On an inspiring day at Greenpoint Prague, we gathered for the VMware User Group (VMUG) Czech Republic event, which I had the pleasure of organizing alongside Josef Zach. The venue buzzed with energy as we eagerly anticipated a day filled with insightful sessions and vibrant networking.
The day started strong with Karel Novak‘s compelling session, “VCF Multi-Location Networking.” Karel captivated us all by diving deep into the complexities of VMware Cloud Foundation, especially advanced networking across multiple locations, providing valuable insights to manage complex infrastructures effectively.
Next up, Katarina Brookfield delivered an excellent presentation, “vSphere Supervisor – Unlocking Cloud Experience with Kubernetes.” She skillfully showed how vSphere bridges the gap between traditional IT and modern cloud-native applications, leaving us with plenty to think about in terms of operational agility and Kubernetes integration.
Boris Mittelmann then brought cybersecurity front and center with his essential session, “Veeam on MITRE ATT&CK v17 – Cyber Security and Recovery for ESXi.” Boris offered actionable tips and real-world insights on securing virtual environments, highlighting the importance of cyber resilience and preparedness.
In the afternoon, Karel Rudišar provided valuable perspectives in his talk, “Traditional and DevOps Approach and Automation in VCF.” He effectively illustrated the advantages of combining traditional IT practices with DevOps methodologies to streamline automation within VMware Cloud Foundation.
The critical topic of ransomware was expertly covered by František Ferenčík and Marek Ištok, whose session, “Ransomware Recovery for VCF,” offered practical strategies to mitigate ransomware threats and ensure robust recovery methods, essential for maintaining a secure VMware Cloud Foundation environment.
Petr Rada contributed further with insights into VMware Cloud Foundation, helping to deepen our collective understanding of key operational practices.
We wrapped up the informative sessions with an engaging roundtable discussion featuring VMUG Leaders and all session speakers. This interactive segment allowed us to share experiences and exchange valuable ideas.
Adding excitement to the event was our raffle, where lucky attendees won two exclusive VMUGCZ t-shirts, five handy multi-use tags, a Bluetooth speaker, a LiveFire water bottle, and a special 50% discount voucher for VMware training.
The day concluded on a high note with a fantastic grill featuring delicious meats, vegetables, sausages, complemented by refreshing beer and great company during our social networking session. It was the perfect end to a rewarding day of learning and community building.
A heartfelt thanks to our sponsors VEEAM, TD SYNNEX , Broadcom and all speakers, attendees, and my co-organizer Josef Zach for making the VMUG Czech Republic event such a memorable success. I’m already looking forward to our next meetup!
Just got back from VMUG Connect 2025 in Saint Louis, and what an incredible experience it was! From the moment I landed, the energy was buzzing, and kicking off the event at the pre-connect gathering in a Budweiser brewery set the perfect casual tone to network and catch up with friends and peers from around the globe.
The keynotes were truly inspiring. Pablos Holman, the hacker, inventor, and investor, delivered a fascinating talk about innovation, challenging us to rethink possibilities.
Meanwhile, Frank Denneman’s keynote on AI’s evolving role in technology had me scribbling down notes like crazy—exciting stuff ahead!
My favorite session had to be the PowerCLI Deep Dive. As someone who loves scripting and automation, it was packed with practical insights that I can’t wait to implement back at work.
Other standout sessions included:
The Art of Public Speaking
Technical Deep Dive into VCF Integration
Building Private Cloud with VCF
Simple Kubernetes
VMware Cloud Foundation – Edge
Hands-on Labs featuring VMware Live Recovery, Kubernetes, and NSX Networking
Corey Romero’s Jedi-level tips on how to become a vExpert
One session that particularly resonated with me was the HomeLab workshop. Being passionate about HomeLabs, this session provided fantastic ideas and tips on building efficient, powerful, and cost-effective lab environments at home. The discussions around hardware choices, networking setups, and virtualization best practices were incredibly valuable and left me inspired to upgrade and refine my own setup.
I also attended the big session with Weiguo He, “A Look Inside the Future of VMware Cloud Foundation“, which offered exciting insights into upcoming developments.
Exploring the vendor hall was another highlight. Interacting directly with solution providers offered valuable face-to-face discussions, giving insights into some great tools that I’ll definitely look into integrating into my workflow.
The event wrapped up with a fantastic fireside chat featuring Hock Tan and Chris McCain, offering thoughtful insights and discussions on the future direction of VMware.
