So check back… the old content will return.

Maybe I’ll actually update this thing. LOL… uh-huh… yeah, right

Basically, I had a swath of VM’s that wouldn’t VMotion across my cluster. They seemed to be set up OK, and even seemed to have no removable devices attached, serial ports or any of the other things that usually cause problems with VMotion. I was a little stumped until I happened to start looking through the configuration in detail.

What I found was that under the NIC configuration, when I dropped down the list of attached networks I found that there were multiple networks with identical names. There were two networks listed under there called “Production Network”. On a whim, I selected the “other” defined network and suddenly my machines would vMotion again. Bizarre part is; once I’d done this, the “ghost” network had vanished.

What do I think caused this? Well, these were all older machines… some 2003 and early 2008 servers that we had stood up. I think some of them were P2V’s. Anyway, I think that somewhere during one of our upgrades these “ghost networks” appeared as a corruption in the config or in the vCenter database itself. Once I told it to use a “different” network, that corruption was cleared and suddenly stuff worked again.

I suspect another way to resolve this problem would be to unregister and re-register the VM… but I didn’t test that since these are all production systems I didn’t want to interrupt (and yes, changing the network caused no loss of pings).

Hope that helps anyone. Posting it here mostly so I can link it from Twitter for the benefit of my fellow VMware geeks

 Suffice to say, there’s no point assigning blame because no-one is blameless. But the new reality is, and we deal with it as best we can.

For my part, I must say that work and life as a general rule are going OK. I still get up every day, still go to work and enjoy what I do (most of the time), and I still enjoy the little things in life like my son, driving my car and just generally trying to get the most out of life. Sure, financial constraints have hit us all recently, and I am no exception. But I make ends meet every day, and I try to make the best of it all. I know I say this a lot, but hopefully I can start updating this page a little more often now that my life has settled into a bit more of a daily routine.

So what’s new with me recently that I will talk about in a public blog? Well, I can start with my car I suppose since I am a pretty much certifiable car geek…

So for those who don’t know, I love to drive. I found a love for driving back in around 1996 when I bought a 1995 Subaru SVX. While a heavy, automatic-equipped coupe it was also an absolute blast to drive. I tooled around in that, then over time found myself in a 1994 SVX with more equipment. Other cars I owned during the last decade or two included a Saab 900 Turbo SE (awesome little car; not fast but handled incredibly) and a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP (fast big car, and handled surprisingly well for a mid-size American sedan). So fast forward to a few years ago and I bought myself the car I always wanted; a BMW 3-series. Yeah, I know… make jokes but the 3-series really has been the epitome of the drivers car for a very long time.

My car is a 2001 BMW 330i, equipped with sport package (suspension, wheels, and an “M-Aero Package”), premium package (leather, a few niceties) and a 5-speed stick shift transmission. Now, this little car has not been without its issues and problems, but now that I’ve been tracking everything since I bought it I can say that I’ve averaged about 26 miles per gallon (US) and had an absolute blast. And despite some occasionally expensive repairs and maintenance (tires, brakes, an oil leak etc.) I have averaged about 25 cents per mile over the last 17 months I’ve been tracking. Not half bad for a car that’s approaching 116,000 miles.

So what is it about the 3-series that draws drivers? Really, it’s a combination of factors. There’s the fact that the car is relatively small, though roomy enough for 4 adults for middle-length trips. There’s also the perfectly weighted steering which communicates precisely what the tires are doing at every moment during a turn… it’s almost like the car will tell you exactly when you can push it harder… and will push back accordingly when you’re about to go too far. It’s that telepathic connection you seem to have, like the pedals and wheel become almost an extension of your body as you drive that draws you in. Particularly if you’re of the mindset that a car should be driven, not just transporation from point A to point B.

Recently, my car has exhibited some symptoms of age; some of the plastic and rubber under the hood has become dried and brittle. So much so that over the weekend I had to replace the lower intake boot of the car when it tore open and began to throw “Check Engine” lights because the engine was suddenly running unexpectedly lean. I imagine if I weren’t the kind of person who was willing to turn a wrench occasionally, my cost of ownership would be quite a bit higher.

Anyway, I have to say that even as I pulled the entire intake out of the car to get to the intake boot, and was leaned over the hood for three hours with my arm contorted into strange and wonderful shapes trying to reach a cable clamp that had obviously been put on the engine when there was a hell of a lot less stuff attached… that the process of actually fixing stuff that goes wrong with an older car can connect you with it in ways you never expect.

I did both the air intake repairs and an oil change (with oil and air filters) at the same time… and driving the car afterward and feeling the car just performing like new is an incredible reward.

And here’s where it gets funny; this car with 116,000 miles on the clock DOES feel like a new car. Believe me, I’ve driven newer cars and have generally failed to be impressed. Despite its age and miles, this car still feels as planted, predictable and solid as the day I bought it… more so in fact because some of the repairs were from stuff the previous owner broke and never repaired.

