First of all I want to introduce you to John Troyer, the gem of Virtualization.   (No, I’m not equating John to Jem and the holograms!)

But it is time to get serious now.   John is often portrayed in the community as Chewbacca, but unbeknownst to popular belief he is actually a tad more related to John Solo.    Although even through this brief history of time, I’d like to share with you my impressions of John over the years, how I’ve seen him and the community grow to foster what is today one of the most well formed and well knit communities on the globe.

John Troyer – The Man, the Legend

In the beginning.   There was investment into social media by VMware.    Yea that is how I remember it.  The first time I saw John Troyer was there were these little live interviews going on at VMworld broadcast to the world via uStream.   It was a very adhoc activity… not officially or formally planned, very thrown together, filled with problems, antics and everything you might expect, but all at the same time, amazing!   Everything really seemed to come a fold in 2008 (Maybe VMware decided to really start investing in the community in 2008… or make John went full stream ahead, either way, VMworld Videos, VMware Communities Podcasts, everything started to unfold from there)

All of a sudden.    VMware had a face.   An adorable face, a human voice, someone who can roll with the punches of trying out new things have problems with people flushing toilets on live recorded podcasts and STILL come out of it stronger! [BTW John, it doesn’t classify as just doing your job especially when you do it so well :)]

John Troyer – Just doing my job

As we got to know John just like we got to know VMware we became to notice various similarities.    WOW [VMware/John] helps me do my work easier!  I no longer feel I’m alone because I suddenly know of others out there just like me! A true sense of community started to form with John as the catalyst.     A little backstory. *I* [CXI] have been working with Virtualization [VMware and others] since VMware was founded as a company.   And honestly, it wasn’t until you got involved John that it went from just being ‘Technology’ to actually having a ‘Community’ If that is just doing your job, point 1: Well done! but it didn’t stop there.    It’s one thing to be responsive and reactive to someone within the Virtualization communities needs, but time and time again you would go above and beyond.    In fact it almost felt like ‘above and beyond’ was the defacto norm; and that is definitely true because of what a total Rockstar you are, character, personality and beyond.    I’ve seen more lives change as a result of interaction with you than you may ever realize [Though hopefully you’ll get to glean and learn some of stories out of these blog posts :)]

Where your Job ends and where John Troyer begins

3 Tips you’re doing your job well

• The virtualization community continues to grow and prosper
• Through education and awareness the mission of VMware focused virtualization is spread
• VMware initiated go to market strategies are executed on

3 things John Troyer has done instead

• Built and fostered not just a community, but a family of virtualization focused overlays; bridging the storage, networking and security communities to Virtualization, even in spite of your own efforts it continues to grow!
• Encouraged individuals and created through no fault of your own [though highly influenced] not only a huge stack of bloggers and often self-made rock stars, but Authors.   Helping foster some of the largest publisher stake investment and drive in a technology ever.
• Brought together the industries best virtualization experts under the guise of vExperts – which the program itself would never have gotten where it is today without your Guidance, Direction, and Brand ownership.   [Some might say that’s a VMware success, but without you in the seat, it could just have easily fallen off like similar programs under other company offerings]
• Side bar: The vExpert Program continues to receive industry recognition and is seen as a OMG MUST HAVE Accolade.    And that accolade is DIRECTLY changing the lives of those in the virtualization community.  Feel free to do an analysis of just the careers of those who hold the designation and what directions and impact it has made on them as people and their future [I’ve done the analysis. Result: John you rock! ;)]

So, when I would have discussions with you and you’d be saying “Oh, I’m just doing my job”.  Yea I too am just doing my job, and we all work when we’re desperately under the weather and our voices get so low and deep we can rock it out with some Barry Manilow Karaoke.   But merely ‘doing your job’ ‘doing a great job’ and where the “John Troyer” effect come into play make the difference between Lightning and Lightning Bugs!

The John Troyer Effect

I want you to know John that I’ve put a lot of time and research in to this and you are an absolute rock star.  The virtualization community would NOT be where it is in strength, numbers and closeness today if it were not for you.   This is not just some mild passing idea or concept, this is a FACT.    Virtualization will come and go, but John Troyer, the connections you foster and grow, the way you enable others to prosper and grow on their own.   Your going above and beyond and BEYOND the call of duty (All claiming it to be in the name of just doing your job)   You my friend ARE Virtualization and the Cloud.     You Life vMotion simply admins and architects and bring them to a transformational journey where they come out of it a better person, a stronger communitarian, and they begin to continue to pay it forward carrying the cycle above and beyond again.

So on behalf of the virtualization, storage, security and cat ears wearing community.  We love you John and we cannot thank you enough for every single thing you do each and every day!    Keep up the OMG amazing everything and have a Happy Birthday!

And last but not least a few words in the heat of the storm.

Vista is an absolutely beautiful word. If you look at the first definition you get this precious definition to behold!

A pleasing view, esp. one seen through a long, narrow opening:

Isn’t that stunning… beautiful. If a word could describe something so sincere, so true, so… Elegant.   Unfortunately, THAT was not the definition that Mac OSX LION resembles.  Instead it describes the recently more appropriate and updated definition of Vista.

