Threat Investigation in the Virtual Graveyard: Overcoming Alert Fatigue with VMware ATP

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent. As a result, security teams are often bombarded with countless alerts, making it difficult to identify and respond to real threats in a timely manner. This phenomenon is known as alert fatigue, and it can be a major obstacle for organizations looking to achieve their security goals.

One of the key challenges facing security teams is managing the sheer volume of alerts generated by their security tools. Traditional security solutions often produce numerous false positives, which can lead to security analysts becoming overwhelmed and desensitized to real threats. This can result in critical threats being missed or ignored, leaving organizations vulnerable to attack.

To address this challenge, many organizations are turning to next-generation security solutions like VMware Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP). VMware ATP is a distributed security solution that does not require any network re-architecture or port-mirroring/TAPs/sensors, making it easy to deploy and manage.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how VMware ATP can help organizations overcome alert fatigue and improve their threat investigation capabilities. We’ll discuss the unique features of VMware ATP that set it apart from other security solutions and provide tips for deploying and managing the solution effectively.

Understanding Alert Fatigue

Alert fatigue is a common phenomenon in the cybersecurity industry where security teams are constantly bombarded with alerts, many of which are false positives. This can lead to desensitization and fatigue among security analysts, making it more difficult for them to identify and respond to real threats.

The root cause of alert fatigue is often the result of poorly configured security tools or inadequate training of security analysts. As a result, security teams may become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of alerts, leading to a lack of focus on critical threats.

The Impact of Alert Fatigue

Alert fatigue can have serious consequences for organizations. Some of the potential impacts include:

1. Increased risk of security breaches: If security analysts are overwhelmed with false positives, they may miss critical threats, leaving organizations vulnerable to attack.

2. Decreased productivity: Security teams may spend too much time investigating false positives, taking away from other important tasks and reducing productivity.

3. Increased costs: The cost of deploying and maintaining security tools can be high, and the constant stream of false positives can lead to increased operational costs.

4. Decreased morale: Security analysts may become frustrated with the constant barrage of alerts, leading to decreased morale and job dissatisfaction.

Overcoming Alert Fatigue with VMware ATP

VMware ATP is a distributed security solution that can help organizations overcome alert fatigue. Here are some of the unique features of VMware ATP that set it apart from other security solutions:

1. Distributed architecture: Unlike traditional security solutions, VMware ATP does not require any network re-architecture or port-mirroring/TAPs/sensors. This makes it easy to deploy and manage.

2. Advanced threat detection: VMware ATP uses advanced machine learning algorithms to detect threats in real-time, reducing the number of false positives.

3. Integrated threat intelligence: VMware ATP provides integrated threat intelligence, allowing security teams to quickly identify and respond to emerging threats.

4. Customizable alerts: VMware ATP allows security teams to customize alerts based on their specific needs, reducing the number of irrelevant alerts.

Tips for Deploying and Managing VMware ATP Effectively

Here are some tips for deploying and managing VMware ATP effectively:

1. Start small: Begin by deploying VMware ATP in a small pilot environment to test the solution and fine-tune your configuration.

2. Train your team: Provide your security team with comprehensive training on how to use VMware ATP effectively, including configuring alerts and analyzing threats.

3. Monitor and analyze threats: Use VMware ATP’s advanced threat detection capabilities to monitor and analyze threats in real-time, providing actionable insights into emerging threats.

4. Customize alerts: Use VMware ATP’s customizable alert features to tailor alerts based on your specific needs, reducing the number of irrelevant alerts.

5. Integrate with existing tools: Integrate VMware ATP with your existing security tools and processes, providing a holistic view of your organization’s security posture.

Conclusion

Alert fatigue is a major challenge facing security teams today. However, by leveraging next-generation security solutions like VMware ATP, organizations can overcome alert fatigue and improve their threat investigation capabilities. With its distributed architecture, advanced threat detection, integrated threat intelligence, and customizable alerts, VMware ATP is an ideal solution for organizations looking to reduce the number of false positives and improve their overall security posture.

