VMWare Vsphere 4 (enterprise) - is it a big deal?

One feature of vsphere 4 is a game-changer - EVC - enhanced vmotion compatibility. It allows vmware to use new CPU features for virtualization management, but uses lowest-common-denominator features for running operating systems, to enable vmotion between modern Intel cpus, OR modern AMD CPUs, but not between the two. Without this feature, I felt forced to buy more old CPUs. Now I'm free to buy new 6-core CPUs, for example. Once we test the new CPUs, I'll post about it.

New technologies benefiting the little guy - power efficiency in small server rooms

Small server room operators have many capabilities:

• hot and cold aisles
• plastic aisle separator curtains
• Liebert XDP/XDV and other in-row cooling solutions

I believe that in the newly popular PUE-type evaluations, small operators can be competitive with the big colos. Moving air big distances takes energy. I buy into the concept that fluids are much more efficient for moving heat around than air. Raised floors in closed systems are no long er the efficient way to do things.