When trying to re-install vCenter Orchestrator (vCO), there is occasion when a file prevents the re-installation of the product. The following error may be experienced: Found the same version of vCenter Orchestrator (x.x.x.xxx). To reinstall this version of the product, first uninstall the current version and run this installer again. You can export the current configuration from the Web Configuration interface and import it back into the product after you have completed the new installation

Pearsons and VMware are joining forces. They have announced VMware Press and three upcoming book for the fall 2011 including one covering vCenter Orchestrator named "Automating Day-to-Day Administration of VMware vSphere 5.x". Quoting the summary: This hands-on technical guide to automating vSphere with Orchestrator teaches administrators how to save time and resources by automating their virtual infrastructure. Automation expert Cody Bunch teaches valuable practices and tool use through a combination of real world automation examples and case studies.

Following the release of the Microsoft Active Directory plug-in VMware demonstrates how to combine building block workflows into a custom one.

Do you want to know more about vCenter Orchestrator ? Do you like vCenter Orchestrator and think it should deserve more attention ? VMworld 2011 Session Voting is now open (May 9 - May 18) and there are nine sessions listed for vCO: 1222Orchestration - From Infrastructure to Cloud 1440 vCenter Orchestrator - The Missing "Getting Started" Session 1441 Developing Workflows for vCenter Orchestrator (vCO) 1622vSphere Automation 101 2049 How OCLC Used vCenter Orchestrator to Automate the Disk Alignment of 1500 + Virtual Machines2302 Reducing Opex and Accelerating IT Service Delivery with vCenter Orchestrator 2923vCenter Orchestrator Workflow Development Best Practices 2982 Creating a vCenter Orchestrator Plugin – Lessons Learned 3235Leveraging vCenter Orchestrator for your Cloud Deployment and Operations Session details and links to vote below.

Thomas Corfmat, the vCenter Orchestrator Product Manager released his first blog article. Thomas has been with VMware for a few months only but it seems to me this was much longer since he has been very active pushing the product capabilities (i.e vCloud, Cisco UCS, Microsoft AD Plug-ins releases and a lot more to come this year), leading the marketing activities (vCO Achilles's heal) and with reaching out to customers and partners to make sure we have the best cloud orchestration platform.

There are a total of 34 workflows delivered as part of the VMware vCenter Orchestrator Plug-in for Microsoft Active Directory Director. The table below provides their names and descriptions Workflow NameDescription Create a computer in a group Creates an Active Directory computer in a group. Create a computer in an organizational unit Creates an Active Directory computer in an organizational unit. Destroy a computer Deletes a computer from an Active Directory instance.

Quoting the release notes : The VMware vCenter Orchestrator plug-in for Microsoft Active Directory allows organizations to automate the management of directory services tasks, particularly as they pertain to cloud provisioning use cases. For instance, the plug-in enables the automatic provisioning of vCloud Director organizations based on data retrieved from Active Directory. The plug-in also includes many administrative actions related to computers, organizations, user groups, and users, such as resetting passwords or adding users to a user group.

Did you have trouble getting things "just right" in our previous tutorial "Create your own vCloud Director vApp hot clone in less than one hour"? No worries, we've just added our solution video to YouTube!!

As some of you may know, VMware recently launched an official vCenter Orchestrator blog! The team at VMware has put together a nice sample scenario post that walks you through the use of the Cisco UCS Manager plug-in. Be sure to stop by and check it out! To keep up on the posts there, feel free to follow their RSS Feed.

We recently came across a nice little analogy around vCloud Director (vCD) and vCenter Orchestrator (vCO) from one of the folks over at NetApp on their blog. The article "What is vCloud Director, really?" cleverly equates vCD to the manager of an apartment complex and vCO to the maintenance man who does work for the manager and other managers (products). Please take a moment to learn more about vCO through this analogy and see what NetApp has to offer with their plugin for vCO!