Introduction This article takes a quick look at Intel's latest SSD specs, and their potential for use in a VMware virtualization home lab environment. I do not currently have a sample of the 760p for first-hand testing. The information here is based on a briefing I recently received from an Intel…
*Jan 14 2018 Update - This patch has been pulled, details here. Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article…
Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article below. You'll find the newer article here: How to easily update…
Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article below. You'll find the newer article that features an even easier…
Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article below. You'll find the newer article here: How to easily update…
click to view "What's New in v7.3" Full NAKIVO v7 install/configure demo video below is available, using my home lab's vSphere 6.5 environment! I haven't had a chance to test v7.3 yet, as it just came out today, and I haven't gotten my hands on the NFR version yet. The trial version is…
There are three recent Intel announcements that are quite interesting. The first is about 4 recent detailed technical publications, the second is about a maximum Optane capacity doubling, and the third is about a new 3D XPoint fab, in collaboration with Micron. Of most interest to me personally is…
I'm in the middle of testing this driver. Keep an eye on the process at this spot in the original article: How to download and install the Intel Xeon D 10GbE X552/X557 driver/VIB for VMware ESXi 6.x, works for X540 too Nov 02 2015 that has been updated many times since it was initially published.…
When working on my recent article, How to check that your TCP Segmentation Offload is turned on in both your VMware ESXi server and your VMs I quickly discovered that there seemed to be some shortcomings when checking the device driver versions for some network adapters, such as those that are…
Photo of my actual "Bug Hunt Winner" certificate, mailed to me back in 2014. I don't usually cover news on TinkerTry, but this time the news is big enough for home virtualization lab enthusiasts that I just had to be sure you saw this. Did you know that VMware has opened up the beta…
Disclosure: The U.2 version of the 900P 280GB was the only model available anywhere, so I purchased one to test. Intel later provided me a loaner AIC version of the 900P as well, in the 280GB capacity. There were no stipulations, I continue to candidly share my experiences. Unfortnately, things did…
Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback. It's likely you've heard many folks rave about Frank Denneman and Niels Hagoort's VMware vSphere 6.5 Host Resources Deep Dive book (on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback). I can only imagine the amount of time and dedication it took for them to get this…
Sometimes a home lab can be kept operational for months with minimal maintenance. This month, many things happened that required more immediate attention. Maybe this month should have been called Bugtober instead of Blogtober, and it ain't even over yet! None of these took terribly long to fix, but…
Main Dashboard looks pretty cool, click the image to zoom in and have a look around. My 10GbE network has fallen to 1GbE and can't get up I was working with Netgear ProSUPPORT Services for Business Users on an issue I was having with one of my 2 Xeon D SuperServers this past summer. Specifically,…
List of VMware software included in EVALExperience, as of October 2017. There have been many enhancements to this invaluable $200-a-year EVALExperience program lately, including the additions of vSAN 6.6 / NSX 6.3.1 and vRealize Automation Enterprise. Don't forget that your $20 discount is still…
Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article below. You'll find the newer article that features an even easier…
This article underwent significant changes since first published, as it was quickly found to contain conclusions that were incorrect. It was based on just one very early engineering sample I obtained directly from Intel that turned out not to be a reflection of the now generally available P4800X…
If you're at all curious about how my VMworld 2017 US experience went, it just so happens I captured many of the highlights with pictures on Twitter. I made the most of every minute, my first time going as a VMware Employee. I went to as many customer events as I could, prioritizing those events…
New podcast episode announced at the averageguy.tv, where you can also listen and/or subscribe: Paul Braren (@paulbraren) joins us to talk about his current work load at VMware and an update on some super fast VM parts that will make his home lab a bunch faster, his home Wifi set up with Eero, a…
I realize a vast majority of my readers can't make it to VMworld: Meet me at the VMworld 2017 US PEX and HCI Zone booths, or at the TinkerTry Virtualization Hardware Discussion Zone in the VMTN Community Blogger area Tue. Aug. 29 11am-2pm Aug 17 2017 This video helps you feel a little like you…
Video Index Click or Tap the company name to jump down to the video. AIC - NVMe and wide-gumstick NGSFF HPE - Synergy Composable Infrastructure Platform HyTrust - KeyControl requests Intel - NVMe SSDs including M.2, U.2, Ruler, and Optane NAKIVO - Backup & Replication v7.2 & integration…
There was a little-discussed and finally mature capability that arrived with VMware ESXi 6.5, back in November of 2016. With last month's release of ESXi 6.5 Update 1, it's only gotten easier to configure your ESXi server to allow you to pass a single NVMe storage device, such as an Intel Optane…
Turns out the question of what backup solution to use to protect a home lab's VMs in a home lab comes up a lot here at TinkerTry, especially when a major new release of vSphere arrives on the scene. It's become such an important thing to consider for IT Pros working off the NFR code…
I'm super happy to have just been approved to have an informal TinkerTry meetup of sorts, over in the new VMTN Community area of VMvillage, as part of VMworld 2017 Las Vegas being held at Mandalay Bay again this year. One of my favorite things about meeting hardware enthusiasts is hearing more…
TinkerTry - PCs, EVs, home tech, efficiency and more, including virtualization. My opinions here, not my employer's.
Paul Braren, MCSE in 1998, VCP #2681 in 2005, vExpert 2014 to 2024, Veeam Vanguard Emeritus, 2015 to 2019.
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After 6 successful years testing then shipping well over 1,000 Xeon D Bundles, Wiredzone had to stop selling them in mid-2021 due to cost, supply, and logistics challenges. So far, Xeon D-1700/2700 (Ice Lake D) was a minor refresh for 2023, with Xeon D-1800/2800 (Granite Rapids D) refresh looking a little better for 2024. More cores, but still just PCIe Gen4 and DDR4. Looking ahead, I'm glad it's Pat Gelsinger at Intel's helm. I'm also grateful to have had the honor of working at VMware when Pat was the CIO there. I'll leave it at that, given the whole Broadcom thing.
Easily update VMware ESXi at TinkerTry.com/easy-update-to-latest-esxi