A software release leaving you to WTF how Performance and Operational considerations from your audience are thrown in the gutter.  One clearly defined and described by how much better performance you will get on the SAME hardware with a future bulkier version, restoring functionality you stripped from our cold dead hands.

Whoa! Why all the hatred?! THIS IS THE BEST RELEASE AND VERSION OF OSX EVER, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, IT MAKES MY MACBOOK JUST LIKE MY IPHONE. Yea. Thanks. Really wanted THAT functionality.    Do you know why I have an iPhone? It’s portable and I use it on the GO.  Do you know why I use my MacBook in Pre-LION terms? Because it lets me do things like THIS:

I had just come back from a reboot so I clearly didn’t have ALL 16 of my windows activated.  Oh and for you Forum Douches who say “WHY DO YOU NEED 16 WINDOWS”. It’s not my fault you can barely find a use for a single window.   I did find the adoption of 16 separate isolated instances a lot more efficient to having DEDICATED machines to do my work [What I would have to do previously]  So Apple first of all I want to thank you for taking this Primitive concept of 3D-ish worlds aligned to matrices and replacing it with this clearly ‘evolutionary’ serial mode.

I’m not even getting into how various members of us have.  Performance problems like cited in the fine Louis Gray’s article Lion’s Big Bite Took the Air Out of My Sails. Nor how when you scroll from side to side you get this weird visual redraw rendering problem which for some of us has been causing severe headaches.   Yea, really.  Thanks for that.   I do miss my FAN turning off when I’m doing a lot of things, vs right now where it’s on with LITTLE application running time… thanks for that too!   You know what’s great about Mission Control though? the clear ability to disseminate between what is going on in ONE window vs ANOTHER window.  Yea I’m glad we got rid of Spaces because the clarity it brought to my productivity made me work too well and get too much done.

I know there are a lot of Great Write-ups about how LION is Amazing and how Mission Control is great. Usually written up by people who clearly use ONE window at a time and at best will run 3 applications simultaneously.   For those of us with on average 12 of our 16 windows busy, and find that we’ll hit the memory wall WAY before the CPU wall, LION is a serious piece of crap.

Here’s to hoping we get numerous Patch Tuesdays to resolve this Vista-like experience. Thanks. WTF. SERIOUSLY. WTF.

Oh and feel free to hate. Or even encourage suggestive ways how I can resolve issues and experiences I have had here.  I’m game to resolve these things.  However I know I’m not alone. :(

My dear friend and fellow vExpert Greg Stuart is hosting a contest ending JUL 24 where you can win EVERYTHING you need to attend VMworld! OMFG!!!

Win a Free Pass to VMworld 2011 from vDestination!

To enter this contest, post one comment/reply on THIS BLOG POST at vDestination.com including the following information:

• * Your favorite thing about VMware
  * What you look forward to most at VMworld 2011
  * Who you hope meet at VMworld 2011
  In your comment, please include the following:
• * First and last name
  * Email address to contact you if you win
  * Twitter handle (if you have one)
  The Rules
  There aren’t too many rules, but there are a few, they are:
• 1. The contest is open to anyone in the world, however, the air fare is only covered up to $500 US dollars.
  2. You must be able to attend VMworld 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada (conference pass only valid for the US conference). I don’t want this pass to go to waste.
  3. Only one valid entry per person.
  4. Contest entry must be received by Sunday July 24th 11pm EST, no entries will be considered after 11pm EST.
  * The winner will be randomly drawn Sunday July 24th, notified via email and announced Monday morning July 25th on vDestination.com.

So, whoa, wait, what?! What is Greg doing? He’s giving you a chance to go to VMworld all expenses paid ?! OMG HOW DID HE DO THIS?!

I feel it appropriate to call out All of the Sponsors who helped make this a reality for Greg and for you (the impending winners!)

The Sponsors and The Details

Symantec stepped up to sponsor the full conference pass to include both breakfast and lunch, the Solutions Exchange floor, lots of great sessions and more. This will mean the world to the winner, we can’t thank them enough!

Veeam generously offered up one of their rooms for 5 nights, starting Sunday August 28th and checking out Friday September 2, incredible, thanks Veeam!

Xsigo contacted Greg immediately upon hearing about my idea of paying it forward, and offered to cover up to $500 for air fare to Las Vegas, thank you so much Xsigo, this is the cherry on top!

As one extra added point – Those of you who win/attend will get a guaranteed ticket/place at #CXIParty on Monday night, the most raucous self-hosted and randomly sponsored event at VMworld you’ll ever experience ;)   So go to THIS BLOG POST at vDestination.com and GET YOUR ENTRY IN, AND WIN!

I look forward to seeing you at VMworld in Vegas!

First of all, let this be your official invitation to come! If you haven’t been to an EMC Forum before they’re epic experiences rivaled only by the likes of your own dream wedding, or one of those lucid dreamlike experiences where you can fly!  Err… Maybe I’m over-selling it a bit, but no seriously. :)   It’s a great time, lots of learning to be had, networking to be experienced, and lots of prizes to be won (and demos to see?!)