One personal highlight was passing my VCP-VCF Administration exam during the event—what better way to celebrate than surrounded by the vibrant VMUG community?
Already looking forward to our VMUGCZ event on May 29… Stay tuned!
I recently had the fantastic opportunity to travel from the Czech Republic to Saint Louis, USA, for the 2025 VMUG Leader Summit. As a proud Czech Republic VMUG Leader, this journey was particularly exciting for me—filled with long flights, amazing people, and tons of great insights.
My trip began in Prague, with stopovers in Amsterdam and Minneapolis before finally landing in Saint Louis. Traveling halfway across the globe was an adventure itself, and despite the long hours, the excitement of attending the Summit made it more than worth it.
The Summit was held at the Hilton at the Ballpark, right in the heart of Saint Louis, which made it convenient to explore and attend the planned events. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that this was going to be a special experience. VMUG had everything meticulously organized—from airport transportation (thanks to handy Uber vouchers) to welcoming receptions at iconic local spot like the Cardinals Stadium.
The two days of the event were packed with insightful sessions, networking opportunities, and interactive workshops. The Workshops were highlights for me, providing practical ideas and tools that I’m excited to implement back home. It was incredibly inspiring to see VMUG leaders from six continents sharing their experiences, challenges, and visions for the future.
A standout part of the Summit was reconnecting with old friends and making new ones from all over the world. The community spirit was genuinely heartwarming. It reminded me once again why I’m passionate about VMUG—it’s more than just technology; it’s about the people and the impact we create together.
Another exciting part of the Summit was celebrating the outstanding achievements of our peers at the VMUG Service Awards. Congratulations again to all the winners:
Stephen Wagner (Calgary VMUG)- President’s Award Alejandro Padilla (Ecuador VMUG)- President’s Award Jens Klasen (Kaiserslautern VMUG)- Innovation in Leadership Award Sweta Sharma (Bangalore VMUG)- Innovation in Leadership Award Pedro Acosta (Myrtle Beach/Charlotte/Columbia VMUG)- Collaboration Excellence Award Barcelona VMUG– Collaboration Excellence Award Galicia VMUG- Collaboration Excellence Award Vali Cyber- Partnership Award Franky Barragan– Outstanding VMware Support Award Joe Graziano (Philidelphia VMUG)- Newcomer Award
Plus, the city itself was vibrant, welcoming, and full of history and entertainment, making our stay even more enjoyable.
I returned home energized, motivated, and loaded with great ideas and insights.
Thanks to everyone who made this experience unforgettable. Until next time, keep connecting and growing! Cheers!
If you’re managing VMware environments, you might occasionally run into persistent shell warning alerts in your ESXi hosts. Thankfully, you can quickly find and suppress these warnings with a bit of PowerCLI magic.
Check for ESXi Hosts with Shell Warnings
Show the actual advanced settings on all hosts. Log into vCenter using PowerCLI and run this command:
This command immediately disables the shell warnings on selected hosts. No more alerts in GUI!
Command output:
Entity Name Value
------ ---- -----
fs-vsan-05.int.dc5.cz UserVars.SuppressShellWarning 1
Why (Not) Suppress Shell Warnings?
It’s important to note that suppressing shell warnings is only advisable in lab or non-production environments. In production environments, shell warnings provide valuable security reminders. Always keep shell warnings enabled to maintain security awareness unless you’re working in a controlled test environment.
Managing encryption across multiple ESXi hosts can be a bit of a hassle. But don’t worry. I’ve got a simple PowerCLI script that’ll save you time and headaches by quickly retrieving encryption status and recovery keys from your VMware environment.
Why Do You Need This?
Ensuring your ESXi hosts are correctly encrypted is essential for security. Regular checks help prevent surprises later, especially during troubleshooting or audits.
Getting Started
First, make sure you’re connected to your vCenter:
Connect-VIServer -Server
Replace with your vCenter IP or FQDN.
The Script Breakdown
Here’s a quick rundown of the PowerCLI script to verify encryption settings across all ESXi hosts and who Recovery key for each ESXi host. (link to GitHub repository and file tpm_recovery_key_backup.ps1):
Configuring syslog on your ESXi host is essential for centralized logging and efficient monitoring. Having your logs centrally managed simplifies troubleshooting and helps with compliance and security audits. Below you’ll find an easy-to-follow guide for setting up syslog both via the WebUI and CLI. Don’t forget to verify connectivity and regularly check your centralized logs for effective monitoring.
