Microsoft Unwraps Virtualization Surprise

[malware]

Microsoft Corp. recently delivered a surprise for customers and partners, unveiling a public beta for its hypervisor-based server virtualization technology called Hyper-V, a feature with some versions of Windows Server 2008. Customers and partners today can download Windows Server 2008 RC1 Enterprise with the beta version of Hyper-V to evaluate the new technology, test applications and plan future consolidation, business continuity and high-availability projects.


The beta was previously expected to be ready in the first quarter of 2008 with the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Server 2008. The beta is available for download at http://www.microsoft.com/ws08eval.

"Delivering the high-quality Hyper-V beta earlier than expected allows our customers and partners to begin evaluating this feature of Windows Server 2008 and provide us with valuable feedback as we march toward final release," said Bill Laing, general manager of the Windows Server Division at Microsoft. "Along with Hyper-V, Windows Server 2008 offers cost-effective and flexible licensing for virtualization so that customers and partners can extend the savings realized through server consolidation and deliver on the vision of Dynamic IT."

Currently, the beta for Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V is available for the x64 Enterprise Edition in English. This beta release provides customers and partners with expanded features and capabilities not previously available in the September 2007 Community Technology Preview of Hyper-V, such as Quick Migration, high availability, Server Core role and Server Manager integration. The final version of Hyper-V remains on target for release within 180 days of the RTM of Windows Server 2008. As a feature of Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V is designed to provide a broad range of customers with familiar and cost-effective virtualization infrastructure software that can help reduce operating costs, increase hardware utilization, optimize infrastructure and improve server availability.

To provide integrated management of physical and virtual environments, Microsoft is also developing the next version of System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Customers will be able to use this integrated management tool to rapidly provision and configure new virtual machines, and centrally manage their virtual infrastructure, running on Hyper-V, Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2, VMware ESX Server and Virtual Infrastructure 3 (V13).

Windows Server 2008 Moves Closer to Launch
The release of the Hyper-V beta marks another significant milestone for Windows Server 2008 as it approaches final release by the "Heroes Happen Here" launch in Los Angeles on Feb. 27, 2008. The launch, featuring Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, will mark the largest enterprise launch for the Redmond, Wash.-based company and is just one of many events planned for a worldwide rollout. So far, almost 2 million customers around the world have obtained Windows Server 2008 evaluation code. With such an extensive network of testing by customers and partners, Windows Server 2008 will be the most reliable and highly secure server platform on the Windows platform Microsoft has yet delivered, introducing role-based installation and management that will make it easier to help manage and secure specific server roles. More information about Windows Server 2008 and the Hyper-V beta is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/virtualization/default.mspx.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[cdawall]

so i can download server 08?

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Got a key and downloading the x86 version now.

Its worth it just to have a look.

 

[mdm-adph]

Ah, Microsoft. Always making a big hubbub about going where others have boldly gone before.

 

[Steevo]

I have a RC of server 08, Visual Studio 08, sharepoint server with the 08 updates, and a spare 400Gb drive, but I am having too much fun with GTA and my time off to do anything.


There are alot of things you can do with this software that most won't and don't do. However in a large corporate environment with huge servers this is good. Imagine having to have software to translate between three different servers to run all the apps you need for financial transactions and data mining on current customer's and purchases. So a credit card corp tracks all purchases to gain extra income from targeted advertising included with your bills, however they use a SQL server to track all that, and that is huge, then you have the server that actually process the credit transaction and figure payments, interest rates, and have thousands of requests made per second, all have to be secure, then you throw in the mix things like balance transfers, how much case said company has at any given point and how much they can pay out to those merchants, through Visa, who takes a 2-3% off the top for their time name and troubles. So to attain that sort of security and scalability you run IBM iseries servers, that can run windows terminal server on it also, so all your customer service employees can access each persons individual information. So there are quite a few segregated servers to run one simple business, and if you can migrate all your infrastructure to two tandem servers and virtulize all other operations, save money and have faster processing times for every event, then you have more time to run things like data mining, and allow better faster customer service.



It all comes down to if it will save a company $100,000 for one less server and better data management and ease of access then it is worth it in a heartbeat.

 

[mdm-adph]

So there are quite a few segregated servers to run one simple business, and if you can migrate all your infrastructure to two tandem servers and virtulize all other operations, save money and have faster processing times for every event, then you have more time to run things like data mining, and allow better faster customer service.

It all comes down to if it will save a company $100,000 for one less server and better data management and ease of access then it is worth it in a heartbeat.

Yeah, we've had this kind of stuff for years -- it's called VMWare.