Veeam enhances VMware management

Veeam Software claims to make virtualisation easier to manage

Veeam Software, a developer of tools for virtual environments, now has an official European presence and new versions of key products aimed at making virtualisation easier to manage.

The firm, which focuses on managing VMware ESX Server installations, has opened a new EMEA headquarters in the UK in order to deliver better support to local customers.

Veeam is also making available version 4 of its Nworks package that links VMware environments with existing enterprise management suites, plus version 3.0 of its Veeam Monitor tool.

Nworks consists of two management connectors - a Smart Plug-in for HP Software Operations Manager and a Management Pack for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager - that bring VMware ESX environments under the control of these respective management suites.

While VMware has its own Virtual Center tools, organisations prefer a single point of control, according to Veeam managing director Colin Wright.

"Pick an institution that already uses HP OpenView [an old name for Operations Manager] and they won't want two separate environments to manage their infrastructure," he said, adding that nworks is "the only game in town that gives you this link to VMware".

Version 4 adds new capabilities including hardware and sensor status, the firm said, plus support for Virtual Infrastructure 2.5.

Veeam Monitor 3.0 incorporates features requested by customers, according to Wright. It can consolidate performance monitoring data from multiple VMware Virtual Centers, and adds the ability to drill down to the virtual machine level so that administrators can see processor and memory consumption levels.

"Monitor 3.0 lets you see everything in your virtual environment. Even the most un-virtual-savvy IT person can see what's going on, and where any problems are happening," Wright said.

Another new tool coming soon will address the problem of virtual machine sprawl caused by the ease with which new virtual machines can be provisioned.

"Suddenly, you can find yourself with lots of virtual machines popping up everywhere and consuming resources," he said.

And virtual machines are not as conspicuous as real, physical servers. Wright cited the case of one Veeam customer that discovered it had nearly 1,000 unused virtual machines in its data centre.

Veeam Reporter Enterprise, due for release within the next few weeks, will offer automated reporting for even the largest VMware environments, according to the firm.

"You can set Reporter to perform scheduled runs, but only generate a report if it finds new virtual machines or a big growth in storage use," said Wright. "An admin can take this report then ask what these virtual machines are for, and are they needed."

Veeam's line-up also includes configuration, backup and recovery tools, all of which are licensed on a per-processor socket basis.