VMware, you can’t beat Microsoft, so you joined ’em (and fast!)

Today VMware announced that it’s ESX 3.5 product had already become a validated member of the the

Microsoft Server Virtualization Validation Program. Wow! Fast work. It’s only been a couple of weeks since VMware even announced that it would seek validation, and that after Microsoft announced that it wouldn’t support its server software if it was running on an unvalidated hypervisor like VMware. Microsoft’s Virtualization Team Blog notes:

“ESX 3.5 update 2 now joins Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V as being validated to run Windows Server and associated Microsoft server applications. And now that ESX 3.5 has passed SVVP, VMware customers will join Novell customers as receiving cooperative technical support (if there’s a support policy in place, and the customer is running the validated configuration) for Microsoft software running in/on their virtualization software.”

But it also points out that being first doesn’t amount to much. Six other vendors are seeking, or have already achieved, the Microsoft SVVP stamp of approval, too.

Cisco Systems

Citrix Systems

Novell

Sun Microsystems

Unisys

Virtual Iron Software

(Plus VMware)

VMware’s validation doesn’t mean a whole lot now that it has it, except that Microsoft won’t be able to refuse support when its software runs on ESX. But it has still left itself plenty of wiggle room to point fingers at its competitor’s hypervisor. The SVVP policy of support states:

‘The upcoming list of validated configurations will enable customers to identify what scenarios have been tested and validated to work with Windows Server, similar to a support matrix for hardware devices. A validated configuration will consist of a specific version of third-party server virtualization software, a specific version of Windows Server, and a specific WHQL-certified hardware configuration. Additional information will be listed with the respective hardware configuration to enable customers to obtain support for their virtualization configuration.”

If your configuration doesn’t match the specific one that was validated between the two software vendors, you could be out of luck when you need help.

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