The System Center 2012 release candidate makes a very clear statement: Microsoft is ready to seize the private cloud market from VMware.
But has it? Veeam Software's last V-Index reveals price as the leading driver for enterprises switching up their virtual environments. Cost, however, is far from the only differentiator among virtualization offerings.
For data center managers who want the benefits of SAN-based business continuity software without the risks of disruption, virtualization vendor DataCore claims to have a solution.
Hyper-V may not be today's virtualization market leader, but don't count on it to play second fiddle forever. The virtualization platform is catching up fast, and its low price point makes it an increasingly easier sell.
Microsoft tends to get things right with version 3 of its products, and with Hyper-V 3, this looks to be the case once again. When Server 8 comes out, Microsoft will have a serious server virtualization platform on its hands that will do everything most companies need.
When it comes to server virtualization pricing, it seems each vendor has chosen a different fruit. How do you compare pricing when structures vary from per-server or per-processor, or are based on VM usage, bundled guest OS licenses or combinations of all of these?
Microsoft knocks VMware's virtualization strategy. Some of it rings true but it doesn't seem to matter. Is this a sign of Microsoft becoming less relevant?
Fujitsu announced it will ship four middleware products for Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud platform.
Tags:
Azure, Fujitsu, public cloud, Microsoft, middleware
The initial beta of Microsoft's System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 was released to the MSDN community two months ago. We step through our user experience with and provide some tips to get things working optimally.
Tags:
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, server virtualization, System Center Virtual Machine Manager, Microsoft, Hyper-V
The virtualization kingpin has company in the Leaders' Quadrant of Gartner's x86 server virtualization Magic Quadrant. With Citrix and Microsoft in its square, shouldn't VMware be at least a little concerned?
Tags:
Microsoft, server virtualization, VMware, Citrix, Gartner
Microsoft released a first beta of its upcoming System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 product to the MSDN community in early May. We took it out for a spin, and here's what we found.
Tags:
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, server virtualization, Hyper-V, Microsoft, System Center Virtual Machine Manager
Virtualization plays an ever more important role in Microsoft's long-term plan. Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1 each brought a number of new features to the virtualization table from their respective sides, and the virtualization offerings don't stop there.
Tags:
Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 R2, virtualization, Hyper-V, TechEd
Microsoft's TechEd keynote declared cloud, devices and developers the theme for the week. But it did not ignore its longstanding data center and end user desktop bases.
Tags:
Microsoft, TechEd, cloud computing, Azure, Exchange
Sure, it's a lot less expensive, but is there a technological reason to choose the Linux leader over the virtualization kingpins? Navin Thadani thinks so and explains why.
Tags:
VMware, Hyper-V, Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, Microsoft, server virtualization
With System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 and Server App-V, Microsoft aims to simplify the bits and pieces needed to run a virtual infrastructure by virtualizing at the application level. Will it change the perception of server virtualization management?
Tags:
Server App-V, server virtualization, Microsoft, SCVMM, application virtualization
If you want the advantages of a local messaging server as well as those of cloud computing, it may be time to consider coexistence.
Tags:
cloud computing, Exchange server, messaging server, Microsoft
It's SP1 time for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, and a release candidate (RC) for Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is out. Find out what new features may be headed to your data center in the next few months.
Tags:
SBS, server software, Windows 7, Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 R2
Microsoft and Nokia have teamed up in the hope of at last conquering the smartphone
market. Many are calling this a last ditch effort for both the phone maker
and the OS vendor to have any sort of presence in this complex market. Here's why the venture is likely to fail.
Tags:
iPhone, Windows 7 Phone, Microsoft, Nokia, mobile os
Dell and HP announced new software offerings designed to make managing virtual environments easier. Is the future for server manufacturers virtual?
Tags:
virtual appliance, HP, server virtualization, Microsoft, Dell
As part of the sale of Novell to Attachmate, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and EMC have done the unlikely: They've joined together under the CPTN banner to acquire more than 800 patents. Is the OSI right to be concerned that this could be the beginning of the end?
Tags:
Microsoft, open source software, OSI, Unix, Attachmate
A new survey of IT professionals finds Exchange 2010 migrations entering a growth phase.
