As a VMware admin there are a plethora of tools to assist you in gaining visibility into your virtual environment. I’ve seen folks layer on three or four tools at a time in an attempt at getting the best insight into what is going on under the virtual covers. Some of these tools excel in different areas though I have rarely found one that fits all needs. Almost all will have some sort of alerting capability to let you know when something has gone south and many of these products cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.
If there was one tool that was an absolute must have for me – vCheck – hands down.
And the best part? It’s free!
Now, vCheck is not going to replace all those shiny, expensive tools but for a single report that gives you an overview of what you are walking into in the morning, it can not be beat.