Microsoft delivers Linux support and makes Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 available to customers at no charge as part of its ongoing effort to radically simplify IT management.
REDMOND, Wash., April 3, 2006 — Today at the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo, Microsoft announced several new developments in the area of virtualization, a nascent technology that can help customers dramatically reduce their information technology (IT) infrastructure costs. Virtualization technology enables organizations to shave their IT costs through server consolidation, disaster recovery, re-hosting of legacy applications, and software test and development.
Other than mentioning the current state of my jaw (dropped!) I’ll let this one stand as is.
Enjoy!
Just out of curiosity, why would you want to run a virtual Linux system on top of Windows? Not only are you a heretic :), but it seems like you're just asking for trouble. At a minimum you can kiss your uptime goodbye.
Your uptime? On which, a Win2k3 box, or WinXP/Pro box? If Win2k3, my personal experience suggests that while a Linux-based system can be just as reliable, Win2k3 has an incredible uptime rate. Being in control of a small system of Win2k3 and Linux-based systems (2 Win2k3 instances, 2 Linux server instances, with 3 virtual Linux systems running on VSR2 on one of the Win2k3 instances) I can state that I have had more uptime service without even so much of a sneeze by the Win2k3 box, where as the Linux box, while efficient, has had a couple of snaffus that have required a hard restart. The difference is really not by all that much so I wouldn't want to try and suggest Linux is inferior, and instead Win2k3 is DEFINITELY not inferior.
Setting aside uptime differences that I'm convinced don't exist, based on my research and SOME experience, the management and deployment of a virtualized-system infrastructure is, quite literally, quite astounding from the side of MS Win2k3. And working with VSR2 has been nothing but pure joy and satisfaction, whereas the same can DEFINITELY not be said about the tools I have played with on the Linux side.
That said, maybe I just haven't used or even know about any solutions on the Linux side of things that would help change my mind?
Either way, thanks for taking the time to comment :)