Virtualization and some coffee

The reason why I change job

2012-03-16T18:59:00.000+01:00

Same same but different

I`vejust announced that I`ll start in my new job on Monday.

Some ofyou already knew this, and I have received the same question from most of you.

“ – Why doyou start doing something else when you`re a CIO? “

If youdon`t know what a CIO is. A CIO is the head of information technology within anorganization. Some people compare this role to be the same as the top of thefood chain. So what people are really asking me is: Why are you moving down thecareer path? It sure seems to be the wrong direction?

Let meexplain that for a minute.

I havehad the time of my life so far, working for the same company in almost 7 years.We have made dreams come through and I`m struggling to find the right words todescribe how grateful I am, how much I`ve appreciated all the opportunitiesI`ve been given, and how much I`ve learned from all the skilled people aroundme in my day to day work. In Norway, many companies and organizations considerus to be pioneers on technologies, and we`ve been recognized and awarded byindependent sources several times. It`s been an adventure from day one.

So backto the question: Why am I leaving all this good stuff, colleagues that Iactually consider as one of my best friends, and a very nice and laidbackemployer with knowledge far above my head, inspiring me to achieve things I didnot knew I was capable of doing?

Theexplanation is rather complex, but in the end it`s all about exploring newopportunities and to leverage my knowledge towards a broader audience. From nowon, I`ll spend most of my days digging around in Beta software, testing andexploring and find the answer to the complex questions. Of course this is cloudrelated, and of course, this is Microsoft related. I will help organizations toadopt, embrace and make the most of the technologies available in the market. Iwill work even closer with my friends at Microsoft in Norway with both SC 2012and Windows Server “8”. Driven by a huge portion of curiosity, and a bit ofpressure from a friend of mine who joined the company last year, I wastriggered pull the switch. I am really looking forward to this new role as acloud evangelist.

But forthe sake of sadness, I will never forget who gave me the opportunity in the firstplace, the company that has raised me.

As mygrandmother said: Will you walk around in a suit, talking about stuff I don`tknow?

- Iguess that should summarize it.

System Center 2012 SP1 CTP

2012-03-12T14:17:00.001+01:00

Currentlyavailable, VMM and DPM.
To quick verify what`s new in the VMM build, read the rest of this blog post.
This setup will only work on Windows Server "8" Beta, so you have do install the server prior to this setup, along with SQL Server 2008 R2.

From the official documentavailable on TechNet:

What's New in System Center 2012SP1 - Virtual Machine Manager

Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) in thecommunity technology preview (CTP) of System Center 2012 SP1 provides thefollowing new features:

· Networkvirtualization

· VHDXsupport

· Supportfor file shares that use the Server Message Block (SMB) 2.2 protocol

· Livemigration enhancements

Network Virtualization

VMM in the CTP release of System Center2012 SP1 provides support for the network virtualization capabilities availablein Windows Server "8" Beta.

Network virtualization provides the abilityto run multiple virtual network infrastructures, potentially with overlappingIP addresses, on the same physical network. With network virtualization, eachvirtual network infrastructure operates as if it is the only one running on theshared network infrastructure. This will allow two different business groupsusing VMM to use the same IP addressing scheme without conflict. In addition,network virtualization provides isolation, so that only those virtual machineson a specific virtual network infrastructure can communicate with each other.

Network virtualization in Windows Server"8" Beta is designed to remove the constraints of VLAN andhierarchical IP address assignment for virtual machine provisioning. Thisenables flexibility in virtual machine placement, because the virtual machinecan keep its IP address regardless of which host it is placed on. Placement isnot necessarily limited by physical IP subnet hierarchies or VLAN configurations.

To virtualize the network in Windows Server"8" Beta, each virtual machine is assigned two IP addresses:

· A customeraddress, which is visible to the virtual machine and is used by customers tocommunicate with the virtual machine.

· A provideraddress, which is used by the Hyper-V computer that is hosting the virtualmachine, but is not visible to the virtual machine.

VMM in the CTP release of System Center2012 SP1 creates the necessary IP address mappings for virtual machines to takeadvantage of the network virtualization capabilities in Windows Server"8" Beta. VMM uses an IP address pool associated with a logicalnetwork to assign provider addresses and uses an IP address pool associatedwith a VM network to assign customer addresses. VM networks are a new additionto VMM in the CTP release of System Center 2012 SP1.

For more information about networkvirtualization in Windows Server "8" Beta, including an explanatorydiagram, see Hyper-VNetwork Virtualization Technical Preview.

Important

Not all the capabilities of networkvirtualization in Windows Server "8" Beta are supported in this CTP.

VHDX Support

VMM in the CTP release of System Center2012 SP1 supports the new version of the virtual hard disk (VHD) format that isintroduced in Windows Server "8" Beta. This new format is referred toas VHDX.VHDX has a much larger storage capacity (up to 64 TB) than the older VHDformat. It also provides data corruption protection during power failures.Additionally, it offers improved alignment of the virtual hard disk format towork well on large-sector physical disks.

By default, VMM in the CTP release ofSystem Center 2012 SP1 uses the VHDX format when you create a new virtual machinewith a blank virtual hard disk. The VMM library automatically indexes .vhdxfiles. In addition to the small and large blank .vhd files that were availablein previous versions of VMM, the VMM library in System Center 2012 SP1 alsocontains both a small (16 GB) and large (60 GB) blank .vhdx file.

Note

For the CTP release, the library servermust be a Hyper-V host to automatically index .vhdx files.

For more information about the benefits ofthe VHDX format in Windows Server "8" Beta, see Hyper-V Virtual HardDisk Format Technical Preview.

SMB 2.2 File Shares

VMM in the CTP release of System Center2012 SP1 adds support for designating network file shares on Windows Server"8" Beta computers as the storage location for virtual machine files,such as configuration, virtual hard disk (.vhd/.vhdx) files and checkpoints.This functionality leverages the new 2.2 version of the Server Message Block(SMB) protocol that is introduced in Windows Server "8" Beta.

SMB 2.2 file shares provide the followingbenefits when used with VMM in the CTP release of System Center 2012 SP1:

· Hyper-V over SMBsupports file servers and storage at a reduced cost compared to traditionalstorage area networks (SANs).

· If you use SMB 2.2file shares as the storage location for virtual machine files, you can livemigrate running virtual machines between two stand-alone Hyper-V hosts orbetween two stand-alone Hyper-V host clusters. Because the storage location isa shared location that is available from both source and destination hosts,only the virtual machine state must transfer between hosts. For moreinformation, see the “Live Migration Enhancements” section of this topic.

You can create SMB 2.2 file shares on bothstand-alone Windows Server "8" Beta file servers and on clusteredWindows Server "8" Beta file servers. In this step-by-step guide,only SMB 2.2 file shares on a stand-alone file server are used to demonstratethe concepts. If you use a stand-alone file server, you can designate an SMB2.2 file share as the virtual machine storage location on a Windows Server"8" Beta Hyper-V host cluster. However, this is not ahighly-available solution.

Note

For more information about how to create ahighly-available SMB 2.2 file share, see the Windows Server "8" Betatopic File Server forscale-out application data overview, and steps 1 and 2 of the “DeployScale-Out File Server” scenario that is linked to from that topic.

For more information about SMB 2.2 inWindows Server "8" Beta, see Server Message Blockoverview.

Live Migration Enhancements

VMM in the CTP release of System Center2012 SP1 includes several live migration enhancements that enable the migrationof a running virtual machine with no downtime. The following table summarizesthe live migration options that are available.

Transfer Type	Description
Live	During live migration, only the virtual machine state is transferred to the destination server. VMM in System Center 2012 SP1 supports the following new live migration options: · Live migration between two stand-alone Windows Server "8" Beta Hyper-V hosts. · Live migration between two Windows Server "8" Beta Hyper-V host clusters. Note This includes both highly available virtual machines and non-highly available virtual machines that are running on a cluster node. To live migrate a virtual machine between two stand-alone hosts or two separate host clusters, the virtual machine (including virtual hard disks, checkpoints, and configuration files) must reside on an SMB 2.2 file share that is accessible from both the source and destination stand-alone hosts or host clusters. Note VMM in System Center 2012 SP1 also supports the live migration of a highly available virtual machine between two nodes in the same host cluster. Support for this exists in System Center 2012 – Virtual Machine Manager, when the virtual machine resides on available storage or on a cluster shared volume (CSV). In System Center 2012 SP1, the virtual machine can also reside on an SMB 2.2 file share.
Live (VSM)	Live virtual machine and storage migration (live VSM) is new in System Center 2012 SP1. During live VSM, both the virtual machine state and the virtual machine storage are transferred. For the live VSM option to be available, the virtual machine must reside on storage that is not visible to the destination host. VMM in the CTP release of System Center 2012 SP1 supports the following: · Live VSM between two stand-alone Windows Server "8" Beta Hyper-V hosts. This transfer can occur between local disks or SMB 2.2 file shares. · Live VSM between two Windows Server "8" Beta Hyper-V host clusters. The virtual machine can be transferred to either a CSV or an SMB 2.2 file share on the destination host cluster.
Live Storage	Live storage migration is new in VMM in System Center 2012 SP1. During live storage migration, only the virtual machine storage is transferred. VMM in the CTP release of System Center 2012 SP1 supports the following: · Live storage migration within the same Windows Server "8" Beta stand-alone host. Storage can be transferred between two SMB 2.2 file share, between an SMB 2.2 file share and a local disk, or between two local disk locations. · Live storage migration on a cluster node from a CSV or SMB 2.2 file share to a different CSV or SMB 2.2 file share that is accessible from the cluster node.

In addition, VMM can perform simultaneouslive migrations (live, live VSM or live storage). This is especially usefulwhen you want to evacuate a host for maintenance.
For more information about live migrationin Windows Server "8" Beta, see the following topics:

· Virtual Machine LiveMigration Technical Preview

· Moving Virtual MachineStorage Technical Preview

Startexploring some of the new features in Hyper-V in Windows Server “8” by usingthe premium management tool – Virtual Machine Manager.

