vmware

VMware reduces storage requirements of desktop VMs by 70 percent

Paul Mah — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:11:41 -0500

Desktop virtualization pioneer VMware is renaming its desktop virtualization software--formally known as Virtual Desktop infrastructure (VDI)--VMware View. VMware View will come with expanded capabilities that allow IT managers to create new virtual desktops from a generic master template, as well as user-specific files, potentially reducing storage needs by up to 70 percent. In addition, VMware View will also feature offline desktop access in which users can download the entire virtual machine for local use when not connected to the Internet.

VMware View is available today, with the basic package costing $150 per concurrent user. The premium package that comes with ThinApp and all the new features will cost about $250 per concurrent user.

The ability to deduplicate virtual machine images is set to position VMware on a whole new level as it seeks to increase the value of its product. Obviously, the availability of this technology essentially eliminates much of the differentiator factor for companies such as 3PAR, and other storage vendors.

Other features include Virtual Printing, which allows virtual desktops to print to any local or network printer without having to deal with drivers, and Multimedia Redirection, where multimedia tasks are redirected to be handled by the client. Indeed, this drive by VMware to improve is making Microsoft's three-pronged strategy to defeat VMware look dated.

To read more about this story:
- check out this article from The Register
- check out this article from Network World

Microsoft tells of three-pronged strategy to beat VMware

Paul Mah — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:17:54 -0400

Zane Adam, Microsoft's senior director for virtualization product management, recently spoke to ZDNet.co.uk about how Microsoft intends to beat virtualization leader VMware. A primary part of Microsoft's strategy has to do with the release of the free Hyper-V Server 2008, a hypervisor that was made available for download last week. In addition, Microsoft is working on providing superior management solutions by means of its large portfolio of products that cater to virtualization. In order to "leapfrog" VMware however, Microsoft is committing to--surprise--an open environment where users are not locked into a proprietary system right from the get-go. Adam observed that Microsoft's management products and hypervisor are open, while VMware's are kept closed.

For more on this story:
- check out this article from ZDNet Blogs

Cisco announced Nexus 1000V virtual switch

Paul Mah — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:19:32 -0400

Cisco has announced the first third-party virtual switch designed to be natively supported in VMware's ESX enterprise virtualization software. Cisco's Paul Fazzone notes that his company is in effect "virtualizing the link between the network and the virtual machine." The technology is virtualization-aware and allows for policies and management to make the virtual machines work better. Among other things, VMware's VMotion migration technology is also supported. This collaboration between Cisco and VMware will also see the companies working together to integrate VMware's Virtual Desktop Infrastructure solution within Cisco's Application Deliver Networking solutions. The expected result will be improvements in the performance of virtual desktops delivered across the WAN.

For more on Cisco's new virtual switch:
- check out this TechNewsWorld article

VMware goes for the cloud

Paul Mah — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:20:56 -0400

Keeping one step ahead of its competition, virtualization behemoth VMware unveiled infrastructure software that pools hardware and network resources into a cloud-computing environment. Launched at the VMworld 2008 conference that kicked off earlier this week, the new software is called the Virtual Datacenter operating System (VDC-OS). VDC-OS comes with the requisite automated fault-tolerance that can survive hardware failure, eliminating the need for server clustering. In addition, unlike existing cloud systems that require applications to be written and constructed specifically for any cloud computing platform, existing applications running on top of VMware Infrastructure will already be able to run on the VDC-OS cloud without any modifications.

To find out more about VMware:
- check out this The Register article

Microsoft relaxes licensing rules for VMs

Paul Mah — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:01:46 -0400

As expected, Microsoft on Tuesday announced changes to its licensing policy that makes it easier for companies to shift to virtualization. A licensing cap previously mandated that virtual machine hosts could only be migrated to a different physical server once every 90 days. That served as an artificial restriction severely handicapping advanced business continuity and functionality, as well as attempts to reduce energy consumption in the data center.

