Category Archives: Virtualization

How I Doubled My Homelab CPU Capacity for $200: Xeon Gold 6230 Upgrade

In this post, I’ll walk you through how I solved a growing CPU bottleneck issue in my homelab by upgrading the CPUs in my Dell Precision 7920. I’ll share the process, challenges, and cost-effective solution that allowed me to double … Continue reading

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Exploring VM Security: How to Identify Encrypted Virtual Disks in vSphere

I was recently looking at some virtual machines in a lab and trying to determine which had encrypted virtual disks vs. encrypted configuration folders only. This data is visible in the vSphere UI. From the VM list view we can … Continue reading

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Unlocking the Power of VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin: Automated Reporting and Management

I’ve recently had a couple of questions around automated reporting or changes to the vCenter Server SSO Domain. I’ve seen mention of the VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin PowerCLI module, but haven’t had a need to dig into it. This post will explore a … Continue reading

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Automating Cluster Management with Aria Operations API

As part of routine maintenance, it is sometimes necessary to take an Aria Operations cluster offline. For example, it is recommended to take the cluster offline to perform backups (https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Aria-Operations/8.12/Best-Practices-Operations/GUID-1D058B4A-93BA-44D1-8794-AE8E1B96B3E4.html). Since most folks want to schedule backups, it is important … Continue reading

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Scaling Your Tests: How to Set Up a vCenter Server Simulator

I’ve recently been testing a handful of reporting tools against vCenter Server endpoints. I have several lab instances for various major releases, which allow me to test a wide range of configurations. However, there are some tests that are hard … Continue reading

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