This blog post, VCF 9.1: The Features That Actually Matter If You Run VCF, is not a walkthrough of every new feature. A look at the changes that actually affect how you run the platform, from someone who does. VCF 9.1 shipped on May 5, and if you read the release notes end to end, [...]
Broadcom changed how VCF gets supported and released. Plus, a quick update on what 9.1 has already refined in the licensing model. A few days ago, I wrote about the new licensing model in VCF 9. After that post went out, it was clear that many architects and operators are still working through what these [...]
What the new licensing model actually means for VMware Cloud Foundation and vSphere Foundation, from an architect's point of view. Before I get into the technical details, I want to be honest about where I stand. I have been a consistent critic of Broadcom's actions in the VMware ecosystem since the acquisition. The pricing structure, [...]
Part 1: The Architecture Series: Building Resilient SAP Infrastructure on VCF If you’ve been reading my blog, you know my background is in VMware, virtualization infrastructure, and backup. That is where I have spent most of my career. SAP is not my primary area, and I will not pretend it is. Years ago, though, I [...]
How ransomware, regulation, and operational complexity are reshaping enterprise data protection This week marks World Backup Day 2026. Every March 31, the industry reminds us to back up our data. For home users, that might mean copying photos to an external drive. For enterprises, the conversation has moved far beyond that. Backup is no longer [...]
This week, I attempted to upgrade my Veeam server from version 12.3.0.310 to 12.3.2.3617 and encountered several issues. I saw other admins report the same problem, and some solved it by uninstalling and reinstalling Veeam Server. I did not want to rebuild a working server. My first blocker was PostgreSQL refusing the connection on localhost:5432 [...]
Continuing the reconfiguration of my Hyper-V/SCVMM environment, I had dead LUNs in my Hyper-V Cluster that needed cleanup, as well as a new LUN to add. All nodes run Windows Server Core 2025, so I performed all tasks manually via PowerShell. In this post, I walk through a real case where a Failover Cluster lost [...]
Installing or reinstalling System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2025 on Windows Server often looks simple on paper, yet real-world attempts can unravel fast. The setup wizard may appear and then vanish without explanation, the prerequisite checker may insist something is missing even after you’ve installed the Windows ADK, and log files can surface baffling [...]
Choosing between block storage and object storage is one of the most important design decisions in any backup environment. It affects not only your primary backup repository but also your archive tier and your off-site protection strategy. Each option brings advantages but also strict limitations that can change how your backups behave once immutability and [...]
After vacations, it's time to start writing some blog posts, and today I will begin updating some of the features from Object First(Ootbi) and Veeam. Suppose you need a primer on Ootbi (Out-of-the-Box Immutability) architecture. Why object storage fits backups, and immutability basics, read this first: Object First Ootbi: The Ultimate On-Premises Backup Storage Appliance [...]
