Microsoft has a big surprise planned for not just those of its own customers using virtualization, but for those in the open-source community as well. On April 3, the software giant will use the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in Boston to announce that it is making its Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition product available as a free download from the Microsoft Web site. On a related note, "XenSource has prepped its first major charge at Microsoft Windows customers with a new package that includes the open source Xen hypervisor along with some management software."
Post a Comment
Member since:
2005-06-29
Member since:
2005-11-11
Download link (registration required):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6DBA2278-B...
Main Virtual Server 2005 R2 page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/default....
Member since:
2005-07-06
I think that Virtual Server 2005 R2 was more expensive than windows XP; so why won't they make windows vista for free.
Then, What Microsoft will have in return?:
1. Stop the migration away from their ancient platform.
2. Keep loyals (who pay for vista indirectly via OEMs, and directly through MS support)
3. Attract developers to correct and improve their code.
That way it will be healthier relationship between customers and MS.
Member since:2005-11-15
I think that Virtual Server 2005 R2 was more expensive than windows XP; so why won't they make windows vista for free.
AFAIK Virtual Server requires that you already have Windows installed, so even after it becomes free people will have to buy Windows. If Vista was free, people wouldn't have to buy anything from MS to use it.
Member since:
2006-01-06
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-08-09
Member since:2005-07-09
Member since:
2005-07-09
Watch your back. They gave you IE when it suited them in killing Netscape so obviously Xen or VMWare is now targeted. Rarely done to the users benefit, anything recieved in the short term we will all pay ten-fold for in the long haul but you can take pride in helping kill a free market and crushing innovation while you're bellying up to that, "free", trough.
Member since:2005-11-29
Member since:2006-03-12
absolutely.
Virtualization is comming, and they can't stop it.
This may be seen in a good manner by some people, but the fact is, microsoft is just trying to secure their position versus some heavy players.
The thing is, neither Xen nor VMware need windows to run... and by the way: they are both Free.
Member since:2006-01-06
Member since:2005-07-09
Look if theer are genuinely good products and alternatives out there people are going to download and use it. AFAIK Xen is part of the Linux platform correct? If it is so then that is available quite freely to anyone who cares and so I dont see why it would be a problem when MS freed up this product. If Xen is (and it probably is) a better product then no one has to worry right?
I think the analogy of IE and Netscape is a bad example because Netscape was truly horrible to use in those days and thus IE got popular. Heck I evne gave Netscape 7.1 a shot but it was still not as impressive to me.
Member since:2005-06-30
Member since:2005-07-09
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-12-31
>>It's called "competition". Some people can't seem to appreciate when MS does something positive. It's always got to have some kind of negative conspiracy theory tacked onto it.<<'
It's called an abusive monopoly. It's called ebrace-extend-extingish.
The reason people can't seem to "appreciate" msft in the manner of which you speak, is because of msft's long and shameful history of using bundling with give-aways to kill the competition. Msft does it all the time. Ask Netscape.
Member since:2006-01-06
It's called an abusive monopoly. It's called ebrace-extend-extingish.
First of all, MS isn't bundling Virtual Server 2005 with its OS software. It's a free download. So, as I pointed out in earlier posts, its on equal footing with all of the other freeware alternatives. Hence, you're full of crap.
The reason people can't seem to "appreciate" msft in the manner of which you speak, is because of msft's long and shameful history of using bundling with give-aways to kill the competition. Msft does it all the time. Ask Netscape.
A. Netscape died primarily because Netscape sucked. If you're too young to remember this, ask any well-informed adult.
B. Clue phone: This software isn't being bundled with anything! You just knifed your own argument. Nice job, Sherlock.
Member since:
2005-07-06
Member since:
2005-08-12
Member since:
2005-12-18
Member since:2005-09-04
Well you are somewhat right, MS did kill Netscape, but the thing whith xen is that it's also free and it does not limit you to 4 instancec. So as I see it se now have a case of fre with limitations (aka ms) vs free withot limitations (xen). But it all depends on what you need. If you need to virtualise to hav exchange and mssql ron on the same hw then you use virtual server. If you run an ISP and want to offer LAMP/LAP(ostgresql)P on virtual root servers you use xen. Personaly (I'm just an IT student) I think there is a place for both.
As allways: If i.m wrong you are free to mod me down, but plz send me a comment trelling why so I can awoid the same misstake next time.
Member since:2006-02-11
Member since:2005-09-04
Member since:2006-01-06
Member since:2005-11-15
Please explain how MS giving away Virtual Server 2005 for free is going to kill competition from folks that are also giving away free virtualization software...
Just follow the money. VMware gives away GSX, then they make money by upselling ESX to those same customers. XenSource gives away Xen, but they try to make money selling management tools. But if you start out using MS Virtual Server, you're unlikely to upgrade to ESX or XenOptimizer.
Member since:2006-01-06
Just follow the money. VMware gives away GSX, then they make money by upselling ESX to those same customers. XenSource gives away Xen, but they try to make money selling management tools. But if you start out using MS Virtual Server, you're unlikely to upgrade to ESX or XenOptimizer.
None of MS's software is being bundled with its OS. It's a free download; hence, it's on equal footing with any of the other products you cited. Nice try, though. Tinfoil off.