By following the tips outlined in this blog post, organizations can effectively deploy and manage VMware ATP, reducing the risk of security breaches and improving productivity among security teams.

Exploring vCloud Director External Catalogs: Unlocking the Power of Synchronization

VMware’s vCloud Director introduced a game-changing feature in version 5.5, allowing external exposure of catalogs and subscription to external catalogs. This innovation enables seamless synchronization of catalogs between two or more vCloud Director instances, providing unparalleled flexibility and efficiency in managing virtualized infrastructure. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of external catalogs, exploring their content and retrieval of metadata and data from outside a vCloud Director environment.

Publishing Catalogs Externally

To make vApp templates and media files available for subscription by external organizations, you can publish a catalog externally using vCloud Director. The subscription URL is provided, which can be shared with external entities for subscription purposes. When publishing a catalog, it’s essential to note that the vCloud Director instance must be configured with an HTTP server to host the published catalog.

Retrieving Metadata and Data from External Catalogs

To explore the contents of an external catalog, you can use the `curl` command-line tool with various options. For instance, to retrieve metadata about the catalog, such as its name, description, version, and itemsHref (which provides a list of catalog items), you can use the following command:

“`bash

curl -u : http:///api/catalogs/

-sS -X GET -H ‘Accept: application/json’

“`

Here, `` and `` are your vCloud Director credentials, and `` is the IP address or hostname of your vCloud Director server. Replace `` with the name of the catalog you want to explore.

The output of this command will provide metadata about the catalog, including its name, description, version, and itemsHref. The `itemsHref` field is particularly useful, as it provides a list of links to each item in the catalog. You can use these links to download individual vApp templates or media files.

Downloading Files from External Catalogs

To download a specific file (e.g., an OVF file) from an external catalog, you can use the `curl` command with the `-i` option to include HTTP response headers in the output and the `-L` option to follow redirects:

“`bash

curl -u : http:///api/catalogs//items//files/

-sS -X GET -H ‘Accept: application/json’ -L

“`

In this command, `` and `` are your vCloud Director credentials, `` is the IP address or hostname of your vCloud Director server, `` is the name of the catalog you want to explore, `` is the name of the item you want to download (e.g., an OVF template), and `` is the name of the file you want to download.

When you run this command, the output will include the contents of the specified file. You can proceed similarly for each VM in the vApp to download all the necessary files.

Synchronizing Catalogs Across Environments

With external catalog exposure and subscription, it’s possible to synchronize the catalog on other products as a raw vCenter+vSphere environment. This feature opens up new possibilities for cloud builders, allowing them to manage their virtualized infrastructure more efficiently and effectively. By synchronizing catalogs across environments, they can easily move workloads between different platforms and maintain consistency in their configurations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, external catalog exposure and subscription in vCloud Director provide a powerful tool for managing virtualized infrastructure across multiple environments. With the ability to retrieve metadata and data from outside a vCloud Director environment, cloud builders can explore new possibilities for synchronization and consistency in their infrastructure management. Whether you’re looking to manage vApp templates, media files, or other catalog content, this feature offers unparalleled flexibility and efficiency in the world of virtualization and cloud computing.

vChat Episode 27: Live from the Charlotte VMUG!

In this episode of vChat, David Davis and Eric Siebert are recording live from the Charlotte, NC regional VMware user group meeting (VMUG). This was no ordinary VMUG with over 700 attendees, live labs, and expert speakers like Scott Lowe, Chris Colotti, Eric Siebert, Alan Renouf, Jason Nash, and Cody Bunch. We’re here to bring you the latest and greatest from the event, so sit back, relax, and let’s dive in!

First off, we have to mention that Eric did indeed buy that hot new video game that just came out – it’s called Diablo III, for those who are curious. But enough about gaming, let’s talk VMware!

One of the highlights of the event was the live lab session led by Scott Lowe, where attendees were able to get hands-on experience with the latest and greatest VMware technology. We got to see firsthand the power of vSphere 5.1 and the new features it brings to the table.

Another standout session was given by Chris Colotti, who talked about the future of virtualization and how it’s changing the game for IT professionals. He shared some valuable insights on the trends we can expect to see in the industry and how we can prepare for them.