Hyper-V Replica by example (part one)

2012-03-07T06:23:00.003+01:00

Hyper-V Replica by example

One ofthe major game changer of a feature in Hyper-V 3.0 is called «Hyper-V Replica».

To get ajump start on this feature, read Aidan`s blog post here.
Sincethis unique individual has already documented the fun bits (the technical stuff),I won`t do it again (as other people seems to do, copy him:-) ), but rather focus on thesetup.

In mylab I have a Hyper-V Cluster running Windows Server “8” Beta in my datacentersite.

I alsohave a stand-alone Windows Server “8” running Hyper-V. Every server has runningVMs on them, and should be ideal for a proof of concept.

Let`sstart with our datacenter.

1. InFailover Cluster Manager, right click Roles and configure roles

2. SelectHyper-V Replica Broker

3. Completethe wizard and type the required information like IP address and name for thisobject.

4. Oncethis is done, you can see the Hyper-V Replica Broker alive and kicking in thisparticular cluster

5. Afterthe creation, right click the Hyper-V Replica Broker in Failover ClusterManager and configure replication.

6. Forthe sake of demonstration, I have selected Kerberos, port 80 and allowreplication from every authenticated server (AD authentication via Kerberos),and specified the location on one of my Clustered Shared Volumes.

7. Oncethis is done, you`d probably like to configure the firewall to allowcommunication on the dedicated port. I selected port 80 since this port is freeand available in my environment for these cluster nodes, and allows communicationusing this simple line of command: netsh advfirewallfirewall add rule name=”HVReplica” dir=in action=allow protocol=TCPlocalport=80

Remember to run this cmd onevery node that is a part of this cluster. What? Of course you could use PowerShell as well, yes.

Next, we have to configurereplication on the VMs we want to replicate to this Hyper-V cluster, on ourstand-alone Hyper-V server. (Note: you can also configure the stand-aloneHyper-V server to receive replication too, but you do this in Hyper-V Manageron Hyper-V settings, and configure the same settings as in step 6 above.

1. Right click theVM and click Enable Replication.

2. Type the name ofthe Hyper-V Replica Broker you`ve created earlier

3. Specify theconnection parameters and if you want to compress the data that is transmittedover the network. The connection parameters should represent the initialconfiguration you entered during the setup of the replica broker.

4. Select whichvirtual hard disks you want to replicate. In this example, this particular VMhas only one virtual hard disk associated with it.

5. Configurerecovery history. If you have needs to have additional recovery pointsavailable (for example on your LOB applications that’s runs in a VM) you canconfigure it here. In addition, you can replicate incremental snapshot usingthe known VSS service and define the frequency these snapshots are taken.

6. How would youstart the initial replication? Either over the network or using external media.Since I`m several hundred miles from the actual datacenter and the branchoffice for instance, I will replicate this over the network. But it`s a goodidea to use external media so you`re not overloading your network if this is abig VM or several VMs. You can also use existing VM on the replicate server asthe initial copy if you have restored acopy of this VM.

7. Check theoverview of the configuration and finish.

8. If thecommunication is allowed and the configuration is completed in a sufficientmanner, you`re good to go.

Follow this blog for part two.
Cheers.

Live Storage Migration in Windows Server "8" Hyper-V

2012-03-06T06:38:00.003+01:00

Demonstratingone of the migration options inHyper-V in Windows Server «8» BetaWhat abunch of awesome new features that is available in this build.
Thisblog post will cover the Live StorageMigration.
Livestorage migration allows you to migrate the storage of a VM (VHD and also thenew VHDX) and the configuration files to be moved to new locations. And thiswill be performed live, while the VM is still running!

Sobasically, you can move it between SANs, SMB shares, DAS and so on with no downtime.

Themigration will copy every file (virtual hard disks, snapshots andconfigurations) and the VM will write and read to its destination during thisprocess, and after the copy is completed, the VM will write to both locations(source and destination) while its copying the blocks that has been changedduring the copy process. At last there is a clean-up process where the data issynced and the source is finally deleted.

1. Rightclick on the VM in Hyper-V Manager (if your Hyper-V host is a node in a Hyper-VCluster, you`ll get a message indicating that you have to use Failover ClusterManager to perform this action. It`s a hard block by design, which is good!)

2. SelectMove the virtual machine`s storage and click next

3. Inthis example, I`ll move every related file for this particular VM. But alsonotice you`re able to select files individually if you have special needs fornot placing the files on same share/disk/LUN. This is a cheap lab environmentand I have nothing to lose.

4. Enterthe location. In this example, I`ll move it to a network share, running on aWindows Server 2008 R2. Click next

5. Seethe summary of the options you have specified and hit the finish button onceyou are ready

6. Theprocess has started

7. Andit`s done!

Installing Hyper-V in Windows Server "8"

2012-03-05T05:00:00.004+01:00

First ofall, I`m a though guy. Currently, I`m located in Seattle and I did a remoteupgrade of one of my lab servers in Norway. And you know what? It just works.

Sobasically, I just want to cover the setup of a new Hyper-V host using somescreen shots in case you`re not familiar with the process in the first place.

1. Eitherboot from DVD, VHD, or USB. In my example, I used a DVD. Select language, timeand currency format and keyboard

2. ClickInstall now

3. Selectwhich version you want to install. As you can see there are two versions. Theserver core (without a GUI) for smallest footprints and the traditional richWindows Server with a GUI.

4. Readthrough the license terms and eventually accept it and move on.

5. Selectwhich disk/partition you want to use. You can also select navigate to driveoptions if you need additional options related to the selected disk.

6. Fileswill be copied to the disk and some reboots will be required through theprocess

7. Thefinal bits are almost in place,

8. Enteran administrator password for the built-in admin account

9. Finalizingyour settings before you`re good to go

The nextthing that I want to do is quite obviously, enabling the Hyper-V role and seewhat`s changed in this build.

Bydefault, Server Manager will launch after you`ve logged on to your WindowsServer “8”.

A nicefresh looking metro designed Server Manager that also shows some improvementson the management side, like adding several servers and also create a servergroup. All this for simplified management and streamlined actions across your Win8 servers.

If youclick the ‘Manage’ button in the right corner, this will show some options foreither the current local server or an remote server. To summarize, click herewhen you want to add new roles and features. (If you want to list all the administrationtools available on the server, click ‘Tools’)

1. Afteryou have clicked ‘Add roles’, you can choose from a Role-based or feature-basedinstallation, or a Remote Desktop Services scenario-based installation. Selectthe first one since this is a traditional Hyper-V deployment on a single host.

2. Selecta server from the server pool or a virtual hard disk. As mentioned above, youcan add and create a server group. If you had several servers in this group,you could have selected a remote server and deployed Hyper-V. The VHD option iscurrently untested by me, but it`s pretty self-explained what this means. Itwill mount the VHD and enable roles/features within the file.

3. Navigateto the Hyper-V role and click Next.

4. Youget information about the installation itself and what you`re able to do duringthe install, or simply do it afterwards.

5. Selecta dedicated physical NIC presented in the host for the Virtual Switch (yes, it`snow called virtual switch instead ofvirtual network. Simplified, right? J)

6. Somepretty new improvements related to VM migrations in this build, so you mustdecide which protocol you`d like to use for this purpose if you want to allowthis server to send and receive live migrations of virtual machines. Also notethat if you intend to cluster this Hyper-V host, you should not enablemigration now, but configure it during the creation of your Hyper-V cluster –and use dedicated networks. BTW, this is very useful information at this stage.Remember in the 2008 R2 version, where you had to investigate to find thenetwork for live migration, hidden on the settings of a random VM?

7. Selectlocation for both virtual hard disks and VM config files. This server is not apart of a cluster so I will actually specify the locations at this time.

8. Confirmthe selections and eventually mark the ‘Restart the destination server automaticallyif required.

Onceit`s done, you are free to deploy virtual machines. Follow this blog toparticipate in the next excited post about the subject.

Windows Server "8" Beta Jump Start

2012-03-04T18:40:00.000+01:00

Whatyou`ll see here, is the beginning of a new era. This iswhat`s all about, the true cloud operating system. No more show stopping. It`sall here!

To get ajump start, I`ll suggest you read a couple of blog post by some of my fellowMVP`s on the subject.

Firstthing first, click on this linkto read the glossary that Aidan Finn wrote.This list should open your eyes and probably let you have some ideas of whatmight be possible in this build. (Example:think of the possibilities with the SMB File Cluster for scale outapplications, using the new SMB protocol together with a new Hyper-V Cluster.If you`re able to achieve any down time for your VMs in this environment,you`re doing something seriously wrong ;-)

Someother useful links related to the subject.

HansVredevoort with UsingWin Server 8 as VHD to go

AidanFinn with Hyper-V ManagementImprovements

HansVredevoort with TestingHyper-V Server 8 Beta

Didiervan Hoye with Windows8 introduces SR-IOV to Hyper-V

KristianNese with Windows8 and why you should care

To behonest, bookmark those blogs if you`re interested in catching up on all the newand excited features in Win Server 8, and especiallyHyper-V 3.0

SC 2012 Integration Packs - VMM

2012-02-20T20:45:00.000+01:00

What doyou get if you give steroids to the Windows Task Scheduler?

- System Center Orchestrator

Orchestratorempowers IT pros as well as developers to easily develop Runbook thatinteroperate with 3^rd party systems to automate datacenterworkloads. With a simple drag and drop interface, you`re able to do whateveryou want, and a little bit more.

SystemCenter 2012 will play a major role for the IT pro, and Orchestrator will beanother mind shift in the cloud stack, with reference to automation and bestpractice.

Orchestratorincludes over 41 built-in workflow standard activities that perform a widevariety of functions and tasks. For the integration with 3^rd patyplatforms and products, and of course also Microsoft products, you can installintegration packs (IPs) which will contain additional activities that extendthe functionality of Orchestrator.

