Microsoft Virtual Server Release 2 has begun shipping to manufacturers and is due for general release in the first week of December with a new pricing model and a number of new features, most notably formal support for Linux. “Technically, Linux already worked on Virtual Server, but with R2 we have formalised support, and we will continue to support Linux in the future,” said Bob Muglia, who recently took over as senior vice-president of Microsoft’s server and tools division.
Pricewar ! excellent news.
I see this as a good strategic move by MS. Competing products support Linux, and they allow the host OS to be something other than Windows. It is in the best interest of MS for Windows to be the host/primary OS. A client OS can give the perception of being replaceable. By adding Linux client support, they make their product more appealing in general while making sure that Windows is the host OS.
The importance of hypervisor support is certainly questionable at the moment. Xen’s true potential seems to lie in utilizing hardware virtualization capabilities. So, I would agree that it is somewhat immature. The problem is that if it really takes MS two years to implement hypervisor capabilities, it might be a bit harder to crack a more mature market.
I’m in a quandry of whether to choose Virtual Server or VMWare GSX (NOT ESX)?
I cannot find any strong comparison and what I do find always puts VMWare out on top – but by how much (esp. considering price).
Anybody have any experience of both?
Sounds to me like a good way for MS to get paid while allowing companies to “move” their Linux apps onto MS servers. With more virtual servers coming into play these days, it does help with consolidation.
The idea sounds absurd to me since the virtualization servers usually cost tons of money and this destroys the value argument that Linux brings when looking at older hardware, but…whatever.
I have experience running a bank of converted former physical machines that are now VMWare ESX server machines. The fact that we can migrate large amounts of servers to VMWare is worth it just for the price.
GSX server apparently is in the middle between Workstation and ESX server.
Either way, the product works as advertised, and is incredibly stable. ESX has a few more bells and whistles for enterprise management, but it’s the same core product.