Of course, no VMUG would be complete without a healthy dose of expert speakers sharing their knowledge and experience. Eric Siebert talked about his favorite topic – vSphere performance optimization – while Alan Renouf shared his insights on virtualization security. Jason Nash and Cody Bunch also joined the lineup with their respective talks on vCenter Orchestrator and vRealize Automation.

One of the things that really stood out to us during this VMUG was the sheer diversity of attendees – from small business owners to large enterprise IT professionals, everyone was there to learn and share their experiences with virtualization technology. It’s events like these that really showcase the strength of the virtualization community and how much we can all learn from each other.

As always, we want to thank our sponsor for making this vChat possible – Train Signal.com. They offer a wide range of VMware vSphere video training courses, so be sure to check them out if you’re looking to up your virtualization game. And don’t forget to subscribe to vChat on iTunes – we release new episodes every week!

That’s all for now, folks. Thanks for tuning in to this special episode of vChat, and we’ll see you next time!

Alibaba Cloud Offers Free Trial and Various Services for Businesses and Individuals

In today’s digital age, it is crucial for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and innovations to remain competitive. Alibaba Cloud, a leading cloud computing platform, understands this need and offers various services for businesses and individuals to help them grow and succeed.

One of the most significant advantages of Alibaba Cloud is its free trial service. With this service, users can experience the platform’s features and capabilities without any financial obligation. This allows businesses and individuals to test the waters and see if Alibaba Cloud is the right fit for their needs before committing to a paid plan.

Alibaba Cloud offers a wide range of services, including elastic computing, database, storage, security, and more. These services are designed to provide users with the tools they need to build and grow their businesses. For example, the elastic computing service allows users to spin up virtual machines quickly and easily, while the database service provides a reliable and scalable data storage solution.

In addition to its comprehensive list of services, Alibaba Cloud also offers various promotions and discounts for businesses and individuals. For example, the company currently has a promotion that offers 450 USD worth of free trial services for new users. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to test the platform’s capabilities without incurring any costs.

Another significant advantage of Alibaba Cloud is its global presence. The platform has data centers located in various regions around the world, including Europe, the United States, and Asia. This allows users to access their data and applications from anywhere, at any time. Additionally, Alibaba Cloud’s scalable architecture ensures that users can easily scale up or down as needed, without worrying about the limitations of traditional hosting solutions.

Alibaba Cloud also offers various tools and resources for businesses and individuals to help them grow and succeed. For example, the company provides a comprehensive management console that allows users to manage their resources and services in one place. Additionally, Alibaba Cloud offers a wide range of tutorials and guides to help users get started with its platform and services.

In conclusion, Alibaba Cloud’s free trial service is an excellent opportunity for businesses and individuals looking to test the platform’s capabilities without incurring any costs. Additionally, the company’s comprehensive list of services, global presence, and various promotions and discounts make it an attractive option for those looking to grow and succeed in today’s digital age.

VMware vRealize Operations 8.4: Enhancements and New Capabilities

VMware vRealize Operations 8.4 has recently reached general availability as of April 15, 2021, bringing with it several enhancements and new capabilities that further improve the performance and efficiency of virtual infrastructure management. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the key features and updates in vRealize Operations 8.4, and how they can benefit your organization.

Enhanced Performance and Scalability

One of the main focuses of vRealize Operations 8.4 is to improve performance and scalability. To achieve this, VMware has made several optimizations under the hood, including improved indexing and querying mechanisms, as well as better support for large-scale environments. As a result, users can expect faster response times and more efficient resource utilization, especially in highly virtualized and dynamic environments.

New Capabilities for Cloud Management

vRealize Operations 8.4 also introduces several new capabilities that are specifically designed to help organizations better manage their cloud infrastructure. For example, the new release includes support for multi-cloud environments, allowing users to manage and monitor workloads across different cloud providers from a single pane of glass. Additionally, vRealize Operations 8.4 provides improved support for containerized applications, such as Kubernetes, to help organizations optimize their cloud-native applications.