Tosummarize: System Center 2012 – Orchestrator is the glue in your private cloud.

You can grabthe integration packs and extensions related to SC 2012 from here.

How to register an Integration Pack

Afterthe download, you have to register the IP with the Orchestrator managementserver and then deploy it to a runbook server that has the Runbook Designerinstalled.

1. Startthe Deployment Manager, expand Orchestrator Management Server, right clickIntegration Packs to select Register IP with the Management Server. This willstart the Integration Pack Registration Wizard. Click Next.

2. Inthe Select Integration Packs or Hotfixes dialog box, click Add, locate the .OIPfiles, click Open and then Next. Finish the wizard and accept the End UserAgreement (after you`ve read the Microsoft Software License Terms)

How to deploy the integration pack

1. Inthe very same Deployment Manager as mentioned above, righ click IntegrationPacks and click Deploy IP to Action Server or Client. Select integration packsyou want to deploy and click Next. Enter the name of your runbook server, add,and click next.

2. Choosea time to deploy, select Schedule Installation and finish the wizard. If youdon`t schedule an installation time, the IP will be deployed immediately afterthe wizard.

Getting started with the VMM IP

1. Logonto your runbook server and click Options and SC 2012 Virtual Machine Manager

2. Typea name for the connection and select the proper type (in this case, VirtualMachine Manager).

3. Configurethe connector by specifying VMM configuration data and authentication. (Makesure that you have configured the authentication you choose in your environmentprior to this, or else it might fail).

4. Oncethis is done, you have several new options to the right in the RunbookDesigner.

5. Havefun!

Getting started with Services in VMM 2012

2012-02-09T18:23:00.003+01:00

Dear community,

If you`re not familiar with Services in VMM 2012, I have created a tiny document where I`m trying to explain it a bit with my own words and by using a visual guidance.
Hopefully some of you will find it useful.

Download / view it from here: Getting started with Services in VMM 2012

Cheers.

System Center 2012 RC Integration Packs

2012-02-09T09:42:00.002+01:00

Finally available.
Now it`s time to explore the glue in the System Center 2012 family. System Center Orchestrator will force the technologist to perform a mind shift. Start focusing on best practice and create automated processes so that you finally can watch all the youtube videos you want, read newspaper and drink all the coffee you can get your hands on! :-)

Read more about the release here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/server-cloud/archive/2012/02/08/microsoft-announces-availability-of-system-center-2012-release-candidate-orchestrator-integration-packs.aspx

Microsoft Private Cloud Book

2012-02-06T22:01:00.000+01:00

2011 wassuch an exciting year. I became a Microsoft MVP the 1th July, and alsopublished my book later that year. Of course it was about Cloud Computing –using Virtual Machine Manager 2012 (written in Norwegian).

A coupleof weeks later, I received one of the best e-mails ever. From Mr. Aidan Finn!

And theCC`s on that mail, were the likes of Hans Vredevoort, Damian Flynn and PatrickLownds.

Theyinformed me that they were working on a book. “Microsoft Private Cloud” –focusing on Virtual Machine Manager 2012, and they needed a technical editor.

To getquickly to the point: I did not hesitate a single moment, and was happy toconfirm that I would accept this great honor.

So myjob with this book is related to review the technical content and makesuggestions where it`s needed. Actually, this is a luxury job. With so manyskilled authors and technicians on the team, you should prepare yourself for areally good, technical and academically compelling book, covering all the details you would require to be successful with your private cloud implementation.

Pre-orderit today from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Private-Cloud-Computing-Aidan/dp/1118251474/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328561832&sr=8-1

The real deal - Services (Part Two)

2012-01-25T12:12:00.002+01:00

If youhave tested the deployment of services in VMM 2012, you`re most likely familiar withthe Stock Trader Service. You`re able to import this service into your VMMLibrary. (Checkthis blog post)

Insteadof just deploying this service and show you some screenshots, I`ve de-coupledthe service so I`m able to create it from scratch using VMM 2012 and explainthe details and see how the Stock Trader service is built and designed.

Rememberthat VMM 2012 has native support for Web applications, Server App-Vapplications and SQL data-tier applications.

Creating and deploying a multi-tier service

Let`spretend that we`re working close with some of our developers and actually knowhow this application is meant to work.

We alsoknow that this application would require a SQL database server, twomiddle-tiers and a web-tier. The web-tier should also be able to scale outsince it`s stateless and would therefor need a load balancer.

Step 1 – Creatingthe VM templates

The bighitch in cloud computing is the software dependencies. But with VMM 2012 you`reable to have loosely coupled services like web applications and Server App-Vapplications. To summarize, you only need a sysprep`d VHD with for exampleWindows Server 2008 R2 installed.

The SQL Database server requires aMicrosoft SQL Server and VMM supports SQL Server Profiles in the Library(containing SQL configuration, service accounts, defines SQL Authenticationor/and Trusted Authentication, installation media, TCP/IP and Named Pipes ++)which means we can deploy SQL server as part of our service during thedeployment. However, the VHD-file that is used must be sysprep`d with a sysprep`d SQL server as well. (Checkthis blog post)

Tosummarize again: Sysprep 2 Windows Server 2008 R2 VM`s where one of them also have asysprep`d SQL server. Right click your VMs in the VMs and Services view in VMMand click ‘Create’ and ‘VM Template’. VMM will now sysprep your VMs and placethem in the library share that you specify.

Step 2 – Preparing the applications

Ok, ourdevelopers have sequenced the applications for our middle-tiers by using Server App-V.

If wetake a closer look at the packages, we can explore the manifest.xml-files.

These fileswill show which server roles, server features and any other components that`srequired for our VM template to work. The good news is that VMM is able todetect this when you add the application to the template.

Tip: if you know exactly what you`re doing when you`re sequencing yourapplications, you can have a package ready in a couple of minutes and you`regood to go. However, you`ll most likely have to test the sequencing processagain and again and again to be sure that you have done everything correctly. Insome cases, your applications are not suited for the Server App-V. But sincethis would require some testing (I guess) you should create a VM, install theServer App-V sequencer agent – which is included in your VMM setup andavailable in the library, and use checkpoints/snapshots during your testing. Thisis a scenario where snapshots are very neat and helpful.

VMM alsoincludes WebDeploy so that youeasily can import web applications to your IIS servers. For more informationabout WebDeploy,click here.

Basically,you install the WebDeploy kit on your web servers, export the application inIIS, and then you`re able to import these applications in to another web server(IIS). In some cases, you can also virtualize these applications by usingServer App-V.

Ourapplications would also require some data-tier applications as well, and VMMhas support for this too. A data-tier application (DACPAC) is an entity thatcontains all of the database and instance objects used by an application. A DACprovides a single unit for authoring, deploying and managing the data-tierobjects instead of having to manage them separately. A DAC allows tighterintegration of data-tier development with the development of the associatedapplication code. It also gives administrators and application level view ofresource usage in their system.

You canextract the data-tier applications by using SSMS 2008 R2.

For more detailedinformation about SQL data-tier applications, check this site.

Step 3 – Working with Application Profiles

Some newimprovements in VMM are related to the Library. When it comes to yourapplications, you can create application profiles that are loosely coupled withyour virtual machines, so you`re able to use them over and over again, with noneed for sysprepping your VMs with the applications already present andinstalled.

Your applicationpackages must be stored in the library and indexed by VMM. The default refresh intervalis set to 1 hour but you can do this on demand manually by right clicking yourlibrary server/share and click refresh.

So sincethe service we`re about to deploy is based on the native applications that VMMsupports, we will create some application profiles that will install the ServerApp-V agent and WebDeploy.

WebDeploy and Server App-V is stored default in the library,and when you add a new library server, you have the option to import thedefault Application Frameworks into the library (which contains Server App-Vsequencer and agent, WebDeploy and scripts that would install this automaticallyduring service deployment.

Toinstall these components, you must add a script to the application profile.

Since youwould require either WebDeploy or Server App-V agent to be installed prior to the applications, you wouldnormally create a Pre-install script.
Specifythe executable and the parameters, and browse to the package located in one ofyour libraries. Select a Run as Account with proper permissions to install thepackage in the virtual guest OS.

In addition,you can specify advanced scripting logging for troubleshooting in case thedeployment fails.

Oncethis is configured, you may add the applications and applications scriptsrequired to get the applications up and running. It really depends whichapplication you`re dealing with, and you should work closely with yourdevelopers/application owners to get this correct, and fill in the requiredparameters and instructions for the installation of the applications.

Theexample above shows the deployment of WebDeploy and a web applications withapplication scripts.

The samerules apply for the Server App-V applications and SQL data-tier applications.

Step 4 – Working with the Service TemplateDesigner

We`venow got our application profiles and the VM templates configured and stored inthe Library.

Navigateto the Library workspace and select Service Templates, right click and click CreateService Template.

This willlaunch the service template designer.

VMMships with some patterns to get you started really quick. Either a single-tiertemplate or a multi-tier template.

We willstart from scratch in this example.

As youcan see, you can drag your VM Templatesinto the designer. We need four VMs for this service, and will therefor use a VMtemplate which contains the sysprepped SQL server, and an empty sysprepped VM for the rest of our tiers.

Let`sstart by configuring our SQL Server VM.

Thistier would require a SQL server and the SQL data-tier applications. From theservice canvas we`re able to click on the ‘Add application’ button and selectprofiles and applications from our library. (You can also configure the HW andOS profiles for your VMs – directly from this view).

Now,let`s do the same for our middle-tiers and add the Server App-V applications

Now, wehave to add our web applications to our web tier.

Since ourweb-tier should be able to scale out, we must also configure a load balancer. Thegood news is that Microsoft NLB is integrated into VMM by default, and the onlything you have to do is to create a VIP Template. In this example I`ve createda HTTP VIP Template and associated it with the NLB load balancer in Network inthe Fabric view. Once you have done this, you only have to add the NLB featurein the OS configuration on your VM template – along with any other requiredWeb-roles/features to get your web-tier up and running.

