Quoting from the Microsoft official announcement:
At WinHEC, which runs May 23-25 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center here), Bob Muglia. Microsoft’s senior vice president of the Server and Tools Business, will provide updates on Microsoft’s new virtualization solutions. Of special note:
- Windows Server virtualization: Microsoft’s hypervisor-based solution is on track to be available with the upcoming Microsoft Windows Server “Longhorn” operating system. Microsoft anticipates having a beta release of Windows Server virtualization by the end of 2006 and plans to release to manufacturing (RTM) within 180 days of Windows Server “Longhorn” RTM.
- Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager: Formerly code-named “Carmine,” this technology is a centralized, enterprise management solution for the virtualized data center. System Center Virtual Machine Manager is part of the System Center family of products and is due for beta release within the next 90 days. Microsoft anticipates release to manufacturing (RTM) in the second half of 2007.
- Intent to acquire Softricity, Inc: Softricity’s application virtualization and streaming technologies provide application compatibility and accelerate corporate desktop transitions to Windows Vista.
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Microsoft’s efforts to accelerate the delivery of virtualization solutions also includes engaging with industry partners, such as AMD and Intel to bring customers hardware-assisted virtualization in Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. Microsoft is also collaborating with Intel on the design and specification of Intel Virtualization for Directed I/O (Intel VT-d), as well as working closely with AMD to help pave the way for a new class of innovation, such as AMD’s I/O virtualization technology.On the OEM front, system manufacturers Dell, HP and IBM all have voiced their support for Microsoft’s virtualization strategy. Microsoft is also working with other leading vendors to define a standard management application programming interface (API) through the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF).
To foster interoperability of virtualization technologies and encourage innovation around new virtual machine solutions, Microsoft continues to license the Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) file format for virtual machines compatible with both Virtual Server and Windows Server “Longhorn” hardware virtualization products royalty-free. More than 45 vendors have signed up for this licensing, including Akimbi, Brocade, Diskeeper, Fujitsu-Siemens, Network Appliance, Platespin, Softricity, Virtual Iron and XenSource…