Configure Syslog Service (vmsyslogd) on ESXi for Remote Logging
1. Configure Syslog Using the vSphere Client
Log in to the vSphere Client and select your ESXi host.
Navigate to the Configure tab.
Under System, click on Advanced System Settings.
Click Edit to modify settings.
Filter for Syslog.global.logHost.
Enter your syslog server details in the format tcp://hostname:514 or udp://hostname:514 in my case udp://10.20.55.44:514 or with DNS name udp://syslog:514
Click OK to apply the changes.
2. Open Firewall Ports for Syslog Traffic
Enable Syslog in Firewall Rules:
Still under the Configure tab, go to Networking > Firewall > Ougoing connections.
Click EDIT….
Filter for syslog
Click on Checkboxand Click OK.
Now you should see “syslog” in outgoing firewall rules.
3. Verify Connectivity to the Syslog Server
Test Network Connection:
Access the ESXi Shell or use SSH to connect to your ESXi host.
When troubleshooting ESXi network and Syslog server connectivity issues, knowing the right tools can save you hours of frustration. Whether it’s an unresponsive syslog server, blocked TCP/UDP ports, this guide will help you diagnose and fix common connectivity issues quickly.
Key Troubleshooting Tools for ESXi Network Connectivity
Step 1: Verify Basic Network Connectivity
Before checking anything else, confirm that the ESXi host can communicate with the syslog server at a basic network level.
Standard ICMP ping test:
ping <destination-IP>
VMkernel-specific ping (useful for vMotion, NFS, etc.):
vmkping <destination-IP>
or specify which vmkernel should be used as ongoing interface for ping
vmkping -I vmk0 <destination-IP>
If these fail, the issue is likely a network routing problem or an upstream firewall blocking traffic.
Step 2: Check TCP/UDP Port Connectivity (netcat)
Even if the server is reachable, the syslog port might be blocked or not listening. Netcat helps determine if a specific TCP or UDP port is reachable.
⚠️ Note: Be aware that netcat doesn’t display an error message when a connection fails—only a successful connection is reported.
Use Cases
Test TCP Port Connectivity:
nc -z <destination-ip> <destination-port>
Test UDP Port Connectivity:
nc -zu <destination-ip> <destination-port>
Step 3: Analyze ESXi Network Connections and Interface Statistics
ESXi provides tools to inspect active network connections and adapter performance.
Check active TCP/UDP connections:
esxcli network ip connection list|grep <port>
If the syslog connection isn’t listed, ESXi isn’t attempting to send logs—double-check your syslog configuration in vSphere.
Check NIC statistics for errors and dropped packets:
esxcli network nic stats get -n <vmnicX>
Persistent errors here could indicate network congestion or misconfigurations.
Final Thoughts: Diagnosing Syslog Connectivity Efficiently
Troubleshooting network issues between an ESXi host and a syslog server doesn’t have to be a headache. Using these tools, you can pinpoint the problem—whether it’s a blocked port, misconfiguration, or network adapter issue—and resolve it efficiently.
In VMware ESXi, managing physical network interfaces (vmnics) is essential for troubleshooting, maintenance, or reconfiguration. There are times when you need to disable or re-enable a network interface without relying on the network team to shut down a switch port or physically unplugging the cable in the server room. Fortunately, this can be done quickly using the esxcli command-line tool.
Checking Available Network Interfaces
First login via SSH or directly on server console.
Before shutting down a vmnic, it’s good practice to list all available interfaces and check their status:
esxcli network nic list
This command will display a list of vmnics along with their link state, driver, and speed.
Shutting Down a vmnic Interface
To disable a specific vmnic, use the following command:
esxcli network nic down -n vmnicX
Replace vmnicX with the actual interface name (e.g., vmnic5).
Bringing a vmnic Interface Back Up
If you need to enable the interface again, run:
esxcli network nic up -n vmnicX
This will bring the network interface back online.
Use Cases
Test network failover scenarios.
Identify and isolate network issues by disabling a suspected faulty NIC.
Temporarily disable a NIC to measure the impact on network performance and verify load balancing efficiency.
Test how virtual machines respond when a specific network path goes down.
Shut down a vmnic that is connected to an untrusted VLAN or an incorrectly configured network.
Test different network configurations without permanently altering physical connections.
By using esxcli, you can manage network interfaces efficiently.
