Microsoft to release Virtual Machine Manager 2008 in Q4 2008, Application Virtualization 4.5 at the end of September

From the corporate blog Diane Prescott, Product Manager of System Center, unveils the planned date for the much expected System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008: Q4 2008.
virtualization.info was told that the release is coming at the beginning of the quarter rather than at the end as many would expect.

The product, currently in beta, will have some interesting capabilities but most of all it will be able to manage the competing hypervisor: VMware ESX.

It’s the first time that Microsoft crosses the frontier of its domain to interact with 3rd party products but it’s unsure if the customers will appreciate the effort as SCVMM 2008 will still require the existence of VirtualCenter to manage ESX.

This expensive limitation doesn’t depend on Microsoft, which would be more than happy to cut VMware out as much as possible, but on VMware itself which allows the access to its management APIs only through VirtualCenter.

Update: As several readers reported another Microsoft employee detailed the exact date for SCVMM 2008 release: September 8,2008.

Additionally, his article discloses that Application Virtualization 4.5 will be released the same day, along with a formal presentation of Hyper-V 1.0.

It’s clear now that Microsoft is arranging a big launch day to disturb the VMware VMworld 2008 conference, held the week after in Las Vegas.

Second update: Despite what written in the previous update (and the official words from a company employee) Microsoft just contacted virtualization.info to dismiss the claim that SCVMM 2008 will be launched September 8.

The official date, as stated in the original article we published, is set for early Q4 2008.
No words on Application Virtualization 4.5 release date.

Third update: Microsoft also stated that Application Virtualization 4.5 will be released at the end of September, and that it will continue to be part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP).

The only think happening Sep. 8 is a big US kickoff event, the first of a 6-months long series across the world.

The virtualization.info Virtualization Industry Roadmap has been updated accordingly.