Enhanced Security and Compliance

Another key area of focus in vRealize Operations 8.4 is security and compliance. To help organizations better protect their virtual infrastructure, VMware has included several new features and enhancements, such as:

* Support for encryption of sensitive data at rest and in transit

* Enhanced access controls and authentication mechanisms

* Improved auditing and reporting capabilities for compliance purposes

These new security and compliance features are designed to help organizations meet the increasingly stringent demands of regulatory requirements, such as GDPR and PCI DSS.

New User Interface and Workflow Enhancements

Finally, vRealize Operations 8.4 includes several new user interface and workflow enhancements that are designed to improve usability and productivity. For example, the new release includes a redesigned dashboard that provides users with quick access to key performance indicators and alerts, as well as improved search functionality to help users quickly find the information they need. Additionally, vRealize Operations 8.4 includes several new workflow enhancements, such as support for automated remediation of issues and better integration with VMware’s vRealize Automation platform.

Conclusion

Overall, vRealize Operations 8.4 represents a significant step forward in virtual infrastructure management, providing numerous enhancements and new capabilities that can help organizations improve performance, scalability, security, and compliance. With its improved support for cloud management, enhanced security and compliance features, and user interface and workflow enhancements, vRealize Operations 8.4 is an essential tool for any organization looking to optimize their virtual infrastructure and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of IT.

Xangati Releases Version 9 of its vSphere Performance Management Tool

As a network guy turned blogger, I’ve always been impressed with Xangati’s management dashboard (XMD) for its ability to collect Netflow data from virtual networks and integrate it with traditional performance stats. The latest version 9 release of XMD offers a long list of new features that enhance the tool’s capabilities even further.

One of the most exciting features in XMD 9 is the ability to analyze performance on large cloud infrastructures at massive scale, which Xangati is calling “cloud scale.” This feature allows administrators to monitor and troubleshoot issues across thousands of virtual machines and networks with ease.

In addition to the new cloud scale feature, XMD 9 also includes several other enhancements such as:

* Support for the latest vSphere releases (6.5 and 7.0)

* Enhanced support for VMware NSX

* Integration with vRealize Operations (vROps) for more comprehensive monitoring and management

* New dashboards for VDI and Horizon View deployments

* Improved performance and scalability for large-scale environments

As with previous versions, the new features in XMD 9 have been added to the free version of the tool, providing even more value to users.

To upgrade from XMD 8 to XMD 9, simply download the latest version from the Xangati website and follow the instructions provided. The upgrade process is straightforward and should only take a few minutes to complete.

If you’re new to XMD, you can try out the tool for yourself by downloading the Xangati VI Dashboard and VDI Dashboard trial software or the Xangati for vSphere—Free single host tool. These trials allow you to experience the full range of features and capabilities that XMD has to offer.

In conclusion, Xangati’s latest release of XMD 9 is a must-have tool for any vSphere administrator looking to enhance their virtual infrastructure management and monitoring capabilities. With its new cloud scale feature, enhanced support for NSX, and other improvements, XMD 9 offers even more value than previous versions.

Alibaba Cloud offers a wide range of services for businesses, including computing, storage, networking, and more. One of the key benefits of using Alibaba Cloud is the ability to try out their services for free before committing to a paid plan. In this blog post, we’ll explore the different free trial options available on Alibaba Cloud and how they can benefit your business.

Free Trial Options

Alibaba Cloud offers several free trial options for businesses, including:

1. 20+ Products Free Trial: This option allows you to try out over 20 of Alibaba Cloud’s products for free for a period of one year. This includes services such as computing, storage, networking, and more.

2. $12 USD Credit: Alibaba Cloud offers a $12 USD credit for new customers to use on their platform. This credit can be used to try out various services, including computing, storage, and databases.

3. 55 USD Credit: For businesses that need more resources, Alibaba Cloud offers a $55 USD credit for new customers. This credit can be used to try out more advanced services, such as load balancers and serverless computing.

4. 12-Month Free Trial: Some of Alibaba Cloud’s services, such as their database and storage offerings, come with a 12-month free trial. This allows businesses to test out these services risk-free for an extended period of time.

