The best way to learn anything is by doing it. You want to learn more about VMware vSphere? Build a lab.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    In case you haven't heard, the messaging at VMware nowadays revolves around cloud computing.
                    
			            - By Rick  Vanover
- 03/01/2011
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Here are five random items that are worthy of comment.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Flings, SDKs, open source stuff ... there's more to free tools than ESXi and the vSphere client. 
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Opalis 6.3 can now manage clients through System Center Client Management Suite or Enterprise Client Access License.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    With VMware vSphere 4.1 update 1 now generally available, what do you need to know about it and how do you upgrade to it? Let's find out.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A Microsoft official briefly noted on Thursday that Microsoft is planning two new options for IT organizations using Windows 7 -- but the catch is that Software Assurance (SA) licensing needs to be in place.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft Wednesday released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to its equipment manufacturing partners.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft outlined desktop virtualization tips late last week that IT pros and developers can use to test the compatibility of their Web sites on a single PC.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A college in Vermont is significantly reducing the number of its physical servers by going virtual. The payoff? Energy efficiency, cost savings, and a second data center just for disaster recovery.
                    
			            - By Bridget  McCrea
- 02/07/2011
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    The Microsoft marketing meister describes a team effort in Redmond.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft today announced that the release candidate of Service Pack 1 for System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 is now available.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Citrix Systems is on the move yet again, virtually speaking, having formed a desktop virtualization partnership with Cisco Systems. 
                    
			            - By Dian  Schaffhauser
- 09/09/2010
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft last week described a different way to use desktop virtualization to maintain legacy applications and still move users to Windows 7.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    VirtualBox users are out there and alive and well in the virtualization community -- so much so that the inaugural Virtumania podcast topic was the free type 2 hypervisor.
                    
			            - By Rick  Vanover
- 09/01/2010