Quickly add multiple lines to a vmx file

On a customer site I had to add multiple lines (CPU mask)to more than 30 virtual machines configuration files (vmx).
Of course you can vi to every vmx file and add the lines, but this consumes a lot of time! So I search for a easier (less time consuming) option.
The method I found is maybe not the most complex or nice one, but it works.
I just use the echo command on the prompt. The syntac is:

echo -n ‘line1nline2nline3’ >> vm.vmx

I guess you all now what echo does:-) The -n option witch enables interpretation of backslash escapes(which is off by default). Replace line1, line2 and line3 with your own text line. The n option gives a new line. The >> vm.vmx option tells bash to add the lines produced by echo on the end of the vmx file.

So a command could be:

echo -e ‘cpuid.1.ecx = “——–0–00——————-“ncpuid.80000001.eax = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.eax.amd = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.ebx = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.ebx.amd = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.ecx = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.ecx.amd = “——————————–“ncpuid.80000001.edx = “—-0——H——————–“ncpuid.80000001.edx.amd = “———–H——————–“‘ >> vm.vmx

Maybe there is a nicer solution, if so let me known!

A specified parameter was not correct. Vim.Host.VirtualSwitch.LinkDiscoveryProtocolConfig

I’m getting this error when I wanted to remove a vmnic from a virtual switch

After some debuging and a search on google I discoverd the there was a option missing in the /etc/vmware/esx.conf file. How come? This server was upgraded from a ESX 3 to vSphere 4.

So how can I get ride of this error? Simple just give the following command:

esxcfg-vswitch -B both vSwitch0

Make sure you replace vSwitch0 with the name of your virtual switch! There is no need to reboot the server.

Also make sure you refresh the view in the vSphere client before make new changes to the network config.

SLP Snoop utility for Windows and Linux

On the Novell Coolsolutions site is a post of a reimplementation of the slpsnoop utility used by Novell Support.

The SLPSnoop utitlity is handy if you want to test on a workstation with services are discovered by the SLP Client. With the standaard tools provided by the Novell Client you only can check whether the SLP DA is active or not and witch Scopes are provided.

So check download the SLP Snoop utility and put them in your tools directory!

AMD introduces 12-core CPU

Today I read a blog on the website of AMD and saw that the introduced the first 12-core cpu. For the VMware community this is a great improvement. More cores in a server is better performance! To bad VMware adjusted there license model to number of cores rather than uses CPU sockets.

The price isn’t that big (for 12-cores that is… ;-)), 254,- EUR for 8-cores and EUR 1078,- for 12-cores.

The CPU is bigger than his little brother and has 1974 pins. The CPU uses the G23-chipset.

VCP 4

After a couple of reschedules, yesterday was finally the day of my VCP4 exam. Although I’m teaching a VMware vSphere 4 course for a couple of months now, I did not have the time to plan the exam.

But yesterdag at 10 a clock in the morning I did the exam in ‘s Hertogenbosch. I must say I did not find the exam hard. It took me 35 minutes to complete the exam with a 100% score.

So now I proudly can say I’m a VCP4!