VMware: CloudVolumes for ThinApp

...Take a look:

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/vmware-thinapp-cloudvolumes-storage-performance-application-virtualization.pdf

New VMware Lab: VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manager 5.5

VMware Lab Connect™ is now available for VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manager [V5.5]. This is a cloud-based lab environment which includes all 24 labs from the VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage [V5.5] course.  This self-paced lab environment is available for 30 days or 30 hours of active time.

http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrreg/courses.cfm?ui=www_edu&a=one&id_subject=53128

You will have access hands-on lab practice on the following 24 labs: 

•  Lab 1 - Installing VMware vSphere GUIs
•  Lab 2 - Configuring VMware ESXi
•  Lab 3 - Working with Virtual Machines
•  Lab 4 - Configuring VMware vCenter Server Appliance
•  Lab 5 - Using the VMware vSphere Web Client
•  Lab 6 - Configuring VMware vCenter Single Sign-On
•  Lab 7 - Creating Folders in VMware vCenter Server
•  Lab 8 - Standard Switches
•  Lab 9 - Accessing iSCSI Storage
•  Lab 10 - Accessing NFS Storage
•  Lab 11 - Managing VMware vSphere VMFS
•  Lab 12 - Using Templates and Clones
•  Lab 13 - Modifying a Virtual Machine
•  Lab 14 - Migrating Virtual Machines
•  Lab 15 - Managing Virtual Machines
•  Lab 16 - Managing VMware vSphere vApps
•  Lab 17 - User Permissions
•  Lab 18 - Resource Pools
•  Lab 19 - Monitoring Virtual Machine Performance
•  Lab 20 - Using Alarms
•  Lab 21 - Using VMware vSphere High Availability
•  Lab 22 - Configuring VMware vSphere Fault Tolerance
•  Lab 23 - VMware vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler
•  Lab 24 - VMware vSphere Update Manager

SRM tipicall misconfigurations using VSS

Tips about misconfigurations on SRM with VSS:

-VSS Copy Service in windows guest is in bad state, use: vssadmin list providers

-the application writer is in bad state, use (it´s ok if no errors appears): vssadmin list writers

-vmware vss componentes not installed/registered correctly, use: sc query vmvss

-tools not installed ok

---- VSSADMIN Commands Supported ----
Delete Shadows               - Delete volume shadow copies
List Providers                    - List registered volume shadow copy providers
List Shadows                    - List existing volume shadow copies
List ShadowStorage        - List volume shadow copy storage associations
List Volumes                     - List volumes eligible for shadow copies
List Writers                        - List subscribed volume shadow copy writers
Resize ShadowStorage  - Resize a volume shadow copy storage association
-----------------------------------------------------------

Take a look to this interesting post about VSS and SRM (Thanks @vmKen to sharing):

http://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2012/08/srm-5-1-and-vsphere-replication-as-a-standalone-feature.html