VMWare VSphere 4: Virtualization for today and the future

Virtualization has always been favored among technical businesses and enthusiasts. It allows an operating system to simulate various installs of other systems without the need of additional physical hardware as it is emulated.  It is used in various scenarios such as: Disaster recovery, Server virtualization, enclosed computing environment to contain malware and as of recent, Cloud Computing (an internet-based system where resources, applications and information are shared across several computers in an “on-demand” fashion)

The leading company in Virtualization, VMware rolls out their first ever cloud computing operating system named “VSphere” formerly known as “VMware Infrastructure 4.” VSphere is the living successor to the previous VMware Infrastructure 3.5 API. It features major upgrades over its successor and they’re not your usual “run-of-the-mill” updates, either. VSphere introduces an entirely new computing model that gears itself towards Cloud Computing; introducing itself as an OS as opposed to a suite of compiled virtualization tools that created 3.5.

Features of VSphere 4:

Vsphere brings more hardware resources to the table. Infrastructure 3.5 limited virtual CPUs to four units per VM, Vsphere increases that capacity to eight virtual CPUs per VM. This ensures that all available CPU resources are being utilized in an efficient manner to improve server performance. On top of that, the new RAM limitation is raised from 64GB to a whopping 255GB. ESX-based hosts that utilize VSphere can now support up to 64 physical cores and 512 GB of RAM.

 It’s no surprise that VMware is trying to push the storage envelope by getting rid of the limitations that plagued previous infrastructure versions. Guests need virtual disks and data storage, lots of it. IT Managers will gain a significant amount of relief knowing that there are added improvements in the VMotion technology, providing enhancements to thin provisioning and tiered storage as more applications are being virtualized.

VSphere also introduces a new “Fault Tolerance” function, which is sought after in high-critical systems. Fault Tolerance is a performance subsystem that allows hardware or software to continue working under a certain degree of errors; redundancy comes to mind. With the introduction of this, technology analysts and managers will be given yet another sigh of relief knowing that their system will continue to work with a certain feeling of satisfaction even with the presence of errors, allowing easier troubleshooting.

What are the benefits of VMSphere 4?

We’ve gone over the features and improvements of this robust operating system. There’s a plethora of benefits to be had when such an environment is implemented and utilized, some of the key benefits include:

Power Distribution Management:

Your data centers can manage power consumption accordingly to server workload. VMware’s Distribution system can power off certain host servers to conserve energy. When more resources are necessary , the system will power on the host servers once again to ensure the requirements are met.

Virtualized Hot Swapping and Addition:

Need more virtual disk space? Not a problem. You may now add or extend virtual partitions without disrupting the service to increase available resources.

Network VMotion and VNetwork:

Implement a virtualized environment that is future-proof and powerful for Tech Analysts. ESX/ESXi hosts now support IPv6, the same support is applied to guest operating systems, making upgrading to the new protocol fast. Avoid application disruptions with VMotion, allowing you to migrate virtual machines from one server to another with no downtime whatsoever.

Availability and Disaster Recovery:

New storage API allows specialists to backup and recovery information within the VMware environment efficiently. You may also do it off-hosts or LAN-free backups of virtual machines.

VSphere 4 touches on every managing aspect of virtual design and infrastructure. Under-the-hood improvements like Thin-provisioning and support for higher storage capacity are always welcomed. Introducing new features like “Fault-Tolerance” and VMotion show that VMware can push the virtualization envelope and allow managers to make the move with little to no downtime on business applications. Disaster recovery is always a plus and it is now easier with an intuitive API, again, allowing for real-time backups without disrupting performance. The presence of these new features are a step forward in the virtual networking environment

Websense Data Security

 Security Analysts, IT Professionals and Executives will agree that sensitive data is at risk within an enterprise environment and that something should be done to prevent a data leak of sort. Reporting such incidents need to efficient, and what’s a company to do when they find a leak, but they possess no applications or tools to eradicate the problem?

