Release: PlateSpin PowerRecon 3.1

Popular virtualization company PlateSpin reaches version 3.1 of its capacity planning solution PowerRecon.

Despite the minor update numbering PowerRecon 3.1 introduces some critical features like VMware VirtualCenter integration and chargeback capabilities. In details PowerRecon 3.1 features:

  • Virtual Machine Growth Reporting
    The practice of quickly and easily creating a new virtual machine to address almost any requirement can result in rapid proliferation of virtual machines. PlateSpin PowerRecon enables organizations to better monitor and manage the growth of VMware Infrastructure without having to implement restrictive IT policies or lengthy approval procedures. By providing greater visibility into how the dynamic virtual infrastructure is growing and changing, IT directors gain a deeper understanding of how many virtual machines are deployed, who owns them and how they use available resources.
  • Flexible Chargeback Reporting
    Virtualization creates a pool of computing resources that can be shared across many different workloads, which need to be tracked and whose costs need to be allocated appropriately. With PowerRecon, IT organizations can track, assign or report on costs and allocate IT charges to different business units based on their actual disk, CPU and network usage per virtual machine. PowerRecon automatically converts IT resource usage data into billable values over set time periods such as monthly or quarterly, allowing IT departments to more easily and accurately charge for shared resources. Chargeback reports can be automatically delivered to business units via email in a variety of formats.
  • VMware VirtualCenter Integration
    Integration with VMware VirtualCenter provides visibility into the virtual infrastructure, improving data center management and operations. Familiar virtual infrastructure terms and organizational models accelerate ramp-up time and reduce software learning curves.
  • One-click Inventory Collection
    Easily obtain the latest inventory of the virtual hosts in the data center with one-click inventory refresh or schedule inventory collection at regular intervals to keep pace with a rapidly growing and changing virtual infrastructure. Capture a detailed inventory of the contents of a virtual machine to obtain a more thorough and holistic view of the virtual environment.

PowerRecon Virtual Infrastructure Edition pricing is based on a per VMware ESX Server CPU model and starts at $295 per socket.

The Inventory Edition of PowerRecon is still in place and still offered free of charge. It’s available here.

virtualization.info recognizes Accountability as one of top 10 challenges in virtualization adoption. PlateSpin efforts in this area are welcome, so the Virtualization Industry Challenges report has been updated accordingly.

The virtualization.info Virtualization Industry Roadmap has been updated accordingly.