VMM knows immediately thatthis tier should be able to scale out, and during the deployment installs andconfigure NLB automatically, after you have added the load balancer into theservice canvas and defined the connectivity, and set the scale limit.

Afteryou have added all the required profiles, applications and configured the VMs,you should ask yourself: how would I normally deploy this service if I did itmanually?

Eventually,this leads us to the Application Deployment order.

In thisexample, I want my SQL server to be deployed first so it`s able to receive connectionsand data from the other applications, since they rely on this tier. Second, Iwant my web-tier to be deployed, and my mid-tiers as number 3 and 4.

Once youhave configured all this and feel quite satisfied, you can save and validatethe configuration. If there are any errors related to the configuration, VMMwill notice you before you go any further.

If everythingseems fine, click Configure Deployment, give your service a name and place iteither on a host group or a private cloud.

Once youclick ‘OK’, intelligent placement will kick in and check where the serviceshould be able to run. If everything is OK, you can start the deployment ofyour service.

I willmost likely create a webcast that demonstrate the entire process in the nearfuture. Please give me a note if you have any questions etc or want me tocover.

The nextblog post will focus on the service lifecycle in VMM.

The real deal - Services (Part One)

2012-01-23T19:32:00.000+01:00

I was wondering if I should try to create a white paper about «Services»in VMM 2012. But I found out that a bunch of blog post would be more suitable,and also less formal than a white paper.

What is a Service?

From the early beginning of Microsoft Private Cloud, they stated veryloud and clear that they were able to focus on the real deal, - services.

If you`re familiar with Windows Azure, you may recognize the term ‘Service’as in hosted services in the Windows Azure portal. It can be a VM Role, WebRole or a Worker Role. But that`s for Azure. There are some architecturaldifferences between the service concept in Microsoft Private Cloud (VMM) and inMicrosoft Public Cloud (Windows Azure).

Let`s talk shortly about both of them before we go any further.

In Windows Azure, you cancreate hosted services. These services are created in Visual Studio 2010, andas mentioned earlier, either a VM Role, Web Role or a Worker Role. For the Weband Worker Role, you`ll get a configuration file and a package. Upload thesefiles to the Windows Azure portal (or you could simply use System Center AppController for that) and you`re good to go. Prior to this, you must have signedup and created a Windows Azure Subscription.

The beauty of the Platform as a Service model is that Windows Azure willtake care of everything. Define how many instances you`d like and Azure willconfigure the required VMs, and eventually place them behind a load balancerand a VIP template.

- Ok, brilliant. But what about the storage?

That`s a very good question Kristian.

When you`re working with Windows Azure – think stateless, stateless andstateless. Also when it comes to the VM Role. You should use one of the storageoptions in Windows Azure, and there`s several options here as well. BinaryLarge Objects (Blobs), Queues, Tables and SQL Azure. Now, if you plan for amassive scalable storage solution, use Blobs. This is the cheap storage solutionfor you hosted services, and if you`re creating an application that will notupdate the content quite frequently, you can also take advantage of the ContentDelivery Networks (CDN) – so that you`re closer to your users, which gives thema better user experience. If your applications require some sort of relationaldata storage, use SQL Azure.
That was a really short summary of the service architecture inWindows Azure.
And since I`ve got your attention: if you`re an ISV and have notconsidered Windows Azure as a platform for your developer projects in thefuture: shame on you. J

In the private cloud where Virtual Machine Manager 2012 plays the mostimportant role, there is also a service concept.
Actually, I`ve blogged about this before. Get a quick introduction byreading this post first: http://kristiannese.blogspot.com/2011/07/understanding-service-concept-in-vmm.html

Welcome back.

As you can see, there are some similarities in both clouds. Reminder:think stateless!

If you plan to scale out, scale out the tiers that`s suitable for thisscenario. Stateless!

In VMM 2012 – you can create Virtual Machine Templates, but also ServiceTemplates. A service template is the starting point for your services where youconfigure virtual machines and connectivity requirements. The service template ismore than just a template, because VMM is able to support the life cycle ofyour applications. So every deployed services are always linked to theirtemplates so you can do servicing of the instances.

Now, what`s an instance?

An instance could be groups of machines that work together whichincludes machine definitions as well as applications. There is support forthese native applications types in VMM: Web Applications (WebDeploy), VirtualApplications (Server App-V packages) and Database Applications (SQL DAC). You cancreate application profiles in the library so that you can use them over andover again.

For more information about the new improvements in the library of VMM2012: http://kristiannese.blogspot.com/2011/04/sorting-things-out-in-library.html

So before we go ahead and look closer at the service concept in VMM2012, why would you consider using services in the first place?

A service can be a single tier service or a multi-tier service. And youare able to configure and manage multi-tier applications as a single entity.

Example, you may have an application that your organization hasdeveloped, or you are testing and doing some research on an application from asoftware vendor. Anyhow, this particular application is comprised of a webserver, a database server and an application server which should be consideredas critical for your business. Call it a line-of-business application – the onethat your CEO really cares about.

Since this one is important, you want this application to be alive andkicking 24/7 – no matter what happens related to traffic and peaks. VMM enablesyou to handle fluctuations in capacity for your application, allow you toeasily add or remove virtual machines (hey – please think ‘stateless’) neededto support the application.

This is the beauty of cloud computing, the cloud workload patterns:

The next blog post will discuss the service designer in detail.

Cheers,

Microsoft Private Cloud Campaign - Live

2012-01-20T18:25:00.000+01:00

Alright,this blog post will hopefully explain why I`ve been a bit quiet lately.

A coupleof months ago, I traveled to Microsoft HQ here in Norway, to shot some videosrelated to a Private Cloud campaign. You`ll find the result over here: http://technet.microsoft.com/nb-no/cloud/default.aspx

Ienjoyed the recording and we had ourselves a laugh.

Anyhow,the purpose of this campaign is to enlighten the Norwegian technicians andexplain the value of a private cloud, both the technical model and the businessmodel.

I`vedone several interviews as well, related to this campaign. You`ll find thosearticles here:

Choose the correct Cloud for your organization: http://www.digi.no/885846/velg-riktig-sky

Get more value of your infrastructure withVirtual Machine Manager 2012: http://www.digi.no/885847/de-viktige-byggesteinene

Watch out for the time thieves: http://www.digi.no/885849/pass-deg-for-tidstyven

Note:Every video and article is presented in Norwegian

If youare missing some technical information about cloud, System Center etc, you canlook forward to my blog post about the service concept in VMM 2012. HopefullyI`ll be able to post it during this weekend. If I won`t make it, look for aninteresting blog post next week.

Also, please join "Virtualization and some coffee" on facebook and share your knowledge with the community

Cheers,

Sessions from NIC 2012 – now available

2012-01-19T10:35:00.001+01:00

As Irecently wrote earlier this week, the NIC conference was held for the first time in January 2012 here in Norway in Oslo Spektrum.

I had 2sessions, one session where I explained Cloud Computing and especially thePrivate Cloud, and one session where I introduced System Center App Controllerwith the cloud, explaining the service concept in both VMM 2012 (Private Cloud)and Windows Azure (Public Cloud).

You canwatch the “App Controller session” here: http://vimeo.com/nicconf/review/35056290/3bbb35aab9

I willpost my Private Cloud session once it`s available.

Microsoft Private Cloud (System Center 2012) Licensing FAQ

2012-01-17T20:00:00.002+01:00

Togetherwith Microsoft Private Cloud offering, there is some news related to thelicensing.

System Center 2012 Server Management Licensing

1. What’s new with System Center 2012 licensing?

System Center 2012 server management licensingmaximizes your private cloud value while simplifying purchasing.

 License required only for endpoints being managed. No additional licenses needed for management servers or SQL Servertechnology.

 Consistent licensing model across editions. Processor based license, covering up to two processorstargeted at most common hardware configuration

 Same capabilities across editions differentiated byvirtualization rights. All servermanagement licenses include the same components and the ability to manage anyprivate cloud workload.

2. Can you describe the product editions offered with System Center2012?

System Center 2012 management licenses will bereleased in 2 editions differentiated by virtualization rights only:

 Datacenter: Maximizes cloud capacitywith unlimited Operating System Environments (OSEs) for high density privateclouds

 Standard: For lightlyor non-virtualized private cloud workloads.

To provide you with the capabilities you need to manage a private cloud, both Standard and Datacenter editions of System Center 2012 include all the System Center components relevant to managing servers:

 Configuration Manager

 Service Manager

 Virtual Machine Manager

 Operations Manager

 Data Protection Manager

 Orchestrator

 App Controller

 Endpoint Protection

Downloadthe PDF from here: http://bit.ly/xh4Ycf

Microsoft Private Cloud - Some pretty big announcements!

2012-01-17T19:31:00.000+01:00

Wow!

I`llbeen watching the virtual MS Event this evening – TransformingIT with Microsoft Private Cloud

Quite interestingright? Check out this page as well! http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/cloud/

Notenough? You can now download all theSystem Center 2012 products – and each of them are now available in ReleaseCandidate.

More tocome…. :-)

NIC 2012

2012-01-15T19:49:00.001+01:00

I`ve just returned from a great conference in Oslo Spektrum - www.nic2012.com where I have been talking with many good friends and other skilled guys in the IT business. Olav Tvedt, the deployment hero from Norway, Nicolai Henriksen - our new MVP in Config Manager, Johan Arwidmark, the deployment hero from Sweden, Jan Egil Ring, the Powershell guru from Norway, and Ståle Hansen, the Lync MVP. +++

I had two sessions related to cloud computing. Agenda available here: http://www.nic2012.com/nic2012_agenda
In the first session, we focused on cloud computing in general but also ran a bunch of demoes, using VMM 2012 to build and enable the private cloud.

In the second session, we focused on System Center App Controller, VMM and Windows Azure.
Trying to explain and show the service concept in VMM 2012 and Azure and how to harness the power with App Controller.