Data Loss Prevention applications or “DLP” is the fore-runner in solving this type of problem. This is a good wake-up call for a business that constantly exchanges sensitive information across a network. It’s also an example of how fast e-communication can fly back and forth, in great numbers and lead to countless mistakes. Just think about how fast your information could end up in the wrong hands. Inadvertently sending an attached e-mail message that contains sensitive information to an unknown entity can be costly and even illegal by terms.

WebSense reduces the risk of accidental transfers by introducing DLP ( Data Loss Prevention ) in its line of TRITON security implementations. With DLP, you have a complete suite of functions that enable the administrator to monitor network traffic and enforce security policies that concern user information across the network. How WebSense DLP accomplishes the aforementioned tasks is through four network security modules: These modules are fully integrated into the DLP Application suite.

Data Monitoring covers traffic for any sort of data loss across the network and reports any errors regarding e-mail, FTP and Instant Messaging sessions in real time utilizing a net graph.

Data Protection enforces policy-based controls that allow the administrator to block and encrypt sensitive information that could leave the network while informing connected users of any outside threats.

End-Point Connectivity and Discovery also offer the administrator the ability to enforce data usage throughout the network on user desktops or laptops while updating confidential information and storing them in server repositories.

WebSense has a flexible deployment architecture that allows any potential business to implement DLP applications with the lowest cost of ownership in the industry including the bundling of Web 2.0 protection standards.  DLP offers the usual malware protection, real-time scanning, anti-virus and updates. When it comes to DLP and Web Security, WebSense delivers and it deploys in a cost effective manner.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010: Features & Benefits

Microsoft Exchange 2007 was released and met with critical acclaim. Introducing new features that made administrators praise what could be accomplished in an e-mail server. The goal behind Exchange 2007 was geared towards scalability but with that, comes an increased complexity due to the new features it introduced and it brought upon a steeper learning curve for administrators. Nevertheless, the changes were major and they were welcomed: 64-bit operating system support, a mailbox store, Client Access Server, and a Hub Transport server.

After being out on the market for 3-4 years, Microsoft decided to roll out the latest version, Exchange 2010. The server roles remain and the management console is familiar. The major improvements in 2010 are made under-the-hood. These changes are aimed mainly at improving scalability and availability.Exchange Server 2010 is a 64-bit exclusive application and it requires Windows Server 2008, on a Windows domain with active directory equivalency to Server 2003 at minimum. The application is available in Standard and Enterprise. What sets them differently from each other is the mailbox database count: standard allows for 1-5; enterprise allows 6-50. Both have a storage limit of 16TB.

What’s new in Exchange 2010?

Exchange 2010 has been engineered with focus on mailbox databases, which can now be continuously replicated to several servers without the need for a cluster. A further benefit is that you can use cheaper storage solutions rather than relying on Storage Area Networks or better known as “SANs”. Another benefit is the application’s ability to welcome Voice-Mail. Microsoft has implemented a Speech-To-Text system where it allows users to read rather than listen to the messages. There is also an archiving feature added, which eliminates the need for purchasing other archiving software from third-parties. Last, but not least, is the feature of the new architecture on mailbox availability: you may now move a mailbox between servers without disrupting services. This is due to the Client Access Server handling all client-side operations whereas previous clients communicate directly to the mailbox store. On the security side, Microsoft introduces Forefront Protection 2010, enhancing protection against malware and spam.

Benefits for end-users and businesses:

The browser-based access to Exchange has been updated with new features, including full support for Mozilla Firefox/Internet Explorer 8 and Google Chrome. Other features include side-by-side calendar viewing, conversation placement for threaded messaging. The new OWA Control Panel is welcomed as it includes a wide array of options that previously required you to use the full-blown Microsoft Outlook application. Exchange 2010 features new updates to already premiered functions, making it a relatively minor update for the end-users. It delivers significant improvements in the storage architecture department and further expands on performance due to utilizing 64-bit processing units. Management is also improved and it is sure to please administrators.

Windows 7: An all-in-one operating system

Windows 7 is Microsoft’s latest member in the operating system family. Windows 7 introduces new and innovative features while delivering increased performance in 3 flavors: Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate.