So I guess this becomes almost a love-letter to my 2001 E46 (internal designation) 330i Sport. This car has traveled a long way with me but never fails to put a smile on my face every time I drive it. The bodywork and design are timeless, beautiful and understated. It never seems gaudy or garish, and can cruise along all day with aplomb… yet when you hit an on-ramp or a stretch of twisty road the car will both accelerate faster than you expect and probably corner better than you can.

BMW owners come in for a lot of flack because they own a car that’s been received as a status symbol multiple times over the years.

You know what? I’m not sure the BMW drivers really care.

I’m sure this post alone will stir another argument, but it is just how I feel. Isn’t that what these personal blogs are for? Feelings? If I can’t write about what I feel at a particular moment, then what’s the point?

I choose not to go into details because those details are somewhat irrelevant. However, it just goes to highlight that even when I hope for the best, human nature sometimes proves me wrong.

Thankfully I was able to short-circuit the power trip with an action that was actually almost accidental in its timing, but ultimately proved fortuitous. I protected what was important, and let go of the things that I still consider important but must realize I have no control over them.

I knew I didn’t have control… I had just hoped that I could retain some semblance of control. That has tempered my actions for months… but now I have had it proven to me that the control was illusory at best. I am at the whims and mercies of others, whose actions don’t necessarily jive with my ideas of what is right and wrong, and thus I am left with my shattered illusions.

But from shattered illusions comes new determination.

I just hope I can hold back the tears. 

Well, I just got it confirmed and totally official; I’m going to VMworld this year in San Francisco! Woohoo! I can’t wait. I had a fantastic time last year meeting up with old friends and making new friends while I was at it. It was a truly incredible experience, at least in part because VMware are quite open to allowing competing vendors in.

There was a recent brouhaha on the blogosphere about the exhibitor agreement containing language that seemed to indicate that VMware was preventing competitors showing off their products… but it appears that was mostly generated by someone else trying to drive traffic to their own site. Figures;

1. Create a virtualization blog
2. Post deliberately inflammatory article
3. ???
4. Profit!

Hmm, now I know where I’m going wrong!!! Woohoo! Time to drive some traffic to my site with an inflammatory article about something no-one reads! Like newspapers

To who’ve emailed lately wondering if I’m OK… thank you… I am. It’s just been rather hectic and trying to respond to all the people who’ve been in touch is tough… but I WILL be in touch with all of you. I’m hoping to add much more to this blog going forward… and yes, I know I’ve said that before… but this time I’m serious.

More content coming up… stay tuned…

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/07/star-trek-exper.html

Seems the Star Trek Experience is closing in Las Vegas. I guess when I go out there for VMworld in September I’d better make a point to go see!

Thanks, Jallarzie for the recommendation… bummer it’s closing!

I’ve been depressed lately. That’s part of the reason I’ve not been blogging. That and the fact that in order to combat the depression I’ve not been home much. As a result, since I don’t get online from work since I actually now have a job that requires me to actually DO some work (unlike my last one in which I was busy but could do the job blindfold).. well… that leads to blog stagnation. And that’s not a bad thing… it just means that anyone who DOES pay attention is not getting many updates

So what’s going on that’s making me depressed? Oh… the usual. Money worries, economy worries… plus there’s then the feeling that I’m suddenly surplus to requirements at home and not really needed any more. I know that’s not a fair thing to say, but it’s the way I’ve felt recently.

There’s other stuff of course… and those who know me best already know what they are. But the thing that kills me is that I have every reason to be happy, but I’m not. Anyone else feel like that occasionally? Sad thing is, I really don’t know what to do to fix it.

So for now, I’ll just blog occasionally when I have stuff to say. I just installed Flock on my Mac to manage my blogs and social networking stuff… awesome browser tuned to a VERY specific purpose and I think I like it. I think I’m going to use it to see if it’ll help me keep up with my Facebook, LinkedIn and other social network profiles that I have scattered all over the place.

Until next time… ciao… and email at the usual place if you wanna chat or give me feedback. Or just comment

Well, history for me, anyway. And for some here I know that this piece of history will interest you (since I’m one of the “old timers” of the Yahoo club, and then this site… and Usenet before that…) 

Back in the mists of time, I owned my first SVX. It was a polo green 1995 L AWD… and boy did I love that car. I drove it a LOT of miles… about 50,000 or so… before I traded it for a Saab 900 Turbo in 1998. You can read my witterings from ten years ago here, which is a copy of my website from a LONG time ago… so please don’t email me about broken links!!! I learned a lot from that car, and really learned more than I wanted to about wheel bearings… but I did love driving it and did miss it when I was gone. The Saab was less fun, but more practical, especially when I started dating a woman with a daughter! Car seats and coupes are not good bedfellows

Anyway, I digress. Two SVX’s later, I leave the fold for the final time and buy a BMW 330i last year. Again, a shame… but practicality won out over my desire for an SVX. I loved all three of my SVX’s and miss them all (though the 94 less than the 95 or the 96… because it had issues…)

Jump forward to yesterday. I am still an SVX fan, so I go hang with pearlm30, someone who lives local and has a small menagerie of SVXi much to his wife’s chagrin. While I was over there I spotted his new one… it was green… like my 95 and my 96. He told me it was a 95 L AWD. I smiled and wondered, “What if?” So I begin to think; what would have been a sign that this was my old car from 10 years ago? What would give it away and still last through all this time and who knows what else? Then it comes to me; I remember in 1997 I loaded an HP Netserver into my back seat because it wouldn’t fit through the trunk opening. As I did so, I scuffed the back of the drivers seat and left a few scratches and a tiny divot in the seat. I grinned, opened the drivers door, flipped forward the seat…

SCRATCHES AND A DIVOT.