To summarize: a great event with great friends and colleagues!

Videos will be posted

Kick start 2012 with Microsoft Cloud Campaign

2011-12-24T17:22:00.001+01:00

Maybe this is the last blog post I write this year, since I have to relax and spend some dedicated superb time with my son the last few days of 2011.

I would like to thank my readers through 2011 for all the feedback and comments. Either directly on my blog or through mail. I appreciate it and would like you to continue this in 2012 as well.

Remember to join "Virtualization and some coffee" on facebook in January, and participate in the cloud campaign. Feel free to ask questions (both in English and Norwegien) and myself and the rest of the expert panel will try to answer and help you as best as we can.
I will have an introduction of the panel early in January, so that you all know the faces behind this campaign.

Join Virtualization and some coffee on facebook

And...

Download System Center 2012 pre-release versions

Happy holiday and see you all in 2012.

Cheers,

Deploy Services to Azure from App Controller (Part Three)

2011-12-23T14:30:00.000+01:00

Afteryou have created the required connections to both your private and publicclouds, and set up the libraries to serve your clouds with resources, youshould easily be able to deploy new services in both clouds using AppController.

Fromyour Public Cloud Library:

1. First,copy the packages over to your public cloud library

2. Rightclick your package and click ‘Deploy’

3. Giveyour service a name and a public url, and specify the preferred region (you canalso specify an affinity group if you have set up this)

4. Selectthis hosted service for deployment

5. Namethis deployment and eventually specify the operating system version (Azure OS),and select stage or production. If this service is ready to you and you want itto be available immediate, select production

6. Youcan eventually specify the roles and instances as well. In this example, 1instance is enough

After the job is done, you`ll find your service up and running in the Services tab in App Controller.

Use your VMM 2012 library for you Windows Azure Applications (Part Two)

2011-12-22T14:14:00.000+01:00

App Controller contain some nice features when it comes to managing yourresources both in your private cloud, and also in Microsoft`s public cloud,Windows Azure.

One thing I find quite useful is that you can create a folder in yourVMM 2012 library containing your Windows Azure packages, and then move them toyour public library so that they willbe available for your application owners/developers.

Create a folder in your VMM 2012 library and copy yourAzure application packages

Connect to your VMM 2012 library share in AppController

Createa public library if you have not done this:

On the Library page, expand Cloud Libraries and then expand the Windows Azure node.

Expand the Windows Azure subscription in which the new container should be created.

Select the Windows Azure storage account in which the new container should be created.

Click Create Container.

In the Create Container dialog box, enter the new container name. The container name must be a valid DNS name. For more information about naming containers, see Naming Containers, Blobs, and Metadata.

Click OK.

How to Copy Files From Local Shares to Public or Private CloudLibraries
Copy Files from Local Shares to Public Cloud Libraries

Authorized users can copy filesfrom shares to their corresponding public cloud libraries.

To copy files from shares to a Windows Azure Cloud Library

Go to the Library page and navigate to the share from which files should be copied.

Select the file or files to be copied.

Click Copy.

Navigate to the Windows Azure storage container.

Click Paste.

Required Management Packs for the Cloud Process Pack

2011-12-21T21:40:00.002+01:00

RequiredManagement Packs for the Cloud Process Pack

Ok, I`vedone this a couple of times no, so I want to share it.

Firstyou make the SCVMM/SCOM integration (http://kristiannese.blogspot.com/2011/12/integrate-scvmm-2012-with-scom-2012.html) and import all the required management packs in that process.

Oncethis is done, you have to import severalmanagement packs into System Center Service Manager 2012 before you`re able toinstall the Cloud Process Pack.

Tip: Download all management packs with OperationsManager to a folder, and import the following management pack to ServiceManager 2012:

· Microsoft.SQLServer.Library.mp

· Microsoft.SQLServer.2008.Monitoring.mp

· Microsoft.Windows.InternetInformationServices.2003.mp

· Microsoft.Windows.InternetInformationServices.2008.mp

· Microsoft.Windows.InternetInformationServices.CommonLibrary.mp

· Microsoft.Windows.Server.2008.Discovery.mp

· Microsoft.Windows.Server.2008.Monitoring.mp

It`s important that you import those MP`s above prior to the MP`sbelow, since many of them have these as requirements

In Service Manager2012, import all the management packs from these locations:

· From yourSCVMM install: %Programfiles%\Microsoft System Center2012\Virtual Machine Manager\ManagementPacks

· From yourService Manager 2012 install: %Programfiles%\MicrosoftSystem Center 2012\Service Manager 2012\Operations Manager Management Packs

· Alsofrom your Service Manager 2012 install: %Programfiles%\Microsoft System Center2012\Service Manager 2012\Operations Manager 2012 Management Packs

Change DB options (SQL)

2011-12-20T10:49:00.000+01:00

If you want to change DB options on several databases, you could either click yourself to death, or simply use the following T-SQL to modify all user databasases at once:

----------------------

EXECUTEsp_MSforeachdb

IF(''?'' NOT IN (''master'', ''tempdb'', ''msdb'', ''model''))

EXECUTE (''ALTER DATABASE [?] SET RECOVERY SIMPLE WITH NO_WAIT'') '

---------------------

In this example, I`ve used "SET RECOVERY SIMPLE WITH NO_WAIT", but you can use any other.

Cloud Computing survey in Norway

2011-12-19T20:48:00.000+01:00

Today, Digi.nopublished an article that referred to a survey conducted among 2000 CEO`s inNorway.

http://www.digi.no/885479/norske-ledere-skeptiske-til-nettskyen

Telenor

Here`s why they arenot using or plan to use cloud computing:

· 61% think they have no use of cloudcomputing

· 11% says they have not enough knowledgeabout the subject

· 4% says there is no financial gain byusing cloud computing

· 3% have their own or other solutions

· 2% answered that the decisions are made ata higher level in the organization

· 1% says that cloud will increase the riskfor malicious code

And here`s thereason why some of them are using – or plan to use cloud computing:

· 41% because of high availability andflexibility

· 12% because they think they reduce therisk for damage or loss of sensitive data

· 10% says they save costs related toadministration and investments

· 9% because they are guaranteed updatedsoftware

· 8% security and backup

· 7% simplifies and efficient work andoperation

· 6% reduces risks for infection andmalicious code

· 2% storage capacity

So whatexactly is this telling us?

First ofall, we can confirm that there is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes tocloud computing (still) and obviously, the result speak for itself. If 61%states that they have no use of cloud computing and only 11% says that theyhave not enough knowledge about the subject, it`s quite clear (to me) that the61% have a lack of knowledge about cloud.

Thereare also some differences like 6% use cloud computing because it reduces therisks for infection and malicious code, when 2% answer the same when theyexplain why they`re not using cloudcomputing.

Thearticle in general does not mention anything near the private cloud. And it`svery common that the newspaper around here think of cloud computing as publiccloud only.

Conclusion

It`strue that people are struggling with the entire cloud concept. They have tounderstand the cloud to be able to explain why or why not using the cloud inthe context of their organization. There are different deployment models(Public, Private, Hybrid and Community) and several service models (IaaS, PaaSand SaaS).

It`sdefinitively a market out there to sell and deliver services through the cloud,but first of all, the need for knowledge on the subject is bigger.

(If you`re reading this blog post and want to learn more about cloud computing, join "Virtualization and some coffee" on Facebook. There will be an IT-pro campaign early in January, and you`ll be able to post questions, enter discussions etc related to cloud computing)

Reminder - Private Cloud Campaign

2011-12-18T11:09:00.000+01:00

Recently,my blog “Virtualization and some coffee” went live on facebook.

We`llrun an IT-pro campaign early in January and it’s related to Microsoft PrivateCloud offering.

The contentwill focus on Hyper-V and System Center 2012.

What todo?

If youhave a facebook account, feel free to “like” the page and you can ask questionsand follow the updates on a regular basis. The panel who will answer and shareits knowledge will be able to answer in both Norwegian and English, so don`t beshy J

The primaryfocus will be on how to plan for, build, enable and optimize the private cloud.It`s a lot more than virtualization and we will even be helping with questionsrelated to public cloud offerings as well.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Virtualization-and-some-coffee/235737473156379?sk=wall

Or maybeyou want to participate as a moderator? Contact me atkristiannese(at)live(dot)com

What`s Windows Azure Content Delivery Network?

2011-12-17T11:07:00.000+01:00

What`sWindows Azure Content Delivery Network?

I wasrecently asked what you can use Windows Azure Content Delivery network for.

It`s aworldwide system that intend to cache and delivery blob content. There is about20+ datacenters around the globe hosting this service (CDN).

When youhave a storage account in Windows Azure, it can be enabled for CDN. The blob must be placed in a public blobcontainer that`s accessible by using an anonymous sign-in.

Thereason?

CDN ismeant to reduce latency and maximizes bandwidth by delivering content closer to the user.

So ifyou have data that`s not constantly changed, you should consider CDN for thebest user experience.

Working with Service Level Agreements

2011-12-16T11:06:00.000+01:00

ServiceLevel Agreements (SLA) is mostly referred to as the contract you have with yourservice provider. Here`s some notes to have in mind if you actually shoulddefine and create your own SLA that you will offer to your customers and clients.

(In theearly days of cloud computing, all SLAs were negotiated between a client andthe provider. This has changed now, and today with the large utility-like cloudproviders, the SLAs are mostly standardized untila client becomes a very large consumer of services)

Thingsto consider:

· Responsetimes/latency

· Availabilityof a service (often referred to as uptime)

· Warranties

· Responsibilitiesof each party (very important)

· Reliabilityof service components

If youplan to offer IaaS to your customers/clients, your responsibility will at leastinclude hardware, virtualization/hypervisor/, servers and clusters (in otherwords, the entire Fabric) and theclients will have the responsibility related to the content within their VMs.

Virtual Labs and Virtual Academy

2011-12-15T21:48:00.004+01:00

Thereare so many opportunities in these days, to speed up your knowledge onessential Microsoft products.