According to Microsoft, the change applies to 41 server titles, including enterprise versions of SQL Server 2008, and other enterprise-centric products such as Exchange Server 2007. Moving ahead, Microsoft also plans to support its software running inside virtual machines from VMware, Cisco Systems, Citrix, Novell, Sun Microsystems, and Virtual Iron with the same support as their non-virtual counterparts.

To learn more Microsoft's licensing policies:
- check out this CNET News article

Microsoft to unveil new licensing policies for virtual machines

Paul Mah — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:40:23 -0400

Earlier this week, a Microsoft spokesperson said the company will announce licensing changes with regards to server virtualization next Tuesday. Indeed, current Microsoft licensing rules have been problematic for proponents of virtualization, in part because software hosted on a virtual server is licensed based on the physical server.

When using technologies such as VMware's VMotion, which is able to shift running virtual machines between physical servers without downtime, each VMotion move is actually considered a license transfer. However, customers are not allowed to make more than one "license transfer" every 90 days, effectively negating much of VMotion's benefits. At the moment, the opinion from analysts is that Microsoft will remove the 90-day restriction.

To learn more Microsoft's licensing policies:
- check out this Network World article

VMware will make ESXi hypervisor free

Paul Mah — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:24:03 -0400

Effective July 28, VMware will be making its ESXi hypervisor available for free. This aggressive move comes as a direct counter to Microsoft's efforts to propagate its own Hyper-V hypervisor, only recently made available for Windows Server 2008 for around $28. ESXi costs $495 per license at the moment.

For now, the price list for the rest of VMware's products remain unchanged. It is clear from this that VMware is using ESXi to give administrators a chance to use its core product before hopefully moving to higher-end products. VMware is the current market leader with $1.3 billion in revenue last year, and projected revenue growth of 42 to 45 percent for this year.

For more information on this report:
- check out this InformationWeek article

Cisco CEO: We don’t need to own VMware

Paul Mah — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:16:08 -0400

At a round-table discussion, Cisco CEO John Chambers declared that "Our ideal acquisition is 100 engineers with a product just about to come to market." He said that in reaction to questions posed by reporters on whether Cisco would try to acquire either storage giant EMC or virtualization leader VMware, of which EMC already owns a majority stake. He further elaborated that the margins "aren't good" when it comes to storage devices, probably lending fuel to opponents who have long decried Cisco hardware for being overpriced. Still, Cisco will continue broadening its relationship with key players in the data center such as EMC, VMware and even IBM.

For more about what James Chamber said:
- check out this Network World article

HP to work with VMware to manage virtual servers

Paul Mah — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:22:42 -0400

HP will increase its partnership with VMware in a joint attempt to develop software to manage the top virtualization vendor's hypervisor technology. At the moment, HP's systems management software connects to VMware's systems via an external interface made available by the company. This represents a huge step forward for both companies, as ties between the respective software will now be built into the core of each product.

Sharmila Shahani, chief marketing office for HP's Business Technology Optimization unit, noted that customers can henceforth expect to perform more "dynamic capacity management" of virtual environments as well as policies that can be set in HP software and enforced in the virtual environment that places restrictions on the provisioning of new virtual servers.

For more on VMware and HP:
- check out this InformationWeek article

VMware talks virtual desktop

Paul Mah — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:11:58 -0400

VMware is going for a bigger slice of the virtualized desktop pie by offering a hands-on training service that is done onsite. Named the VMware Desktop Infrastructure Jumpstart service, the idea is to lower the barriers for companies who are amenable to the idea of virtual desktops, yet are stumped or intimidated by complexities relating to OS licensing and implementations etcetera. What happens is that certified VMware personnel will train existing staff in setting up the said environment for between 10 and 25 desktops over two days.

Bigger setups can go for the Plan and Design for VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and Application Virtualization, which is more of a consultation service in which a blueprint is drawn up for initial implementation and maintenance. In addition, VMware also has teamed up with Sun to make VMware's own VDI work with Sun's Sun Ray solution.

For more on VMware's push for the virtual desktop:
- check out this article at The Register