Whoah. What the hell are the odds?

He and I didn’t leave it there though… today he was going through the car some more and found an old title with my name on it… and he removed the alarm system; a Viper 600HF that I installed right after I bought the car. So yeah, he has just bought my original SVX!

So I am going to take some pictures soon of it as it stands today. The years haven’t been kind. The roof is faded badly, the bodywork in general has seen better days. The transmission is toast apparently, and the interior… well… the less said about that the better. I am amazed the back of the drivers seat survived enough for me to see the divot and scratches… the rest of the interior has definitely been better. I know… I kept it better! I’ll post here again when I get some photos of the car. Denny (perlm30) is going to part the car out probably, use it to fix his cars and salvage whatever he can from it. Me, I’m just pumped to see my car again, even in that state. I look forward to a nice weather day so I can get some pictures before he really tears it apart… sort of a memorial to an old friend.

So anyway… those who don’t know me probably won’t care much… but those that do know me, know that I have been around the club a long time. Back on the Yahoo club site, I was the owner of post #3, the first two being from the founder (Jester… wonder whatever happened to him?). Before that I was calling for an SVX club on Usenet (google it if you don’t believe me) and am always glad to see what the club has become.

I may never own another SVX, but I will always be a fan.

Well, I got the money together and in March I put my car in the shop to replace the head gasket, seals and stuff. 

Fast forward… four weeks. Ack! Yesterday morning I got the call that my car was finally ready. I’m not happy about the time it’s taken to get it all back, but things are definitely better now that I can go get my car

So I take an extended lunch hour, go pick up my wife and go get my car (the wife was so she could drive our Volvo home!) Ahhhhh… back in the saddle again!

So the damage? $2548.37. Eep. That sucks, but the work done was effectively a top-end rebuild. Even the valve-train was inspected, guides replaced where necessary… and the sludge that had built up in my valves was cleaned out completely. Yeah, don’t ask about that bit… if I ever find out who the previous owner of my car was I may have to educate them on frequent oil changes. An upstream O2 sensor was replaced because of slow response and a few other items were replaced… my original quote for ~$450 in parts inflated to ~$750 in parts, but labor was reduced so it was pretty much a wash (I asked them to go high on the labor quote just in case!) compared to my original quote. Differential was about $50. 

Anyway, so I’ve now been driving my car again for 24 hours. Given the crappy weather in St. Louis I’ve not had a chance to take her out and really get a feel for her again, and tomorrow I fly to Chicago for a business trip so I’ll be out of town until the end of next week. Ah well, maybe the weather will be nice next weekend

My feeling so far? Well, there’s still a faint smell of burning oil when I stop driving. I suspect that’s just residue in the tailpipe that’s burning off because I can only smell it at the back of the car. Even under the hood… nada. (for reference, I was getting oil/glycol mixing in the tailpipe but not in the cooling system or oil pan so it’s likely there’s a slight caking of oil in the tailpipe still). Still, she’s starting quicker and seems a little “peppier” than she was before. Part of that might be psychosomatic, but I suspect some of it may have been the performance robbing of sludge and water in the cylinders, particularly at high revs and/or high speed. 

Still, I’m going to drive her easy until the first oil change. I won’t exceed 4000 rpm and will change the oil in a week or so when I’ve got a minute, that way any shavings from the re-surfaced head will be out of the system. After this much work, I consider the engine to be “new” and will break it in as such… though albeit for reduced mileage from new.

So I’m happy… and my wife’s happy to get her Volvo back (the third car I sold two weeks ago; a minivan). Now there’s just a little body damage to fix (parking lot ding at the rear end) and I can get some pictures of my car to post up here on this site! 

So am I disheartened with the BMW 330i? No, the E46 is a gorgeous, fun and lovely little car and I just lost a gamble. Every time you buy a used car, you gamble that the previous owner was conscientious and did maintenance properly. I’ve taken that gamble a number of times… usually I win… this time I lost! I don’t blame anyone… this was bound to happen sooner or later with my habit of buying used cars. I don’t regret it, either… I love the car and plan to keep it for a LONG time. It’s fun to drive, comfortable, sporty when I need it to be and surprisingly fuel efficient (average 27mpg in mixed driving). 

So, good news. Hopefully I’ll have more comments to make REAL soon… and some pictures once I get the bodywork fixed