And now,you`re also able to test System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 onTechNet`s virtual lab. Together with Virtual Academy, you`ll have the chance toadopt the knowledge that`s required in 2012.

What?

Yes,2012 will be the cloud-year, and many companies will be looking after skilledpeople that can manage both private and public clouds. And more important:people who know what cloud computingis, and how to exploit the cloud in the context of business strategy.

Somereading: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/how-get-rich-in-the-cloud-181648

Pleasetake a closer look at these offerings from Microsoft

MicrosoftVirtual Academy: http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/Home.aspx

SystemCenter Virtual Labs: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs/bb539977

Assign a cloud with PowerShell

2011-12-15T18:48:00.000+01:00

Aquestion was raised in the VMM forum earlier.

The userwanted to assign a cloud for a bunch of VMs, and that would be a very long andmanual process to do without using PowerShell.

In Norway,we have a PowerShell MVP – Jan Egil Ring, and I asked him to answer this threadusing his skills J

Here`sthe PowerShell cmdlets for assigning a cloud for your VMs.

$cloud =Get-SCCloud -Name "Cloud 01"

Get-VM |Where-Object {-not $_.cloud} | Set-VM -Cloud $cloud

Getting started with the Cloud Process Pack

2011-12-13T22:27:00.000+01:00

CloudProcess Pack (Microsoft Private Cloud)

I`vebeen working intensively with the Cloud Process Pack lately, to provide aself-service environment in my private cloud.

You candownload it from here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=27844

You`llneed the following building blocks before you are able to play around with thispack.

· SystemCenter Virtual Machine Manager 2012 RC

· SystemCenter Orchestrator 2012 RC

· SystemCenter Service Manager 2012 BETA

· SystemCenter Operations Manager 2012 RC

(Andsome Hyper-V hosts/Cluster too)

Allthese System Center products must be connected and integrated with each other.

And thisis not a trivial task – at all (BETA).

I willrebuild my lab and post the required steps. The blog post will be relativelylong, so I`ll post it later this week.

Integrate SCVMM 2012 with SCOM 2012

2011-12-13T11:26:00.000+01:00

You areprobably already aware of the new optimization techniques in VMM 2012 – DynamicOptimization and Power Optimization.However,you might want to integrate SCOM 2012 to monitor your VMs and enable the goodold PRO for monitoring your VMs and more important (?) your Services.
If youjust start to run the integration wizard, you`ll most likely end up with someerror messages that indicates that several management packs are missing fromyour SCOM 2012 server.

Sobefore you start, you should import the following management packs to your SCOM2012 server.

· WindowsServer Internet Information Services 2003

· WindowsServer 2008 Internet Information Services 7

· WindowsServer Internet Information Services Library

· SQLServer Core Library

Actionsto take with SCVMM 2012

1. Navigateto the Settings workspace in VMM 2012

2. Clickon System Center Settings and Operations Manager Server

3. Specifythe servername of your SCOM 2012 server and the credentials that is required.You have two options here regarding the integration between SCOM and SCVMM.Enable Performance and Resource optimization (PRO) and Enable Maintenance modeintegration with Operations Manager. Decide what you want and click next

4. Specifycredentials for SCOM 2012 to use to connect to this SCVMM 2012 server (Yes, Iuse a domain admin account in this lab)

5. Ifeverything runs as expected, you`ll have a successful integration

Oncethis is done, you`ll find some new options on your hosts groups.

I`llcover more of the SCOM integration later this month

Make VM Highly Available (VMM 2012)

2011-12-11T18:14:00.001+01:00

I get alot of hits on my blog when people search for «how to make existing VMs highlyavailable» or «make VM highly available» etc.And theyusually ends up with the following post: http://kristiannese.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-make-your-existing-vms-highly.html

In VMM2012, this is now easier than ever.

1. First.If you have a VM that is located on some local storage on your Hyper-V host,you can verify this by looking at the hardware for this virtual machine. Selectthe VM, click properties and navigate to the hardware tab.

2. Shutdown your VM since VMM actually will do an export/import (yes, the same as youcould do with Hyper-V Manager), right click your VM and select Migrate VirtualMachine

3. Payattention to this screen shot. You only need to mark the “Make this VM highlyavailable” option, and VMM will trigger the export/import process.

4. Youcan also specify CSV and the location for your VHD`s

5. VMMwill now take care of the rest and do what`s required so that your VM can behighly available. You can also choose to start the VM after the job is done

For more information about the migration options in VMM 2012, check out this post: http://kristiannese.blogspot.com/2011/11/explaining-migration-options-in-vmm.html

Distributed Key Management (DKM) in VMM 2012

2011-12-11T17:03:00.001+01:00

I wasrecently asked if I could write a blog post about the Distributed KeyManagement in VMM 2012.
Fairenough, and it`s worth mention since it`s required when you`re installing aHighly Available VMM server.

But whywrite something that someone else already has written in detail?

Youguessed it! Aidan Finn wrote about this earlier this year.

Read his blog post here: VMM 2012Distributed Key Management (DKM)

Interview about Cloud Computing

2011-12-09T18:24:00.001+01:00

I wasrecently interviewed by ITPro.no (www.itpro.no – a Norwegian community for IT-pro`s).

Theinterview is all about cloud computing and my thoughts on the subject since Ialso recently wrote a book – Cloud Computing – med Virtual Machine Manager2012.

You canread the interview here: http://itpro.no/artikkel/16288/intervju-cloud-computing

Ifyou`re not so steady in Norwegian, I`ll suggest that you cross your fingers andrun it through a translator (Jason Burbidge recommends http://www.microsofttranslator.com/ J )

How to add a node to a Hyper-V Cluster with VMM 2012

2011-12-08T19:56:00.001+01:00

I`ve been asked if I could explain how you add a Hyper-V server into a Hyper-V Cluster, using VMM 2012. Here`s the guide.

1. Youmust already have an existing Hyper-V Cluster in a host group, managed by VMM.

2. Rightclick the cluster and select ‘Add Cluster Node’.

3. Thenode you intend to add to this cluster should prior to this operation beenadded to VMM, so that VMM is aware of it. From the available hosts, select thehosts you want to add to your Hyper-V Cluster. Note: This screenshot shows that I`m not following the best practice.The reason for that is that this is a simple lab. You should run the clustervalidation in the real world.

4. Eitheruse a Run as Account (you create these under the ‘Settings’ workspace in VMM)or type the required credentials for this operation.

5. VMMstart its magic and adds the Hyper-Vserver(s) (install Failover Cluster feature etc) you selected.

6. Voila– the stand alone Hyper-V server can now be referred to as a node in yourHyper-V Cluster

Cannot generate SSPI context

2011-12-07T18:38:00.001+01:00

It`squite common (here in Norway) that some local hero have installed the WindowsServer when the organization/company is really small (1-5 employees).

Thething I want to address is that when they do this, they normally install theActive Directory Domain Services role – along with DNS server.

What aboutthe DHCP role?

Nope.They already got some internet connection delivered by their ISP, so theclients are already connected to the internet.

Brilliant,right?

For allthe other natural causes that I could use as arguments against this setup, I`drather want to mention a common error message that appear when they run theirLOB applications that uses Microsoft SQL server for their databases.

“Cannotgenerate SSPI context”

Thiserror message occurs on clients attempting to connect to a SQL Server on thenetwork.

And thismessage is purely related to DNS.

When youhave an Active Directory domain and the clients are using the “wrong” DNS,which in these cases is the router/firewall (default gateway) or an externalDNS, they cannot use name lookups to verify the server name.

Inshort, the DNS server from their ISP have verylittle knowledge of the server who is responsible for their databases on theirlocal area network.
Conclusion:If you`re running an Active Directory domain, whether you have one employee or15, please use your internal DNS server so that name lookups and otherAD-related stuff may occur.

Autoscaling in Windows Azure

2011-12-06T21:06:00.001+01:00

Onething I really miss is the the opportunity to auto-scale applications inWindows Azure.

You canget around this by yourself, but it requires some creativity.

However,checkout this Enterprise Library Integration Pack for Windows Azure!

“…thisrelease includes a comprehensive set of technical content, including:

Two new application blocks:

Autoscaling Application Block (“Wasabi”) to help you to automatically scale both web and worker roles in Windows Azure by dynamically provisioning/decommissioning roles or throttling.
Transient Fault Handling Application Block (“Topaz”) to help you make your Windows Azure application more resilient to transient errors when you are using these cloud services: SQL Azure, Windows Azure Storage, Windows Azure Caching, and Windows Azure Service Bus.

One new configuration source:

Blob configuration source to load configuration information from a blob in your Azure Storage account so that you can modify it without having to redeploy your application to Windows Azure.

Windows PowerShell cmdlets to browse and manipulate the Autoscaling Application Block settings directly from Windows PowerShell.
Protected configuration provider to allow you to encrypt sections of your configuration files in Windows Azure.
Updated database creation scripts so that you can migrate your code using the database trace listeners of the Logging Application Block and the Caching Application Block.
A substantial collection of experience guidance help you ramp up quickly, including:

Reference documentation
Developer’s guide
Tailspin Surveys sample application (reference implementation)
On-premises sample application for hosting the Autoscaling Application Block and exploratory testing (included with source under (install location)/WindowsAzure/Autoscaling/Hosts/ConsoleAutoscaler)
Planning worksheet for Wasabi to help you understand the interactions between different timing values governing the overall autoscaling regime.

The recommended way to obtain the Enterprise LibraryIntegration Pack for Windows Azure is as NuGet packages. You can also download self-extracting zipfiles with binaries, sources (including tests) and the reference implementationfrom MSDN. The configuration tool is available as a VisualStudio extension package (VSIX) from the VisualStudio Gallery. “

The Virtual Machin or Tier Load Balancer configuration requires an IP pool and there are no appropriate IP pools accessible from the host

2011-12-05T20:28:00.001+01:00

«TheVirtual Machine or Tier Load Balancer configuration requires an IP-pool andthere are no appropriate IP Pools accessible from the host»

This isa really “gotcha”.

