Eric Sloof - NTPRO.NL

The vimsh command documented by Xtravirt has now been updated to include the recently uncovered vmware-vim-cmd. This command replaces the need to enter the vimsh interactive shell, increasing performance and simplifying its use. vimsh is a highly useful API which can be used to report, configure and tweak many aspects of ESX server. This version has been fully re-written for ESX 3.5 and has been simplified in many areas. It also contains over 35 working examples.

VMware has removed the option to run ESX 3.5 on Workstation 6.5 but there is some light at the horizon. Jim Mattson  over at VMware didn’t make a promise but the final version of Workstation 6.5 might include support for ESX 3.5, in the beta I’m using at the moment it didn’t work tough.

The code to support this mode of execution no longer exists. However, as kma said earlier, "please stay tuned." No promises, but Workstation 6.5 is not fully cooked yet, and something may yet appear that suits your needs.

Brugh posted a nice "VA" on the Virtual Appliance Marketplace. EDA is an appliance dedicated to deploying ESX servers fast and easy. It has a scriptbuilder to quickly create %postscripts.

ESX Deployment Appliance (EDA) is a small and easy to use appliance that makes deploying ESX servers a breeze. It has a very intuitive web-interface that can configure and deploy dozens of ESX servers in minutes. It has a script-builder that will allow any admin to create %post-scripts that will do most anything one needs to get the ESX hosts up and running! Even if deploying with RDP/Altiris or the UDA, this script-builder can help setting those up very quickly.

To set it up, just attach a ESX3 iso to it. It will automatically mount it and with one click, import the PXE bootfiles and strip the HBA drivers to do a save install while SAN LUNs are attached!

This appliance is still in beta stage because there's a todo list. But it's fully functional and has been tested to work at least on HP DL380's, BL460, BL480 and Dell 2950 servers.

The VMware Virtualization Forum 2008 is for IT professionals and business decision makers interested in learning more about transforming a traditional, expensive IT environment into a fully optimized, cost-effective, virtualized environment.
Dates & venues (Spain, South Africa coming soon):
Stockholm, Sweden - 02 October 2008
Paris, France - 08 October 2008
Rotterdam, Netherlands - 15 October 2008
Dusseldorf, Germany - 22 October 2008
Vienna, Austria - 29 October 2008
Zurich, Switzerland - 05 November 2008
Milan, Italy - 12 November 2008
Warsaw, Poland - 13 November 2008
London, United Kingdom - 19 November 2008

Please note that VMware is planning to have partner days around the virtualization forum – more information to come soon. Partner Day is a one-day event which showcases the latest partner programs, training programs and marketing initiatives.