Category Informational

So, today I read this Whitepaper published in May of this year – omg! Cool is what I say!

Discounting factors aside (And it makes for a great read) the excellent XenApp Citrix’s replacement for Presentation Server steps into the Virtualization Space on fire!

While physical does get some presentation value, the fact that the Virtual instance running on XenServer vs a Physical is able to perform with an 8% penalty is amazing.

Citrix has been a player in this space (Well, really the only player) who is able to produce clear, consistent and reliable results.   And this just takes the cake to a new level.

I encourage anyone interested in Application, Presentation and OS Virtualization to this out.

Optimizing XenApp Performance with XenServer 4.1.0 Enterprise Edition

For a Whitepaper, it is a good, short and non-boring read.

This is only the beginning of a whole new Citrix and XenServer revolution, especially with their NetApp Integration, Partnership and NetApp Adapter

The heat is on – oh uh oh oh! :)

I know you’re tired of all of these MCTS SQL Beta Exams

Which means now it is time for the PRO SQL 2008 Beta Exams!

SQL Server 2008 Exam Beta: 71-450: PRO: Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Designing, Optimizing, and Maintaining a Database Administrative Solution

Registration begins: August 15, 2008
Beta exam period runs: August 18, 2008– September 16, 2008
Promo Code: 239F4

SQL Server 2008 Beta Exam: 71-452: Designing a Business Intelligence Infrastructure Using Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Registration begins: August 8, 2008
Beta exam period runs: August 13, 2008– September 10, 2008
Promo Code: 3568C

Registration Information
To register in North America, please call:
· Prometric: (800) 755-EXAM (800-755-3926)
Outside the U.S./Canada, please contact:
· Prometric: http://www.register.prometric.com/ClientInformation.asp

So, get down with your fairly straight-forward self, get out there:

sign up, register and test! test! test!

Special thanks to our good friends at the Certification Beta Blog for these postings.

First the Good News!

Take a Risk-Free Exam with Cisco’s Come Back Program!

Cisco and Pearson VUE have partnered to give networking professionals the opportunity to re-invest in their careers with the Cisco “Come Back” program, but this offer expires soon. You may have let your Cisco certification lapse, but now’s a great time to come back.

Register now to take any Cisco certification exam at the regular price, and—if you need it—you’ll get a retake exam for FREE!*. Both exams must be taken before this offer expires on October 15, 2008, so it’s important that you schedule your exam soon, in order to allow adequate time for you to take advantage of the free retake.

Visit www.pearsonvue.com/cisco/comeback for more details or to schedule your Cisco exam.

Wishing you the best on your career investment,
Cisco Career Certifications

*Both the full price and free “Come Back” exams must be taken between April 15, 2008, and October 15, 2008.  The free exam must be the same exam number as the exam you failed.

And for the Bad News….!

You’re going to need it.

It’s one thing that in September of 2007, Cisco raised prices on the exams above what they were at the time – Account for the 09/2007 changes of:

• CCNA Composite – $150
• CCNP/CCDP Composite – $225
• ICND 1/2 – $125
• CCIE Written – $315
• CCIE Lab – $1400

But now this they drop this bomb shell on us, in June 2008 of this year!

• CCNA Exam – $250 —– 67% increase
• CCNP/CCDP – $300 —– 34% increase
• CCIE Written – $350 —- 12% increase

This leads me to wonder if this is the price of security in their certification process.

It’s nice to see they’ve introduced this "Our exams are expensive so you have a chance to retake if you fail for a few months"  It’s a shame they didn’t take a page from Microsoft’s book and give you a TAD more time for this Second Shot at an exam.

Here at NetApp we have a number of veterans, experts, masters and well – extremely knowledgeable and smart people.

Now without having to sort through the text and descriptions of the NetApp blog page – You can just click on a random picture and get to the goods! :)

I like this approach myself, because that visual journey makes decisions that much easier! :)

And one more to the docket – Recently added!

The word is out!

It’s official! SQL Server 2008 has gone RTM!

And I expect in short-order a full support for SQL 2008 with SMSQL – as things are certainly inline with this paper published in February of this year:

MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 2008:

DECISION SUPPORT WORKLOADS -1TB DATA WAREHOUSE ON IA64

So, coming soon to a test lab near me (at home) I’ll be upgrading to SQL 2008 with RTM, instead of the RC0 release I’ve been running!

Good luck upgrading, planning and sizing your environments!