Windows 7 has made some genuine steps over its predecessors by introducing a revamped GUI. The taskbar now stacks multiple windows for open programs, meaning less clutter for the everyday multi-tasker. It also shows the icon of an open program rather than displaying the full name, Security is another aspect that Windows 7 puts emphasis on. The UAC (User Access Control) is now optimized and more sophisticated compared to its predecessor; it will now prompt you should any critical changes be made to the computer by any applications. Device management has also seen a refresher course. It now has native touch-screen support for any tablet PCs or touch-capable monitors, eliminating the need to go online and search for drivers manually.

Featured in the Professional and Ultimate of Windows 7 is Windows XP Mode. Windows XP Mode is the newest innovation that premiered with Windows 7. XP-Mode allows you to emulate an installation of Windows XP. It is fully functional and it provides compatibility with older games or software. XP-mode is a form of operating system virtualization.

Benefits of Windows 7

Reliability –Windows 7 is fast and responsive due to improvements in the operating system’s core files. These improvements lead to a quicker boot-up thanks to reduced background services and boot-up prompts.

Scalability -Windows 7 makes use of tomorrow’s hardware while scaling back on yesterdays. Got a piece of legacy hardware that wouldn’t work with previous versions of Windows? 7 will utilize its new driver architecture and identify the hardware for functionality.

Interactivity– Windows 7’s new Aero Shake, Snap and Peek interface allows the user to “shake” off any unwanted program windows in the background. Aero snap is another feature that allows you to control how you want your program windows to appear when maximized. Aero Peek is useful to the user as it allows for quick viewing without actually opening up a single window. Just point and you’ll get a real-time preview of what’s running in the background.

Security—Featuring an enhanced File System Encryption, Windows 7 will offer strong data protection for your business’s confidential information such as credit card numbers or employees. Online browsing is also safer with Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Defender working together.  Businesses will have peace of mind knowing that their web browsing will be secured thanks to IE8 and Windows Defender constantly updating their database regarding malicious software and internet threats.

Productivity-Under Windows 7, you can forget about the conventional method of setting up a network system. Through the use of the Home Group feature, you will be able to share multiple files such as music, pictures or documents throughout different connected PCs and even send print jobs to a shared printer.

If you’re in the market for a new operating system, Windows 7 is hard to pass up. It introduces new features that involve virtualization thanks to Virtual XP mode and a sleek new interface that is sure to please new users. Small businesses with or without servers will benefit from the new Home Group networking feature as it allows for easy sharing of files between several computers without compromising security. Windows 7 delivers snappy performance and a nifty feature-set without the need for demanding hardware requirements.

Application Monitoring

 Driving Forces -In today’s business environment ability to provide superior customer service is paramount. At the same time, competitive forces are driving a need to reduce costs of operations to stay on top of the game. Internet, as a medium, has become integral part of our lives. Like air that we breathe. 

Mission Critical Applications -This is why almost every business has at least one, if not more, mission critical business applications. These software applications have direct impact on business bottom line, revenue and customer satisfaction. Direct impact on your ability to do business successfully and profitably.

 Full Network and Applications Exposure -This is why it is of vital importance to make these software applications run at all time smoothly and reliably. To achieve this, each organization needs to have full visibility and exposure to system conditions and performance indicators. To act proactively and preventively. Application monitoring solution is a must have!

 Application Monitoring – Quick, Easy and Simple -In its everlasting quest to maximize the value we deliver to our clients, Lanworks team built Application Monitoring Services.

Main Benefits

With application monitoring service our customers get:

• holistic network, servers and applications view
• in a day or two your would get full visibility of your network and key applications performance
• pre-emptive conditions alerting
• problem root cause indicators and explanations
• quick and zero impact implementation
• detailed and executive summary reports for all applications.
• low monthly service fee

What Can We Monitor?

List of the applications that could be monitored in depth is long. Here are some of the most important:

• Microsoft Windows Servers
• Microsoft Active Directory
• Microsoft Exchange
• Microsoft IIS
• Microsoft SQL
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Terminal Services
• Backup
• Virus Protection
• SPAM Protection
• BlackBerry Servers
•  Oracle
• Cisco (swithes, routers, firewalls)
• Servers (HP, Dell, IBM)