Microsoft is fast tracking virtualisation, making
improvements to its hypervisor-based and System Centre Virtual
Machine Manager systems as well as acquiring a company that
specialises in application virtualisation solutions.
At its recent Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, Microsoft
announced that its hypervisor Windows Server virtualisation system
is on track to be available with the upcoming and eagerly awaited
Microsoft Windows Server Longhorn operating system. Microsoft
anticipates having a beta release of Windows Server virtualisation
by the end of 2006 and plans to release to manufacturing (RTM)
within 180 days of Longhorn’s RTM.
In addition Microsoft announced that its System Centre Virtual
Machine Manager will be due for beta release by September 2006 with
RTM in the second half of 2007. Formerly codenamed Carmine, this
technology is a centralised, enterprise management system for the
virtualised datacentre.
Yet most intriguingly, Microsoft has also announced that it will
not rely on organic growth to develop its virtualisation options
and proof of this comes in the acquisition of virtualisation
solutions specialist Softricity. Softricity offers the SoftGrid
Desktop Virtualization Platform, which turns almost all Windows
applications into a service using application virtualisation and
streaming software technologies. Microsoft says that such
application virtualisation and streaming technologies provide
application compatibility and will accelerate corporate desktop
transitions to Windows Vista.
“Microsoft’s virtualisation strategy contrasts with current
alternatives for virtual machine management, which tend to be
complex, expensive and require specialised skills,” says Bob
Muglia, Microsoft’s senior vice-president of the Server and Tools
Business.
“We look at virtualisation as key technology to help customers
achieve self-managing dynamic systems. Across the platform,
operating system, applications and management layers we’re
delivering functionality and capabilities that enable our customers
to significantly reduce operating costs, drive up server
utilisation and achieve better ROI through full featured
virtualisation solutions.”