Tags:
Exchange server, Microsoft, Exchange Server 2010, Mimecast, email
Got tools? Add these valuable and free server tools to your toolbox to make your computers, network and wallet very happy.
Tags:
Microsoft, open source server, Top 10, server tools, Apache server
The announcement that Novell has agreed to sell itself is no surprise. The buyer -- Attachmate -- is, as is the agreed-upon price of $2.2 billion. Meanwhile, the future of Suse Linux Enterprise Server remains unclear, as does Microsoft's role in the deal.
Tags:
Microsoft, Attachmate, open source servers, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Novell
When Microsoft showed off "Denali" at the PASS conference in Seattle this week, it wasn't the Alaskan mountain they were talking about. Instead, it was about a mountain of data.
Tags:
SQL Server, Denali, Microsoft, Windows
Active Directory is one of the primary infrastructure components of many Windows environments. Its resiliency and recoverability are inherently linked to operational continuity. Issues affecting its availability translate into monetary losses. Since Microsoft introduced this technology, it has continually improved native restore capabilities, most recently in Windows Server 2008 R2.
Tags:
Active Directory, Windows Server, Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 R2, disaster recovery
Has Oracle replaced Microsoft as public enemy No. 1 when it comes to enterprise operating systems? Some in the OpenSolaris community believe so.
Tags:
Microsoft, OS, Oracle, OpenSolaris, open source
This preview offers an early look at the next version of Windows Home Server.
Tags:
Windows Home Server, Microsoft, Vail
A recent Accenture survey finds almost 40 percent of respondents planning to
migrate mission-critical workloads to open source software within the next year.
Will open source software overtake proprietary apps, and is there room for both in the marketplace?
Tags:
open source software, software development, commercial software, Accenture, Microsoft
New release of Microsoft's self-service portal aims to improve data center administrators' ability to quickly provision virtual machines for internal customers.
Tags:
Microsoft, virtual machine, server virtualization, Hyper-V, System Center Virtual Machine Manager
Linux Integration Services 2.1 for Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V R2 is now available free of charge from the Microsoft Download Center.
Tags:
virtualization, Linux Integration Services, Hyper-V, Microsoft
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer defends the company's cloud computing focus.
Tags:
Microsoft Azure, Microsoft, cloud computing
The company will integrate Microsoft's SCE 2010 software with its own OpenManage tools.
Tags:
server management, Microsoft, OEM, Dell
Designed for SMBs, Microsoft claims its Aurora server delivers traditional and cloud capabilities.
Tags:
Aurora, cloud computing, SMB, Microsoft, SMB server
Microsoft is taking its Azure cloud computing platform private.
Tags:
cloud computing, Azure, public cloud, Microsoft, private cloud
The company is collaborating with Microsoft to leverage the Dynamic Data Center Toolkit for Hosters.
Tags:
data center management, SMB, Microsoft, NetApp
Several service providers plan to offer services using the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform.
Tags:
cloud computing, Azure, Microsoft
The Toolkit provides code and guidance for building cloud services powered by Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V.
Tags:
NetApp, SMB, Dynamic Data Center, Cloud, Microsoft
Microsoft is taking a page from SCO's playbook, suing Salesforce.com over nine
CRM-related patents on which it claims the CRM vendor is infringing. Clearly,
both companies believe cloud computing is critical to their future. With the
cloud landscape still forming, is Microsoft prepared to do whatever it takes
to be chief kingpin?
Tags:
Microsoft, CRM, Salesforce.com, Azure, cloud computing
Managing mixed Window, Linux and Mac environments is getting a speed boost with
latest release of the open source software, Likewise.
Tags:
Active Directory, Microsoft, open source software, Likewise
Developers may have an easier time building websites with a streamlined offering that combines the best features of IIS 7.x and ASP.NET Developer Server.
Tags:
ASP.NET, Microsoft, IIS, web server, Internet Information server
For many enterprises, the choice of a server OS is a difficult one. While many companies don't want to pay too much for an open source server, they also want their vendor to remain in business. Unfortunately, the current model seems both unsustainable and unchanging.
Tags:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux, open source server, open source software, OS, Microsoft
Microsoft has been working on a new version of Office Communications Server for several years and many new features were recently unveiled at the Tech Ed conference.
