VMware vCenter Orchestrator

http://www.vcoteam.info/newsflash/vmware-released-the-vcenter-orchestrator-plug-in-update-for-vcloud-director-15.html

vCD Custom Portals and Backend Integrations in a Service Provider Environment

http://blogs.vmware.com/vcloud/2011/11/vcd-custom-portals-and-backend-integrations-in-a-service-provider-environment.html

Scaling VMware deployments with Cisco UCS and VMware Auto Deploy

http://infrastructureadventures.com/2011/12/11/scaling-vmware-deployments-with-cisco-ucs-and-vmware-auto-deploy/

MDS Fibre Channel Switching Basics for Network Engineers

http://routerjockey.com/2011/12/23/mds-fiber-channel-switching-basics-for-network-engineers/

Apache PaaS - Hadoop

http://hadoop.apache.org/

PassMark - CPU, disk, net benchmark software

http://www.passmark.com/download/pt_download.htm

VMware vSphere Advanced Troubleshooting

http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/uploads/AdvancedTroubleshooting.pdf

What's new in performance in VMware vSphere 5

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/Whats-New-VMware-vSphere-50-Performance-Technical-Whitepaper.pdf

Cisco impresses with UCS

http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2011/121911-cisco-ucs-test-253603.html?page=1

Data Center Networking – Victor Lama's White Paper Series

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/w/wiki/2841.aspx

HP Virtual Connect for the Cisco Network Administrator

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01386629/c01386629.pdf

VMware View Client for Mac OS X Technology Preview

http://www.vmware.com/downloads/download.do;jsessionid=B7E5ABE5FA738051C60941B10362525D

TINTRI - VM-aware storage appliance for VMs

http://www.tintri.com

Linux: 20 Iptables Examples For New SysAdmins

http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/linux-iptables-examples.html

CentOS / Redhat Iptables Firewall Configuration Tutorial

http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/rhel-fedorta-linux-iptables-firewall-configuration-tutorial/

Data Center Interconnect: Layer 2 Extension Between Remote Data Centers

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/white_paper_c11_493718.html

This document is intended to help network managers and systems managers understand the various solutions and recommendations that Cisco offers to geographically extend Layer 2 networks over multiple distant data centers. These offerings address the requirements of high performance and fast convergence.

This document also introduces the capabilities of the Cisco^® Data Center Interconnect (DCI) solution. Please note that it does not address the requirements for SANs.

Initially, this document describes the types of connectivity (Layer 2, Layer 3, and storage) that can be established between remote data center locations, together with the services that a given enterprise can obtain from a service provider.

The discussion then focuses on LAN extension designs, analyzing some of the most relevant business factors requiring the deployment of a LAN extension, and providing a list of solution requirements.

The document concludes by describing some technical alternatives to provide LAN extension functions, including:

• Point-to-point or point-to-multipoint interconnection, using virtual switching system (VSS), virtual PortChannel (vPC), and optical technologies

• Point-to-point interconnection using Ethernet over Multiprotocol Label Switching (EoMPLS) natively (over an MPLS core) and over a Layer 3 IP core

• Point-to-multipoint interconnections, using virtual private LAN services (VPLS) or advanced VPLS (A-VPLS) natively (over an MPLS core) or over a Layer 3 IP core

For each technical alternative, specific platform support and positioning information is provided.

UCS 2.0: Cisco Stacks the Deck in Las Vegas

http://www.mseanmcgee.com/2011/07/ucs-2-0-cisco-stacks-the-deck-in-las-vegas/

10G SR Fiber Optics Specs

DELL Visio Templates

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/global/products/pvaul/topics/en/visio?c=us&l=en

VMware vSphere Health Check Report v5.0.0

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-9842

This script generates a health check report for the new vSphere release of VMware ESX(i) 4.x/5.x and VMware vCenter 4.x/5.x and it's managed entities. User's can now fully customize the report based on the categories that are of importance to their operating environment, including selecting specific set of ESX(i) hosts and/or Virtual Machines.