Benefits of Free Trials

There are several benefits to using Alibaba Cloud’s free trial options:

1. Risk-Free Testing: With Alibaba Cloud’s free trials, you can test out their services risk-free. This allows you to see if their platform is a good fit for your business without committing to a paid plan.

2. Cost Savings: By using Alibaba Cloud’s free trial options, you can save money on your cloud computing costs. This can be especially beneficial for businesses that are just starting out or those that have limited budgets.

3. Flexibility: Alibaba Cloud’s free trials offer a range of services, allowing you to try out different combinations of services to find the best fit for your business.

4. Opportunity to Evaluate Different Services: With Alibaba Cloud’s free trials, you have the opportunity to evaluate different services and see which ones work best for your business.

How to Get Started with Alibaba Cloud Free Trials

Getting started with Alibaba Cloud’s free trial options is easy. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Go to the Alibaba Cloud website: Head over to the Alibaba Cloud website and sign up for an account.

2. Choose your free trial option: Once you have an account, you can choose the free trial option that best fits your business needs.

3. Set up your services: After you’ve chosen your free trial option, you’ll need to set up your services. This includes selecting the resources you need and configuring your network settings.

4. Start testing: Once your services are set up, you can start testing them out. This is a great opportunity to see how Alibaba Cloud’s platform works and whether it’s a good fit for your business.

Conclusion

Alibaba Cloud’s free trial options offer businesses a risk-free opportunity to test out their services and see if they’re a good fit. With a range of free trial options available, businesses can choose the one that best fits their needs and start testing out Alibaba Cloud’s platform today. So why wait? Sign up for an Alibaba Cloud account now and start taking advantage of their free trial offers!

VMware vRealize Automation 8.2 Patch 1: Resolving Issues and Enhancing Features

On November 13, 2020, VMware released the first patch for vRealize Automation 8.2, which includes 25 fixes for various aspects of the platform. This patch addresses issues related to provisioning, service broker, migration and assessment services, vRealize Orchestrator, and virtual appliance/clustering. In this article, we will explore the key items that have been resolved with this hotfix, and provide guidance on how to download and install the patch.

Provisioning Enhancements

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One of the primary focus areas of this patch is the provisioning engine, which has received several enhancements to improve its performance and functionality. These include:

* Handling empty strings for recoverRunnableId and recoverRunnableType, which resolves an issue where duplicate action runs were observed in certain scenarios.

* Improved handling of networkSelectionIds for multi-NIC machines to ensure proper network selection.

Service Broker Enhancements

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The service broker has also received several enhancements to improve its functionality and performance. These include:

* Resolution of an issue where vSphere enumeration didn’t set subnetLink for machine NICs created outside of vRA.

* Enhancement of the remote console feature for deployments behind tenants in vRA 8.2, which was not working previously.

Migration and Assessment Services

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The migration and assessment services have also received several enhancements to improve their functionality and performance. These include:

* Resolution of an issue where adding 20+ projects for AD integration and editing DNS resulted in duplicate workflow runs when a deployment was requested.

* Enhancement of the extensibility feature for “simulated” requests, which was causing duplicate workflow runs.

vRealize Orchestrator Enhancements

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vRealize Orchestrator has also received several enhancements to improve its functionality and performance. These include:

* Reduction of AutoConfigurer job only for AWS Autoscaled groups and spot instances, which helps reduce CPU usage caused by provisioning requests.

Virtual Appliance Search

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The virtual appliance search feature has also been enhanced to improve its functionality and performance. These include:

* Improved handling of large-scale deployments with high CPU usage caused by provisioning requests.

Download and Installation

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To download and install the patch, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that you have vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.2 installed and running on your system.

2. Download the patch for import into environments not connected to the internet from the VMware Product Patches page.

3. Select vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager for the product and vRA-8.2.0-PATCH for the version.

4. Import the patch into your environment using vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.2.

Conclusion

———-

The first patch for vRealize Automation 8.2 includes several enhancements and fixes to improve the platform’s performance, functionality, and user experience. With this patch, you can resolve issues related to provisioning, service broker, migration and assessment services, vRealize Orchestrator, and virtual appliance/clustering. We recommend that all vRealize Automation 8.2 users download and install this patch as soon as possible to ensure optimal performance and functionality.

