Good reading from Veeam!

As we roll into 2014, Veeam have compiled a great list of free educational resources by world-renown authors who are some of the most respected virtualization experts in the industry.

Hands-on Guide: Understanding Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012
By Brien Posey, with additional chapters from Pete Zerger and Chris Henley (white paper, 391 pages)

The Hands-on Guide is an essential and practical step-by-step guide for IT pros interested in server virtualization technology based on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. Written to help readers get the most from their virtual environment, topics include:

• How to install and deploy Windows Server 2012 and Hyper-V 3.0
• How to manage Hyper-V and virtual machines
• How to configure Hyper-V clustering, VM migrations and failover rules and Hyper-V replication, plus and much more

VMware vSphere 5.5 & Windows Server 2012 R2: What’s NEW with Veeam?
By Jose Mendoza and Shawn Lieu (video, duration 1:16:54)

Watch this training video led by two Veeam experts and learn what’s new in VMware vSphere 5.5 and Windows Server 2012 R2, Understand how Veeam Backup & Replication v7 R2 takes advantage of the most recent hypervisor innovations.

Free VCP5-DCV and VCAP5-DCA Study Guides
By Jason Langer and Josh Coen (white papers, 136 and 248 pages, accordingly)

These unofficial VMware certification self-study guides will help you prepare for the following exams:

• VMware Certified Professional 5 – Data Center Virtualization (VCP5-DCV)
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional 5 – Data Center Administration (VCAP5-DCA)

After passing the VCP5-DCV and VCAP5-DCA exams, you’ll be certified and get more recognition for your VMware knowledge and practical skills.

Advanced VM SQL Server Backup & Recovery
By Rick Vanover (video, duration 51:42)

The virtualization SQL server has always been a complicated topic because it handles such a critical workload. VMware vExpert Rick Vanover discusses:

• When it’s better to virtualize the SQL server
• How to correctly backup and restore the virtualized SQL server
• Which SQL server restore situations are addressed by Veeam

Watch this 1-hour video here for deeper insight into SQL server virtualization, backup and restore

Annual Data Protection Report 2013: Enterprise and SMB editions

A survey of 500 enterprises and 500 SMB companies across the USA, the UK, Germany and France

This report helps track the progress of data-protection strategies for virtual environments in SMB- and enterprise-level organizations. The survey was conducted among 1,000 CIOs or IT heads by an independent market-research organization, and participants came from different sectors and industries.

Key findings in 2013:

• 85% of SMBs were experiencing backup and recovery cost-related challenges, 83% were experiencing capability-related challenges and 80% were experiencing complexity-related challenges
• Almost a third of SMBs’ virtual infrastructures were unprotected
• 68% of enterprises felt that their backup and recovery tools would eventually become less effective as the amount of data and servers in their organizations continues to increase.

Veeam Backup & Replication v7: A VMware Architect’s Favorite Features
By Joep Piscaer (white paper, 28 pages)

Version 7 of Veeam Backup & Replication includes 50+ enhancements and updates. Two innovations include backups from Storage snapshots and built-in WAN acceleration, which help Veeam users to significantly improve RPOs and remove obstacles to offsite backup. In this technical deep-dive, VMware vExpert Joep Piscaer discusses:

• 2 innovations: Backups from storage snapshots and built-in WAN acceleration
• 7 new features: Native tape support, virtual labs for replicas, vSphere Web Client plug-in and more
• 50+ other updates