VMware, Novell, AMD, SWsoft are in the mood for virtualization

Virtualization – once more – is the topic of this newsletter. Getting tired of it yet? I’m not. Here’s a round-up of some recent virtualization news:

VMware last week announced that it would start shipping its VMware Server free to customers. VMware Server is the former GSX Server, its entry-level product for Linux and Windows servers. Users can download VMware Server here.

VMware Server lets customers partition a physical server into multiple virtual machines, each of which runs its own operating system and applications. It works on 32- and 64-bit x86-based servers and supports Intel’s Virtualization Technology.

The freely downloadable VMware Server is a beta version of the product. A final version will be available in the first half of this year. (Read the story by my Network World colleague, senior editor Jennifer Mears.)

Novell announced that it would support Virtual Iron’s platform in SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9. Virtual Iron makes data center virtualization and management software that allows multiple virtual machines to act as one.

AMD announced that its I/O virtualization technology is now available on a royalty-free license to hardware and software developers. It can be built into a computer’s I/O architecture and be used to address performance bottlenecks encountered when virtualizing x86-based servers.

Finally, SWsoft announced the latest version of its Virtuozzo virtualization software. Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0 provides zero downtime migration, according to the company, which allows a customer to migrate one virtual server to another. The latest version also provides resource management whereby as many as 30 parameters are available for monitoring and tweaking performance. Even what SWsoft call ‘resource management for dummies’ is available – it lets users monitor CPU, memory or hard drive activity and then automatically sets other parameters automatically. Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0 supports the 2.6 version of the Linux kernel and can be used to create 32 single- or dual-core virtual servers.

SWsoft also upgraded its Virtuozzo for Windows. The company has added a provisioning workflow component that allows users to request a new virtual private server and automatically provision it from configurations they have already set up. Both version of Virtuozzo are available for $1,000 per CPU.