Tags:
communications, Communications Server, PBX, Microsoft
OS Roundup: When it comes to OS patches, Apple's model of 'ignorance is bliss,' is not the way to go; nor is Microsoft's regularly scheduled blitz. What is the best approach for both users and vendors?
Tags:
OS, Patch Tuesday, Microsoft, Apple, patches
Virtually Speaking: It's accolades all around for VMware, even
from Microsoft users.
Tags:
VMware, Hyper-V, server virtualization, TechEd, Microsoft
The partnership will enable IT to manage virtual environments with standard Microsoft data center management tools.
Tags:
data center, Microsoft, NetApp, data center management
The two companies claim to see an increase in the number of companies seeking high-performance computing.
Tags:
Microsoft, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Novell, HPC
Virtually Speaking: Cloud computing continues to find its way into some of the most unlikely places. The HPC community is beginning to embrace it. Is cloud poised to become the most ubiquitous technology of the 21st Century?
Tags:
virtualization, cloud computing, supercomputing, ScaleMP, Microsoft
Microsoft has issued a release candidate of AppFabric, a services platform that is expected to become a standard feature of Windows Server 2008.
Tags:
BizTalk, Windows Server 2008, Microsoft, AppFabric
For many small businesses, experts say that email and file sharing are the top priorities.
Tags:
small business server, server, SMB, Microsoft
The Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 Deployment Guide is available from the Microsoft Download Center free of charge.
Tags:
guide, Microsoft, server, MultiPoint Server, deployment
Chief Executive Steve Ballmer believes Microsoft is now firing on all cylinders having been late to the cloud.
Tags:
Cloud, Microsoft, BizTalk, cloud computing
In pictures, here is an inside look at ten of the world’s largest data centers.
Tags:
Google, Facebook, data center, Microsoft, server
According to one report, to gain unlimited virtualization rights, customers will need to purchase the new Datacenter Edition of SQL Server 2008 R2.
Tags:
Microsoft, virtualization, SQL Server
If you work in a corporate IT shop, then Windows 7 is mostly likely in your future, and it may come sooner rather than later, according to a panel of financial and technology analysts queried by InternetNews.com.
Tags:
Windows 7, Microsoft, windows os, upgrade, OS
At the Cloud Computing Expo, Microsoft and Oracle Execs shared different enterprise cloud visions.
Tags:
Oracle, cloud computing, Microsoft, Cloud, Enterprise
Microsoft will not release its standalone PC Forefront Protection Manager. Instead, the company will focus on multi-server management.
Tags:
Microsoft, server management, server security
Microsoft has released SQL Server 2008 R2 to manufacturing and says it will be out in early May.
Tags:
SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server, Microsoft
Virtualization technology is all the rage, but which product is right for your organization? Learn the 10 virtualization vendors that deliver the best software solutions.
Tags:
VMware, server virtualization, virtualization technologies, Microsoft, Xen
Hitachi plans to combine computing, networking, storage and systems management in conjunction with a new OEM deal with Microsoft.
Tags:
Windows Server 2008, Microsoft, Hitachi, Unified Computing
The cloud strategy laid out by CEO Steve Ballmer in March is still the focus of Microsoft discussion.
Tags:
server, Microsoft, data, cloud computing, Cloud
OS Roundup: Microsoft appears to have woken up to the fact that free open source Office clones may be the thin end of a very slippery wedge. Its response is loud and clear: When it comes to operating systems, Microsoft intends to be a formidable competitor for some time to come.
Tags:
Ubuntu, OS, open source software, Open Office, Microsoft
Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 offers new features, more integration.
Tags:
HPC Server 2008, Microsoft, HPC
The arrival of Intel's Nehalem-EX has pretty much signaled the end of Microsoft's support. The high-end x86 server market is changing, with many servers now sporting features previously available only in Itanium.
Tags:
Itanium, Server Market, x86 server, Nehalem, Microsoft
Taking a close look at Microsoft's cloud computing offerings.
Tags:
cloud computing, BPOS, Microsoft, Azure
The company is offering its Datacenter Management and Virtualization Enablement Kit via Microsoft Connect.
Tags:
SI, data center management, virtual machine, Microsoft