Whenyou`re deploying a VMs or Services and configure the connectivity, you normallyassign a connection to a Logical Network (that you have created in the Fabric),and assign a IP address from a IP pool (that you also have created in theFabric).

Thereare three options here.

· IPv4Only

· IPv6Only

· IPv4and IPv6

Becareful though. In this example, if you do not specify that it is IPv4 only, and you don`t have configured anIPv6 Pool, you`ll get the error message above.

Tip of the day: Try to see the big picture

2011-12-04T20:04:00.001+01:00

About amonth ago or so, I was visiting Microsoft HQ here in Norway.While Iwas there, a good friend of mine gave me some interesting literature.
MicrosoftEnterprise Software Roadmap -Independent Analysis of Microsoft Technology & Strategy

And Imust say, this magazine shares many of my own ideas, on how Microsoft wouldchange their technology and products in the future. That`s why I`m so involved with Windows Azure (although I`m a technologist) because I know it will have an impact on my job role - sooner or later.

Theroadmap states that in the year of 2016 and beyond, the next versions of SQLServer will not come as a setup that you can install on-premise, but ratherdelivered through the cloud as a service (SQL Azure).
The sameapplies to Microsoft Exchange Server, and we already know that Office365 andSQL Azure are well-established in the cloud so far.
Interesting?
Irecommend that you get a copy of this magazine and read it through. The peoplesbehind these publications have worked at Microsoft for several years, and alreadyhit the high notes at many occasions. (Of course, they are not Microsoftemployees anymore, and everything is based on their thoughts and knowledge).

Explaining the Network feature in Fabric

2011-12-03T16:57:00.001+01:00

Alogical network can have multiple network sites, subnets, and VLANs that areassociated with it,

Example

Let`ssay you have multiple datacenters, each with several subnets. One subnet forpublic (available on the internet) and several internal subnets.

With thenew deployment features in VMM 2012, it is most likely that you will consider deployingservices, which could be a combination of many VMs.

One VMwith SQL server installed, one VM with applications that are sequenced withServer App-V, and one VM with web applications.
Let`salso say that you want these services to be load balanced among thedatacenters.
Thenyou`ll have to create a logical network that is associated with the subnetsthat is available on the internet, and connect the VMs and the service to thisnetwork.
Thebenefit here is that you can have multiple users/developers that manage theapplications, with no need to focus on the actual network being used. They onlyhave to associate their VMs and services with the logical network, no matter wherethey actually are located, since the logical network can have several subnets.

The keyword here is abstraction, so that the users do not have any requirements forknowing the details about the networks actually being used.

Case Studies - Uni Micro and Cloud Computing

2011-12-02T11:24:00.001+01:00

How can you take advantage of all the new features in VMM 2012, and how can it solve some of the issues and challenges thar you may be familiar with on a day-to-day basis?

Since mycompany is one of the major Windows Azure partners in Norway, it gives you a hintthat we have some skilled developers on our payroll.
To adoptWindows Azure and the cloud in general, we started with a private cloud to beable to test, start new projects, and jump onto new markets.

You canread the Case Study here, and how we`re using VMM, App Controller, Hyper-V andWindows Azure. http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?CaseStudyID=4000011486

Windows Azure and ISV`s

2011-12-01T09:31:00.001+01:00

Thisblog post is aiming at the ISV`s out there, who are considering (hopefully, orat least, they should be considering)the pure blue cloud – called Windows Azure.An ISVis an Independent Software Vendor. By using Windows Azure as their cloud, they have thepotential to decrease operational costs and increase revenues.

We allknow that internet applications are the future. Think of it, how many apps onyour devices are you actually downloading and installing today? You can accessalmost everything through well-known standards through the power of theinternet.

WindowsAzure is meant to be the platformwhere ISV`s can create their Software as a Service applications. This meansthat Windows Azure is Platform as a Service.

With abackground as a CIO in an ISV company, I`ve seen an increasing interest ofhaving applications available as a SaaS – even Line of Business Applications.

When you`rereading this, you might think that I`m actually saying that you should put allyour effort in moving your applications to the cloud. But relax a bit.

Cloud computingin general is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You start by creating smallachievable goals and prioritize the applications that are best suited.

This leadsus to a hybrid solution that is combining the best from both worlds. With WindowsAzure you can store your data in the cloud and run the applications on-premiseand vice versa.

To-do list:

1. Understandyour organization

2. Understandyour very own software – what are we making, and to whom?

3. UnderstandWindows Azure (PaaS)

4. Bookmarkthis blog to get a better understanding of Windows Azure during this month J

I`llcover the architecture in a technical way later in December, but I want toshare some ideas regarding Windows Azure in your environment. Call it apost-decision.

When westarted with Windows Azure, I wish I knew more about the architecture and theadministration part. But I`ll share some thoughts right here.

Money Money Money

When youdecide to take a closer look at Windows Azure, you should start by navigate to this site: https://mocp.microsoftonline.com/site/default.aspx

WindowsAzure is using a pay-as-you-go model. This mean that you`ll need access to avalid credit card and sign up for the required components using a Live ID. Youwill be billed monthly and that might not be supported by your organization.There are some options here and you can sign up for a larger amount and getonto the Enterprise Agreement. However, you`re more likely to start with acredit card if this is the first project/first time you are touching WindowsAzure.

Administration

You signup and you sign in with your Live ID. To access Windows Azure, you have tologon to the Windows Azure portal: http://windows.azure.com. Windows Azure is not using a role-based model for administration, so if youdecide to give another human being access to your subscriptions, you`ll need tothink carefully who this person is. The reason is that if you want to add a newuser to your subscriptions, it will be a Co-Admin. Yup, full access. Fullaccess means permissions to add, delete, and modify services. This includesCompute, SQL Azure and also Storage.

Stay tuned and I`ll cover the rest of Azure later this month.

Announcing the "Virtualization and some coffee - Christmas calendar"

2011-11-28T17:15:00.001+01:00

Lastyear, I decided to put a new blog post on my blog every day till Christmas.This year there will be no exception, and I`ll try to share something usefulevery day.
It mightbe a tip about a feature, or it might be some thoughts about technology ingeneral. But hopefully you`ll find something useful, and I will use thedifferent TechNet forums as my inspiration source if I can`t think quite clear.

If youwant me to write about something cloud/virtualization/management related stuff,please feel free to comment on this post. Oh, and the best tip will get a copyof my book (Cloud Computing – Med Virtual Machine Manager 2012 (in Norwegian)) J

Cloud Computing – introduced by VMM 2012 - Now Available!

2011-11-10T12:07:00.000+01:00

Finally.After several months of hard work and the latest two months combined with an illnessin my back, I am happy to announce that my book is finished.

I`vebeen in and out the hospital – not only once, but twice during the last month.Some of the injections were fun, and some of them were not.

However,I can summarize the book experience with one word: fun.

Althoughit was fun to write about exciting new technology, it also included hard workand many late nights. A big thanks to Øyvind Flatekval who took his time to bethe technical reviewer. I gave him some tough deadlines but he responded everytime, no matter what or when.

About the book

Thepurpose of the book Is to help the IT-pro, IT-architects (alsoVMware-professionals) and IT-guys in general – to understand cloud computing,how Microsoft with their products can help them, and how to build and designcloud computing within the organizations own datacenter (private cloud) usingSystem Center Virtual Machine Manager.

Thereare currently no material available in Norwegian regarding cloud computing andVMM, so I hope this book can be helpful for those who want a deeperunderstanding of cloud computing.

We`reheading towards some very exciting times in the very near future, so it`srecommended to prepare.

You can order the book here!

Cheers,

System Center AppController - More spaghetti? (part 1)

2011-11-09T20:33:00.000+01:00

SystemCenter AppController (changed from «Codename Concero») is available and you cangrab it from here!

Sowhat`s up with this tool? All the 2012 editions of the System Center portfolioare focusing on cloud computing. AppController is no exception.

It is asmall piece of software that open the doors to both Private Clouds (VMM 2012)and Public Clouds (Windows Azure).

It is aweb-based management solution that lets you manage multiple public and privateclouds in your organization, and you can therefore deploy services to bothpublic and private cloud.

Some key benefits:

· Connectto and manage Windows Azure subscriptions and private clouds on VMM 2012

· Deployand manage services and VMs across multiple public and private clouds

· Manageand share file resources, service templates and VM Templates

· Delegaterole-based access to users for the management of services and resources onpublic and private clouds

Just another Self-Service Portal?

Obviously,the answer is yes. And no.

You willstill have the option to deploy VMs though the biggest focus in this portal isthe Service (service is equal toapplication).

So whyshould you consider the System Center AppControll if you already have the VMM2012 Self-Service Portal?

1. Youhave developers and application owners that need to manage subscriptions andapplications running in Windows Azure.

2. Youhave multiple VMM servers within your organization (AppController can connectto multiple VMM servers/private clouds).

3. Youlove Silverlight.

Install

1. Asupported operating system (Windows Server 2008 R2 Full Installation –Standard, Enterprise or Datacenter. ServicePack 1 or earlier

2. Microsoft.NET Framework 4 (The AppController setup will install it for you).

3. WebServer (IIS) with Static Content, Default Document, Directory Browsing, HTTPErrors, ASP.NET .NET Extensibility, ISAPI Extenstions, ISAPI Filters, HTTPLogging, Request Monitor, Tracing, Basic Authentication, Windows Authentication,Request Filtering, Static Content Compression, IIS Management Console. And yes –The AppController setup will install everything.

4. VMM2012 Console.

5. Asupported SQL Server (SQL 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise or Datacenter, SQL 2008SP2 Standard or Enterprise. Both x86 and x64 are supported)

6. Makesure the computer you install on is a member of an Active Directory Domain

7. Bestpractice – do not install AppController on your VMM server

Connect to public and private clouds

Once theAppController service is up and running, you can access it through InternetExplorer 9 (remember to install Silverlight).

