Virtualization Products Launch September 8

Adding to Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, two additional products that support virtualization will launch September 8: System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 and Microsoft Application Virtualization (formerly SoftGrid). The announcement was made at Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2008.

Developers and ISVs are interested in these products from two points of view. First, it's important that their products run under Application Virtualization and Hyper-V so customers can deploy applications effectively. And second, to use them in development and testing efforts. You can build multiple versions of your code for both servers and clients, test deployment, and mange them within Virtual Machine Manager without having to dedicate individual computers for each end user or server.

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008

Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2008 supports managing Virtual Server 2005 R2, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and VMware ESX from a single console. The latest version adds Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO), which dynamically tunes virtual infrastructure, simplified virtual host cluster support, and other improvements and enhancements.

You can download the beta version of VMM 2008 and learn more at Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager: Future Version.

Application Virtualization 4.5

Application Virtualization separates the application configuration layer from the OS. Your applications to run on clients – including desktops, servers and laptops – without being installed, and to be administered from a central location. The public beta includes new capabilities designed to help IT Pros support:

• Large-scale virtualization implementations across more sites and enable multiple delivery options.
• Globalization that lets users work in localized environments with localized applications.
• Dynamic Suite Composition allows administrator-controlled virtual application combinations
• Compliance with Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing and Secure by Default initiatives.

For more information and a link to download the beta, see Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Beta – What’s New.

Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V

Server virtualization enables multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine as virtual machines (VMs). With server virtualization, you can consolidate workloads of underutilized server machines onto a smaller number of fully utilized machines. Fewer physical machines can lead to reduced costs through lower hardware, energy, and management overhead, plus the creation of a more dynamic IT infrastructure.

Hyper-V is shipping for Windows Server 2008. You can find it at Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB950050).

ISVs can now receive a special Hyper-V designation to support the Certified On or Works-With certifications for Windows Server 2008 applications. For more information, see Hyper-V Designation Added to Windows Server 2008 Certifications.

Source: MSDN Blogs