Member since:2006-01-06
Just follow the money. VMware gives away GSX, then they make money by upselling ESX to those same customers. XenSource gives away Xen, but they try to make money selling management tools. But if you start out using MS Virtual Server, you're unlikely to upgrade to ESX or XenOptimizer.
None of MS's software is being bundled with its OS. It's a free download; hence, it's on equal footing with any of the other products you cited. Nice try, though. Tinfoil off.
Member since:2005-07-06
Netscape did everything they could have done wrong to kill themselves. Microsoft didn't have much to do with it. Look at how popular some other (non MS bundled) applications are compared to their Windows counterparts (WinAmp vs WMP, AOL/Y! vs MSN, etc). Netscape had a serious flaw in their business model.
Member since:
2005-12-27
Not even if Vista were free I would use it, this isn't why I use Linux and FreeBSD, I use them because they are far superior in quality and stability. I'm no fanboy. I just express my feelings. I'm no open source freak either because I use propietary drivers and even can use propietary applications if they are of good quality and stability and Microsoft have never yet come near quality nor stability. Just my Opinion.
Member since:2005-08-22
>I'm no open source freak either because I use propietary drivers and even can use propietary applications if they are of good quality and stability and Microsoft have never yet come near quality nor stability.
Just because someone values freedom over price, it doesn't make them a freak. Believe it or not, intelligent people can intelligently disagree with each other because they have different priorities. I value Freedom over price, but I also respect that others disagree. And still, I wouldn't call them "freaks."
Member since:
2006-04-03
On this page it states that MS are releasing virtual machine add-ins for linux:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/evaluati...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but could this go down in history as the first time MS have developed software for Linux?
Member since:2005-07-06
Hell seems to be freezing over quite a bit lately in the technology world, which is a good thing. Everyone (for the first time in a long time, perhaps ever) is playing relatively nice with each other. Of course only time will tell, but it's a nice change.
But to answer your question, MS has been working on Services for Unix for quite a while now (substitute *nix for Unix as it works for Linux as well). I'm sure they had to do plenty of development on *nix boxen to get the product finished.
Member since:
2005-07-05
Member since:
2005-07-06
It's amazing how people can spin this.
Wah, it's not open source, not good enough.
Wah, it requires windows.
Wah, they're just trying to crush the competition.
Are they bundling this with Windows? If not, the whole "trying to crush the competition" argument has NO merit.
God, people are such whiners sometimes.
If you're just going to bitch about how it's not "Free" or you already have a Linux virtual system, then just please do us all a favor and keep to yourselves, instead of clouting this thread with your completely unconstructive crap.
Edited 2006-04-03 23:51
Member since:2005-07-06
I agree with you 100%, however this technology _will_ be bundled with Windows at some point. From TFA:
"Also, in the future, Microsoft plans to release the Windows hypervisor in the Longhorn Server time frame as part of the operating system, which reinforces its commitment to giving customers resource management and virtualization as part of the operating system, Ni said."
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-10-05
If you're just going to bitch about how it's not "Free" or you already have a Linux virtual system, then just please do us all a favor and keep to yourselves, instead of clouting this thread with your completely unconstructive crap.
Every heard of drug pushers ??? The first taste is always free. Very soon, you'll be paying through your nose just to get the high that you need because you are already hooked on it.
The same here, where they get the users so used to their software and then they start charging for the parts that the users need to maintain their environments.
This is also for them to get a userbase going for them. So far most if not all users who are using virtualization on x86 are almost exclusively on VMWare, so they want a piece of the pie and to get a foothold in the standards of virtualization so that they can put a squeeze on it by also getting a standard and charging licenses for other vendors to use their IPs.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-10-05
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-10-05
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2006-01-06
Member since:
2005-07-06
Member since:
2006-02-27
This is good news for me. With virtualization now being offered for free from Microsoft, Linux might just make its way back onto my desktop.
Linux for me was kindof fun to go in and dink around on, but having to deal with partitioning my drive and all that stuff was a real hassle. Then eventually I when my Windows partition would fill up, I would have to get rid of the Linux part. Now can put Linux back on and not have to deal with all those hassles.
Member since:
2005-07-08
MS is not trying to go after VMWare or Xen (not primarily, anyway). They are going after Linux.
One argument in favor of Linux was, until today, that you could run free-as-in-beer virtualization software on it, but you can't on Windows (I know that VMWare products do run on Windows, but I understand that the basic VMWare player is limited in that it cannot create VMs, and their free server product is also not full-featured).
Now, MS has a way to respond to this. They can claim that a free, MS-supported virtualization "solution" is also available on Windows (and indeed will be bundled with the OS at some point). So, this is no longer an advantage for Linux.
[I'm not saying that the last paragraph is 100% true---I understand the MS "solution" is limited in many ways. But it's a tenable position, and it may work to at least hold the fort until MS has a more competitive offering.]
Edited 2006-04-04 10:31
Member since:
2006-03-13
The low-to-mid-end of virtualization/PC emulation software seems to be moving towards freeware anyway. VMware's equivalent product is already free and there's a number of FOSS alternatives ranging from Xen to Qemu. I could have suspected this... Frankly I think it's great that big companies seem to be releasing more and more of their low-end enterprise software for free, though. Makes it easy for us hobbyists...
