Geek Software of the Week: Veeam FastSCP!

VeeamThis week’s GSotW may have a limited audience… but if you are a VMware System Administrator (like I am) you will find this is a powerful FREE tool in your “tool belt!”

Veeam FastSCP 2.0 for VMware ESX Server

“Veeam FastSCP (Fast & Secure Copy) facilitates the deployment and simplifies backup of virtual machines(VMs) on VMware ESX server. Veeam FastSCP is a fast, secure and easy-to-use tool to perform file management in ESX environment. FastSCP allows a user to copy files from ESX to Windows, Windows to ESX or ESX to ESX. This is the most natural way to deliver an ISO file to ESX Server, make a backup copy of an existing virtual machine (VM) or copy VMs and templates between ESX servers. FastSCP ensures security by using a one-time password feature and works over 6 times faster than SCP.

Features and Benefits:

Multi-ESX management
The user can work with multiple ESX servers at the same time within a single interface. Switching between servers doesn’t require re-entering login/password or specifying the server’s IP.

ESX to ESX direct copy
FastSCP allows a user to copy files directly between ESX servers and within one ESX Server. Copying is fast and secure and doesn’t require any configuration or setup.

Complete file management and Windows integration
FastSCP allows you to work with ESX servers just like you work with files and folders in Windows. Now it doesn’t make any difference to a user whether to copy files to ESX or to a desktop. FastSCP supports both Drag n’ Drop and Copy & Paste.”

Yahoo Discontinues it’s Podcast Directory

Yep… Yahoo is phasing out it’s podcast directory. Not that it has been very good.

Yahoo to Stop Podcasts, Unlimited Music’s Future in Doubt

“In a banner along the top of its Web page, Yahoo notified users of its podcast service today that it will be shutting down that service on October 31. This as TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington discovered the company has scheduled a priority meeting of its senior executives, including CEO Jerry Yang and President Susan Decker, for tomorrow morning. This afternoon, Yahoo felt the need to prepare customers – and perhaps investors – for tomorrow’s news, by giving it the best spin possible early on. ‘Today we’re planning some changes that also have our user and customer experiences in mind,’ reads a message on Yahoo’s corporate blog from entertainment and video head Vince Broady, entitled, ‘Finding Focus in Hollywood.’ ‘We are streamlining the structure of one portion of our Santa Monica presence – our entertainment division – with a vision of offering a more integrated entertainment experience. That means we’ll be creating more synergies between our music, games, movies, TV, and omg! properties, making them more personal and engaging for entertainment hounds.'”

Windows XP Availability Extended

Is Vista catching on? Apparently not! Microsoft has been pressured into continuing to sell Windows XP!

Five More Months Tacked Onto XP Availability Roadmap

“Apparently bending to pressure from partner OEMs who continue to report customers continuing to demand Windows XP, Microsoft decided this morning to extend the availability of the older operating system series to the retail channel and to partners from January to June 2008, as it maintains availability to system builders clear through to January 2009. The move comes several months after Dell reported it would continue offering Windows XP as an option for its systems as long as it could. However, another possible contributing factor could be the company’s plan for XP Service Pack 3. A check of the company’s service pack roadmap today shows the company has only tentative faith in its ability to produce SP3 by as late as next June.”