Connect to the public cloud

Toconnect AppController to a Windows Azure subscription, you need thesubscription ID and a Personal Information Exchange (.pfx) file that you haveexported, and also the password to it.

1. Onthe Clouds page click Connect and click Windows Azure Subscription

2. Entera name for the subscription. This name is displayed in the Clouds column

3. Fillinn the Subscription ID (get the ID from the Windows Azure Portal)

4. Importthe .pfx file and enter the password

5. You`redone!

Connect to the private cloud

1. Onthe Clouds page click connect and then click VMM Server

2. Entera name for this connection. This name is displayed in the Clouds column

3. Inthe VMM server name box, enter the FQDN of the VMM management server¨

4. Enterthe port needed for communicating with the VMM server. This port should be thesame within the entire VMM infrastructure (default port: 8100).

5. CheckAutomatically Import SSL certificates. This is required when you intend to copyfiles and templates to and from VMM cloud libraries.

6. ClickOK

7. Youmay then be asked to select which VMM user role to use from the new VMM serverconnection for the current session

Thereyou go!

Nexttime, we`ll take a closer look at when the IT-pro meet the developer in thecloud (part 2).

Cheers,

Virtualization and some coffee... now on Facebook

2011-11-09T08:30:00.000+01:00

“Ok, sowhy have you enabled a page on Facebook for a simple blog?”

Recently,I was visiting Microsoft`s HQ here in Norway with Anders Borchsenius - @Anders_Borch (IT-Pro Marketing Manager). We were shooting some movies,creating some demoes, and planned for an IT-pro campaign. This campaign willtake off early in January 2012.

And now,hold your horses: It`s a cloud campaign.Yes. As you may have noticed, Microsoft have begun to market their privatecloud solutions. Basically, the composition of a Microsoft Private Cloud isbased on Windows Server 2008 R2, Hyper-V, and all the SC products.

Ourimpression from the IT-pro`s in Norway, is that they are good at server virtualization, but that there isa need to get to know the rest of the cloud stack as well. The learning curvewill hopefully not be too heavy afterwatching the campaign.

Over tothe point of the page creation on Facebook.

(You can join the page by clicking on this link)

Today,it`s possible to post questions and feedbacks directly on my blog, and youshould feel free to do so. But this requires me to approve and publish everycomment. (I bet you all know why I have to).

OnFacebook, you can post questions regarding cloud computing and the campaign initself directly, and everyone can participate in a way they are familiar withand already does on a day to day basis.

PerhapsI`d need a moderator or two as well - in addition to the kid below.

The IT-Pro of the future?

Explaining the Migration Options in VMM

2011-11-08T18:05:00.004+01:00

As youmay be aware of, there are several migration options in VMM. Which one youshould use depends on what you are trying to address.

MigrationOptions

· NetworkMigration

· LiveMigration

· ClusterMigration

· SANMigration

· StorageMigration

Toinitiate the magic, right click your VM and select either Migrate Storage orMigrate Virtual Machine.

Network Migration

When youare planning to move a VM from a Hyper-V server to another Hyper-V server andthose servers are not in a Hyper-V Cluster, oryou want to move a VM from local storage/LUN over to a CSV on a Hyper-VCluster, VMM will perform a Network Migration. You can think of this option asthe same as Export/Import in Hyper-V Manager.

Live Migration

This isthe preferred migration option since it does not include any downtime for yourVMs

whenyour VMs are located on a CSV in a Hyper-V Cluster. The details are explained here.

Cluster Migration

This optionis available when a VM runs on a LUN that is not configured as a CSV in aHyper-V Cluster. The process will transfer the LUN to another node in thatCluster. Be careful and make sure that no other VMs runs on the same LUN, sincethey will also be transferred. (downtime)

SAN Migration

Same asabove, if you have one VM per LUN, the LUN will be presented for anotherHyper-V server. This migration option is very fast but has some requirements.The following types of SAN`s support SAN Migration:

· FibreChannel SAN

· N-PortID Virtualization (NPIV) Fibre Channel

· iSCSISAN via Microsoft Initiator

If youare planning for FC and iSCSI SAN via iSCSI initiator, you will have to useMicrosoft iSCSI Software Initiator – available as a Feature in Windows Server2008 R2.

NPIVuses HBA which creates virtual HBA ports with a logical reference to theunderlying physical port.
SANMigration can be used to store VMs from a hypervisor in Library, rapidprovisioning, deployment of VMs from Library to a hypervisor, and migrationsbetween servers.
(BothSMI-S and VDS SAN`s support this feature in VMM 2012).

Storage Migration

Move thephysical files for a VM on the same server, from one location to another. Youcan do this without – or with minimal downtime. If the VM has multiple VHD`sassociated, then you will be able to specify a new location for every file.

Happymigration and good luck.

Cloud Computing - White Paper

2011-10-25T20:25:00.000+02:00

MicrosoftLearning has published a white paper for the IT professionals:

What ITProfessionals Need to Know

I wouldrecommend everyone to read this piece of paper. If you have missed the “cloud-train”by now, you have a chance to read up to see how it will affect your career.

And it`squite interesting. Most of the IT-pro`s I talk with on a day to day basis arenot stressed at all when it comes to cloud computing.

Let me addresssome gossip first:

"The cloud is just something that Microsoft,Amazon and Google provides for their customers. It has nothing to do with me,my organization nor my career “

Firstthing first. Please understand that cloud computing is not a “product” or anapplication that you install. Cloud is how technology has evolved over the lastyears, driven by… business!

It`sabout time that the IT-pro`s take some steps out of their server room, andstart investigating and gather information and knowledge on what theirorganization is up to. Cloud computing is all about business and technology –hand in hand.
You haveto understand your organization, and how technology can help you to solvebusiness requirements and make you a real competitor in the market you`re in.
Ifyou`ll not able to understand how cloud computing can change your career, youmight end up finding you another profession since you would be busted when itcomes down to business.

“I might agree that there is something calledcloud computing, but there is no such thing as a private cloud”

A privatecloud is not about what you run inyour datacenter, but more like howyou run it.

Mostpeople will mention the great scale and economic benefits with cloud computing –but that is solely aimed at the public cloud.BUT.. the private cloud will operate much more efficient than just a highlyvirtualized datacenter. With features like Dynamic Optimization and PowerOptimization in SCVMM 2012, you`re able optimize your Hyper-V servers andHyper-V Clusters. Only running what is needed to support the virtualworkload. And that will definitive give you some cost savings and benefits. Remember that a private cloud is also highly automated, which mean that the IT-pro can focus on more important tasks than "ad-hoc".

Further,a private cloud has additional layers in addition to virtualization – which isonly a common characterization (NISTDefinition), but the IT-pro have to focus on these extra layers in the future.Like automation, orchestration, service and management.

Microsoftwill launch several new System Center versions in the near future, and you canclimb to the top of the food chain in your organization as far as IT concern.Read the white paper, and grab all pre-release versions of the System Center portfolio from here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Go-grab-your-System-Center-3948950.S.76995191?view=&gid=3948950&type=member&item=76995191

(the link above sends you to the Microsoft Private Cloud group on LinkedIn. Please feel free to join the group and participate in the discussions regarding cloud computing)

Cheers,

Upcoming events!

2011-10-16T12:27:00.002+02:00

Cloud Computing Day at BKK - http://www.bkk.no/bedrift/internett-telekom/frokostmote/

I willbe presenting at BKK the next week.

Holdyour horses! – it`s a session about cloud computing.

Thesession will include examples on how cloud computing in general can help andsolve some of the common challenges for an organization, and also how WindowsAzure (public clou) together with Hyper-V + SCVMM (private cloud) has helpedUni Micro (my company) to become one of the major cloud companies in Norwayduring the last two years. The take away from the session will be that you haveto understand both cloud computing and your organization before you doanything. I will stress that several times J. Come and join us and have a biteand some coffee while you`re listening to some cloud speakers.

Nordic Infrastructure Conference 2012 - http://www.nic2012.com/nic2012_program/speakers

For thefirst time, an international infrastructure conference is arranged in Norway.

It willbe held Jan 13^th – 14^th 2012 in Oslo.

The goalis to create the premier event for all IT-proessionals in the Nordics, andoffering broad technical education on Microsoft and 3. party products, toolsand services. Our two day event will focus on deep-dives and practicalknowledge on the most used products. This means less slides, more hands-on. We willshow you the good and the bad sides, we will show you how to solve the mostcommon tasks and challenges, sharing all our experience from the real world,the tips & the tricks.

So ifyou are deploying, managing, securing and mobilizing Microsoft solutions, NICis the place to be. We will focus on the key technologies within current andsoon-to-be released products, helping you to better solve today`sIT-challenges, and preparing for tomorrow`s innovations.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/nic-nordic-infrastructure-conference-2012/kristian-nese-ready-for-nic/247960048585227

See you there!

Nicolai Henriksen joins MTUG Bergen!

2011-10-16T11:46:00.003+02:00

I`mhappy to announce that Nicolai Henriksen joins the Microsoft Technology UserGroup in Bergen in Norway.

Nicolaiis one of the best guy around on System Center Configuration Manager and willgive us a session that contains a lot of new features in the 2012 version.

Nicolaihas been used several times by Microsoft Norway as a speaker, and I was happyto “work” with him at TechDays 2011.

http://mtug.no/Arrangementer/Bergen/ArrangementerBergen/tabid/142/ModuleID/491/ItemID/86/mctl/EventDetails/language/nb-NO/Default.aspx

Followhim on Twitter to keep up to date with SCCM: @nicolaitwitt

Build Hyper-V Cluster with SCVMM 2012 - Demo

2011-09-29T09:58:00.003+02:00

Here`s a short webcast (in Norwegian) on how to build a Hyper-V Cluster with SCVMM.

The next webcast will be in English ;-)

Cheers,