Ooh.. and here I’ll put in quotes the … “Marketing Slick” type of things how they perceive it to be.. and of course I’ll give you my honest impression following that as well, just to keep it real! :)

EMC Forum 2011: Cloud Meets Big Data
Chicago – Hyatt Regency O’Hare
Tuesday, July 19, 2011; 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Learn more & register here

Join us at the EMC Forum where you’ll learn how cloud computing is transforming IT and discover new ways to accelerate the journey to your cloud for increased IT efficiency and greater business agility.  You’ll also learn how Big Data is transforming business and changing the world.

 

 

• Learn about the latest trends and developments in information infrastructure including cloud computing and big data.
• Understand the new roles and processes required to drive lasting change in your organization.
• Discover market-leading solutions that combine hardware, software, and services to meet the needs of any size business.
• Connect with leading cloud and big data experts and network with your peers.

Make your plans now to join EMC and our partners along with other IT and business leaders.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can transform your IT organization, transform your business, and accelerate your career.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Sujal Patel, Founder of Isilon® and President of EMC Isilon Storage Division

In 2001 Patel founded Isilon with the vision that big data would soon necessitate a shift away from traditional storage architectures and toward a new, scale-out paradigm. Today this vision has become a reality as scale-out network-attached storage (NAS) has emerged as the de facto storage platform for big data. Patel continues to lead Isilon’s business in enabling its customers to turn big data challenges into even bigger opportunities.

My Honest Take

I’ve been to these things in the past, and let me tell you they know how to hit it out of the park!  Whether through direct engagement (Conversations with peers, partners, vendors, friends) Attending sessions (expertise, the Q/A, others experiencing your same kind of problems) or just taking it all in; you will walk away from this event with a lot more than you came to it with!   Personally, I would find myself engaged in so many conversations on every topic under the sun (Or Cloud?! … Bad pun! :)) that it’d take me literally hours just to walk a few feet.    I honestly look forward to this level and type of engagement when it comes back around, fun times are had by all, and the raffle prizes? I cannot win them, but they’re pretty sweet! Definitely play the game ;)

I encourage you to attend, and at the very least you can say hi to me! (Whoa! Vanity ploy! giggle :))  I’m always happy to discuss…   frankly any topic :)

Learn more & register here

If you’re like me, all of a sudden you’re getting an “Internal Error” and you’re like WTF?! IT WAS WORKING A MINUTE AGO! AHHHHHHHH!!!    And you go through the normal course of action of googling for answers only to find each and every scenario doesn’t apply to you [Heck, you even DO what they suggest and it still doesn’t work!]   Well, hopefully this finds you in good tidings and will solve your problem fast and furious!

Disclaimer: I try to quantify the scenario which leads up to this particular version of the error and a quick and hearty resolution.  If your situation does not meet this particular criteria.. you may want to go back to searching and trying the other options! Unfortunately, this has hit me too many times for me to let it go unpublished! :)

As with most things, I try to be as SPECIFIC as possible so you can get to the point and solve (even with this verbose dialogue ;))

Standard Operation

There you are, just sitting along using VMware Fusion with whatever your VM type happens to be, and then either you close the lid on your mac, or your VM starts to suspend itself [Or you manually suspend it, doesn’t matter]   But wait.   The VM gets to 99% or so, but never officially ends/closes/suspends.   You cannot “resume” a VM which thinks it is still suspending, so you’re forced to do the following:

Killing VMware Fusion

Well, that seemed straightforward enough! Wham BAM! Process Killed, am I right?! [No. I’m not right ;)]

Internal Error

   You re-launch VMware Fusion, go to open up your VM and OMG IM GETTING INTERNAL ERROR WTF IS GOING ON HERE!

Some of you, first action you’ll take is to go into the VMware Fusion Package and start to remove .LCK files and everything under the sun because you’re panicked! AHHH PANIC!   Well, panic no longer!   There is hope!

What causes Internal Error

If you open up Terminal and take a look at your /var/log/system.log you’ll find the following is happening {cat /var/log/system.log}

Jun 24 12:15:29 CXI [0x0-0x86e86e].com.vmware.fusion[47446]: VMware Fusion Error:
Jun 24 12:15:29 CXI [0x0-0x86e86e].com.vmware.fusion[47446]: Failed to get exclusive lock on the configuration file. Another VMware process might be running using this configuration file.

Recovering from Internal Error

There are two quick ways to get out of this.   One is a reboot [lame!] And the other is to kill the running instance using kill

Use PS to find the process in question [ps –axwww | grep vmware]

Then use Kill to kill the process in question! [kill –9 ProcessID]

Post-Mortem

Hopefully you found this useful and if not… I’m sure I’ll run into this situation AGAIN and forget how I solved it, and come back to this blog post of my own in order to correctify the situation! :)  If you find this useful at all, let me know so I can gauge just how many of us experience this kind of pain :)

Take care and Good Luck! :)