Dugie’s Pensieve

I was looking for some power consumption data, when I came across this article "Linux vs. Windows Power Usage".

In summary they compare 4 operating systems, and how much power the computer draws to run them.  For example, "While idling, Ubuntu 7.10 was consuming the most power with 41 Watts…. Both Windows XP and Vista were consuming 39 Watts while idling.".  Fedora consumed the least amount of power:

Anyway, I though it was interesting, and worth sharing.  Check the original article for the complete story.

Justin Zarb has all the info, more in his post and a snippet is below:

A virtualized computing environment can improve the efficiency of your computing resources by utilizing more of your hardware resources. Windows Server virtualization enables you to create a virtualized server computing environment using a technology that is part of Windows Server 2008. The Infrastructure Planning and Design Series: Windows Server Virtualization guide discusses Microsoft virtualization options using Windows Server virtualization in Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. The guide explains design considerations at critical decision points and helps with plans for an optimized server virtualization architecture to meet organizational goals for performance and consolidation.

To join visit the Microsoft Connect Web site (http://connect.microsoft.com) using invitation ID is: IPDM-QX6H-7TTV

Ok, wow.  I’ve just finished a headspinning phonecall with Ben Rudolph from Parallels (aka SWsoft).

The guys over at Paralles are working really hard on porting their sexy features Coherence and SmartSelect over from the Mac to ”Parallels Workstation for Windows“. 

For those who haven’t been following Parallels, they do some really innovative stuff, and are continually pushing the envelope.

Coherence is the ability to hide the OS within a VM, and display only the application - and make it behave like any other application on the host, check out the Coherence clip on YouTube.

Smartselect is the ability to just “load the file”, regardless of if the file needs an application within a VM, check out the SmartSelect click on YouTube.

…or for something a bit more upbeat, check em both out with music.

Anyway, this is very exciting and welcomed news.  Business will be able to deploy any Application [and combining OS in a virtual machine], in a format that end users can “just use like other apps“.   …and with USB passthough you can still use  all those crappy legacy 32bit XP peripherals on 64 bit Vista.

Bring it on Boys, I can’t wait.

Last weekend, I took the bike for a ride out past Cunningham gap.  There were a few deviations from the map that google won’t let me plot :)

Overall, it was pretty much perfect weather for a bike, and the piccy below says it all:

…and I made the most of it, and camped the night at a friends property.  They made me cook, so I took the campoven and cooked shepards pie for dinner.  everyone was impressed, so looks like I’ll just have to go back again :)

Anyway this post is about the ride.  So if you’re interested the more photos below and blog post below.

Weekend on the Bike, continued…

This bike ride, really hit a “warm fuzzy” spot for me.  I worked pretty hard to make sure “all the work stuff I needed to do“, was documented and written down, so when I hit the road Saturday morning, there was nothing to think about for the whole weekend.    …and it worked well.  I took a notepad and pencil with me, “just in case “, but didn’t need to use it at all.

The ride out was great.  Lots of open roads, different scenery, and as always a few twisty corners.

It’s amazing how much difference riding on the open road makes.  I chose to stay off major highways where I could.  That way I could spend more time looking at the road ahead, and less time worrying about the silly car drivers in front.  Not that all car drivers are silly, it’s just the two are mutually exclusive:  If there are no cars, there are no silly car drivers.  :)

I also used the opportunity to check out all those rarely used roads and dirt tracks.  I’d often thought “Well I wonder where that road goes…“, well now I know.  Can I say, how much I love my Transalp!

I also unplugged for the whole weekend.  I wore regular ear buds under my helmet, rather than ear phones for my MP3 player. 

This also meant I was paying more attention to the bike and how she handled.  I’ve been trying to find the perfect suspension setting for a couple of weeks now.  Funnily enough there is only ¼ of turn between too spongy and too firm.  But I think I got it nailed nicely.   Side note:  It doesn’t help when you have a 80 kilo pillion for a week, throwing all your settings out :)

Now this post has a Part II coming up.  In a couple of weeks I heading back out.  The boys enjoyed my campoven cooking so much, we’re all going back out.  I’m designated cook for the weekend.  Let’s hope it doesn’t hail like my last camping trip.

Well this is new.  Microsoft have just released the Virtual Machine Manager Configuration Analyzer.

Essentially, you run the tool and and verifies your server configuration is in order to run SCVMM.  There are two installation “gotchas“.  Firstly, it’s 64 bit only I’m afraid, secondly You will need to install the “Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer“.

