides the ability to record actions taken in the vSphere Web Client and turn these actions into PowerCLI.Net code. The resulting code can then be used to understand how VMware performs an action in the API and also better define functions.

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VMworld Europe 2015 event has now come to an end. Below you can review the Moday and Tuesday General Sessions recordings.

For more details and videos, click the following link to access a selection of VMworld 2015 Keynotes & Sessions on VMware TV.

Monday General Session

Tuesday General Session

Today, October 13th 2014, sixty european VMware Certified Instructors begun their VMworld EMEA yearly appointment with the VCI Day event.
The VCI Day is a precious yearly recurrence for us as it is a unique opportunity to meet all together - at least once a year - and share ideas and experiences, be updated with the latest VMware Education training plans and schedules, get early access to technical deep dives delivered by key VMware SMEs.

This year too, the team led by Dirk Rathfelder's, EMEA Education Partner Sales Manager, (Andy Cary and Undeleeb Din, Enablement Leads for the VCI Program, and Julie Escott, VMware EMEA Education Operations Manager) managed to build a great agenda which offered:

• Business updates including a 2015 outlook
• Certification roadmap
• Education roadmap
• Technical briefings on Virtual Volumes (VVOLs) and VMware vCloud Air

I wish I could tell you all the cool stuff we saw and learned, yet we're not allowed as we are bound to an NDA.

Nevertheless I can point you to the following public presentations about:

• Virtual Volumes (VVOLs) videos showing VMware Technology Partners' solutions:
• Tintri.
• SolidFire.
• HP.
• NetApp.
• EMC.
• Nimble Storage.
• Also, for those of you who have access to the Communities pages, VMware has announced the launch of the Virtual Volumes (VVOLs) Beta Program.
• VMware vCloud Air

Last but not least, I'm proud to announce that my friend Paul McSharry (Twitter @pmcsahrry) has been awarded as the EMEA VCI of the Quarter for being the first VCI in Europe that delivered the new "VMware NSX: Install, Configure, Manage [V6.0]" course and the trainer who delivered the highest number of these sessions across the region.
Paul is also the author of the very much appreciated and highly recommended book VMware Certified Advanced Professional 5 - Data Center Design (VCAP5-DCD) Certification Guide.

Today, September 23rd 2014, I just received the confirmation I will soon start as the first European Instructor for IBM SoftLayer.
Whilst continuing my activity as a freelance independent VMware Certified Instructor, I will soon begin to extend my educational proposition by adding SoftLayer course offering. First classes in EMEA are provisionally scheduled for November 2014.

I just can't wait to begin!

SoftLayer, an IBM Company, provides cloud infrastructure as a service from a growing number of data centers and network points of presence around the world. Customers range from Web startups to global enterprises.

Products and services include bare metal and virtual servers, networking, turnkey big data solutions, private cloud solutions, and more. SoftLayer unique advantages include the industry's first Network-Within-a-Network topology for true out-of-band access, and an easy-to-use customer portal and robust API for full remote-access of all product and service management options.

SoftLayer was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. SoftLayer has been acquired by IBM in July, 2013.

Learn more about the SoftLayer platform...

On April 1st 2014 (despite April Fool day), VMware has announced that - this year - they have appointed 754 vExperts worldwide, either returning or brand new. I feel here proud and honored to say that I am now part of this outstanding group of professionals!

According to the VMware vExpert 2014 application announcement:

Each year, we bring together in the vExpert Program the people who have made some of the most important contributions to the VMware community. These are the bloggers, book authors, VMUG leaders, speakers, tool builders, community leaders and general enthusiasts. They work as IT admins and architects for VMware customers, they act as trusted advisors and implementors for VMware partners or as independent consultants, and some work for VMware itself. All of them have the passion and enthusiasm for technology and applying technology to solve problems. They have contributed to the success of us all by sharing their knowledge and expertise over their days, nights, and weekends.

Also, let me congratulate with everyone who made it in getting into the vExpert 2014 list!

Further details about the announcement and the complete list of vExperts with their Twitter account can be found on the VMware VMTN Blog.