VMware Earns Microsoft Validation
Chris Wolf is
reporting on his indispensable blog that VMware has joined Microsoft's Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP). As of 3:17 p.m. ET, Microsoft has yet to post anything official on the
SVVP Web site, so for now, we'll take Chris' word for it.
It's the second piece of very good virtualization news out of Microsoft in the last two days, following on the heels of the changes to its virtualization licensing program. That announcement wasn't as good as it could have been; this announcement couldn't be better.
What it means, in layman's terms, is that Microsoft will provide support for a number of its server OSes, even when it's running in a VMware environment. The supported OSes:
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and subsequent service packs
In other words, it includes just about every Windows server OS still in use (you're not still on Windows NT, are ya?)
Keep in mind that not all virtualization vendors do this. In fact, Oracle does just the opposite; if you're running an Oracle database on VMware, you get nothing from them. Microsoft is at the opposite end of the spectrum here -- they'll support Windows on all the major platforms, including Cisco, Citrix, Novell, Sun and Virtual Iron.
That's a big deal, and Redmond is to be highly commended for supporting its software on so many competitor's platforms.
Posted by Keith Ward on 08/19/2008 at 12:48 PM