Anyway you can download VMMCA from Microsoft Downloads, or check out the screenshots below:

PS:  Does anyone else smile at the acronym weirdness: VMMCA for SCVMM on MVSR2SP1  :)

Taken from today’s Courier Mail, here in Brisbane, “Left side v right side of the brain test“:

THE Right Brain vs Left Brain test … do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (anti) - RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (clockwise)

• uses logic - uses feeling
• detail oriented - “big picture” oriented
• facts rule - imagination rules
• words and language - symbols and images
• present and past - present and future
• maths and science - philosophy & religion
• can comprehend - can “get it” (i.e. meaning)
• knowing - believes
• acknowledges - appreciates
• order/pattern perception - spatial perception
• knows object name - knows object function
• reality based - fantasy based
• forms strategies  - presents possibilities
• practical - impetuous
• safe - risk taking

So are you a lefty, or a righty?  I was originally a righty.  I had to leave it for a moment, and come back to it, but now I can see both ways and switch between with no worries.

James O’Neill from Technet blogs has all the info in his post “Virtualization (2008) Rapid Deployment Programme (RDP)“, a snippet is below:

We are getting ready to take nominations for this programme: It’s not an open beta program (it is expected to have only about 40 places) so most people will be turned away. There is a second programme called the Momentum programme which provides a lower level of support. If you’re looking to evaluate Virtualization on Windows Server 2008 either programme may be of interest, so please send me a mail. If you are in the UK I will help the process along for you. If you are located somewhere else I’ll try to put you in contact with someone local that can help. Please note that nominations  close on November 16, please don’t ask after then.

Here’s a summary of what the RDP is about.

Our Goals

• Build closer relationship with customers to get deployment feedback
• Understand and document best practices
• Develop Case study evidence and customer references for the product launch

We will provide

• Early Access to Pre-Release Code and information
• Technical Support - providing an escalation contact and access to Premier support 
• Access to application compatibility and test teams
• Part payment of consulting costs associated with the project

Customer Requirements:

• Commit to deploying Windows Server Virtualization and / or System Center Virtual Machine Manager (we expect to see Executive sponsoring participation, a project manager and other staff allocated to the programme)
• Participate in regular status conference calls and training, and provide Provide ongoing status updates and surveys 
• Pay part of consulting costs (Yes. You have to spend money to be on this programme)
• Install pre-release code into a production environment (unlike most beta programmes, we will support RDP participants running pre-release code in production)

If that sounds like you then Mail me, if not but you’re still interested in WSV e-mail me with the word AIRFRAME in the subject line. (Airframe is the name of the portal we a just replacing for managing the programme).

Mike Laverick over at RTFM Education has posted about something very dear to my (sometimes bitter and twisted) heart:  Support for software under Virtualization.

My current project is a doosey: create a Virtual Sandpit for 500 Developers using SCVMM — but a big dependency of this is moving a lot of core systems from Lotus Notes to Exchange 2007 + MOSS.  Those systems are hosted by a different business unit, and are in VMware VI3.

Naturally, the migration is never smooth, so in recent months I’ve had to manage multiple calls to Microsoft Support.  I must admit, without Premier Support, there have been mixed results - but that is a blog post for another time.

Instead, I’ll cut straight tot the chase, and point you to Mike’s post “The Old Chestnut Microsoft Support for Virtualisation“, and a snippet is below:

Windows IT Pro has an interesting blog entry from Karen Forster which outlines her woes in getting support for ISA Server and RRAS in a VM. You can read the full article here:  Virtualization Support….

What I thought was interesting about Karen’s article was a couple of things. As you might imagine WindowITpro is quite “pro” (if you forgive the pun) Microsoft, but even these guys are getting frustrated with Microsoft level of support. Secondly, Karen’s article has generated an offical MS responses - and lastly that response does appear to suggest that MS is moving to a more “privileged” level/quality of support for people who run Windows in a MS VM, as opposed to a “3rd Party” virtualisation layer (read: VMware!).  The two KB articles are these:

….

For Microsoft customers who have a Premier-level support agreement, Microsoft will use commercially reasonable efforts to investigate potential issues with Microsoft software running in conjunction with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. As part of that investigation, Microsoft may require the issue to be reproduced independently from the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software. Where issues are confirmed to be unrelated to the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software, Microsoft will support its software in a manner that is consistent with support provided when that software is not running in conjunction with non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software.”

No doubt many corporates will continue to sign “end-to-end” agreements with their hardware vendors - so their hardware, VMware and VMs are fully supported by one vendor - rather than having to wade through the mine-field of MS support.

So what are my feelings on this?  Well one day soon (I reckon no more than 5 years from now) I believe some sort of hybrid Virtual Machines will be the defacto for 98% of all new software/server/applications.  I really hope by then we will be over this “finger-pointing” and have some decent support channels!!!  …A product is only half the solution, without support and proper implementation you got nothin’.

Ok, so I’m off for a coffee before I say something I shouldn’t =)