VMware vSphere and templates

I just converted one of my (old) templates, as I wanted to refresh the updates and the virus scanner. After converting, I was asked about the UUID (no clue why), and expected to be done with it. But after looking at the console, I got the following, completely cryptic message:

Unable to connect to MKS
Unable to connect to MKS

After digging a bit deeper (that is looking at the vmware.log of the virtual machine, since the message of the GUI is *real* cryptic), I’m a bit wiser:

After softly shutting the VM down, and the powering the VM back up everything is back to working order.

IBM TS7530 and the Virtualization Engine for Tape Console

I just had yet another support call with IBM, concerning the Tape Console (or VE console, courtesy of Falconstor). My basic problem was/is, that I, as a german person, do have a german Windows Server 2003 installation. Now, if you do have german decimal number format selected in the regional settings, the display is gonna be kinda impaired and you’re gonna see something like this:

VE console with german decimal number format

And now compared to the english decimal number format:

VE console with english decimal number format

This time, the IBM support was quite fast in answering to my ESC, more or less to my satisfaction. Basic statement from IBM is: The VTL console isn’t supported on any german Windows OS. It’s only supported on a english Windows OS.