Managing vSphere Environments with PowerCLI Cheatsheet

The SII Ouest VMware team has recently published a PowerCLI cheatsheet with the most common commands of the VMware PowerShell SDK to manage vSphere environments. This open-sourced resource is available on the SII Group GitHub page, and it provides a comprehensive list of commands for managing virtual machines, networks, storage, and other aspects of vSphere environments.

The PowerCLI cheatsheet is an invaluable resource for anyone working with vSphere environments, whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting out. It covers a wide range of topics, including:

* Creating and managing virtual machines

* Configuring networks and storage

* Managing virtual center and ESXi hosts

* Monitoring and troubleshooting vSphere environments

One of the standout features of the PowerCLI cheatsheet is its focus on infra-as-code, which is a philosophy that treats infrastructure as code rather than as a collection of physical components. This approach allows administrators to manage their vSphere environments in a more declarative and repeatable manner, making it easier to maintain and troubleshoot their infrastructure.

The PowerCLI cheatsheet is available in both online HTML and printable PDF formats, so you can access it however you prefer. The team at SII Ouest VMware is actively maintaining the repository and welcomes contributions and modifications to enhance the cheat sheet.

In addition to the PowerCLI cheatsheet, the SII Group GitHub page also hosts a wealth of other resources for managing vSphere environments, including scripts, tools, and tutorials. These resources can help you automate your vSphere management tasks, streamline your workflows, and improve your overall productivity.

The PowerCLI cheatsheet is a must-have resource for anyone working with vSphere environments. Its comprehensive list of commands and focus on infra-as-code make it an invaluable tool for managing and troubleshooting your infrastructure. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned veteran, this cheatsheet is sure to become one of your go-to resources for managing vSphere environments.

In conclusion, the PowerCLI cheatsheet published by the SII Ouest VMware team is an excellent resource for anyone working with vSphere environments. Its comprehensive list of commands and focus on infra-as-code make it an invaluable tool for managing and troubleshooting your infrastructure. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned veteran, this cheatsheet is sure to become one of your go-to resources for managing vSphere environments.

VMware CTO Steve Herrod: The Future of Virtualization and More

In this exclusive interview, VMware CTO Steve Herrod sits down with HP’s Eric Siebert and Calvin Zito to discuss the latest happenings at VMware, including what he has been up to and what we can expect from the company in the future. As the Chief Technology Officer of VMware, Steve brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, providing valuable insights into the world of virtualization and beyond.

Steve begins by discussing the recent announcement of vSphere 5.1, which he describes as a “massive release” that includes a number of exciting new features and enhancements. He highlights the improvements to storage, networking, and scalability, noting that these updates will allow users to run more workloads on fewer servers, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.

When asked about the future of virtualization, Steve is unequivocal in his response. “Virtualization is the future,” he asserts, pointing out that it has become the de facto standard for data center infrastructure. He notes that the trend towards cloud computing and hybrid environments will only continue to drive the adoption of virtualization technologies.

Steve also touches on the topic of software-defined networking (SDN), which he believes will have a significant impact on the future of networking. He highlights the benefits of SDN, including increased agility and flexibility, as well as the ability to automate network tasks and policies.

As for what’s next for VMware, Steve hints that there are some exciting announcements on the horizon. He notes that the company is always working on new technologies and innovations, and that we can expect some big news in the coming months. When pressed for more information, he teases that there will be “big news” at VMworld, but remains tight-lipped about specifics.

Throughout the interview, Steve is clearly passionate about his work and the industry as a whole. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and innovation, noting that the IT landscape is constantly evolving and that we must stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive.

Overall, this interview with Steve Herrod provides valuable insights into the world of virtualization and the future of IT. With VMware continuing to drive innovation and push the boundaries of what is possible, it’s an exciting time to be involved in the industry. Be sure to check back for more updates from VMware and the team at HP, as well as Steve’s upcoming keynote at VMworld.