Microsoft: How we'll take on VMware
Summary
Topics
A key part of that strategy is Hyper-V Server 2008, the hypervisor, which Microsoft made available for download last week. In any virtualization strategy, the hypervisor is the core, and Microsoft sees it as so important that it is giving it away free to attract more customers.
But, as Adam explained, in order to beat VMware in virtualization, Microsoft needs more than just a good hypervisor. Speaking at the VM08 conference in London last week, Adam told ZDNet.co.uk how Microsoft was approaching the battle. "We have a large portfolio of products and a combined physical-and-virtual infrastructure in one, that [is] offered at a price point which is an industry lead," he said.
But the main target for Microsoft, Adam made clear, was VMware. "Choice is always good for customers, [so] instead of playing 'my hypervisor versus VMware', we decided we're going to leapfrog VMware, and the way we are going to leapfrog them is through our management solutions."
This means that "instead of [using] the old model, you can manage the physical and virtual infrastructure", Adam said. The "old model", as he sees it, is to create an environment that has lock-in — once you start using the company's systems, you are commited to using those systems and perhaps paying higher prices as a result. In an open environment, the user is free to try systems and, if they want to, drop them and shift to other systems with no penalty. By offering the hypervisor and perhaps other software for free, users can try things out.
"Our management products and our hypervisor are open, so that others can manage it and we can manage others", Adam said. "That way, you get heterogeneous interoperability, versus VMware's model, where they only manage themselves and keep it closed."
Tony Lock, program director with analysts Freeform Dynamics, said that in the area of management, Microsoft has the right idea. "The key to virtualization is management, management, management," he said. "They have got that right."
Microsoft knows virtualization is at the very early stages, Lock said. He pointed out that server virtualization often covers tens of virtualized systems in a company but, with desktop virtualization, that amount could run into hundreds or thousands of machines being virtualized, which raises much bigger issues.
"Microsoft is very interested in getting its [virtualization] tools out there… in heterogeneous, interoperable systems," Lock said. "It is not just about the hypervisor."
Talkback Most Recent of 11 Talkback(s)
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Funny how they talk about the importance of interoperability when they do
not have a dominant position. But, with Windows and Office, they are strangely not very interested in interoperability, and have to be dragged kicking and screaming to open up things like file formats and protocols.
DonnieBoy10th Oct 2008 -
Bundling and enforced incompatibilities, that's MS
Back to court again for the greedy little pigs.
fr0thy210th Oct 2008 -
Greddy or Not....
I am using their Hyper-V product in production and it has done a great job for us. Bash as you will, but my experience is good with it, and I know some will claim I am wrong, but thats fine, just stating my experience.
OhTheHumanity10th Oct 2008 -
Oh please lock me in to your revenue model with VM's too MS.
Please, because I love using shoddy products and wasting even more money so that you can continue to keep the IT landscape in the dark ages.fr0thy210th Oct 2008 -
shut up and enjoy the greatness
everybody hates MSFT, just like everybody hates USA, without the US, the world probably still in dark, without MS, you may not even know what is a computer.
I just want to tell anybody who is just as stupid as this guy: shut up and enjoy the greatness.
jk_1010th Oct 2008 -
Keep talking and enjoy the isolation
The reverse of what you tried to say is actually true.
Not about people hating the U.S.A., no that's true because you're laughably fat, never stop talking about yourselves and eat the fridge empty when you babysit.
No it's the very fundamental thing about free markets, which the U.S.A. loves bladdering on about as though they are part of such an idea, yet have policies and ideals in place that are the complete opposite, ie total monopoly over anything they touch.
Why not steal the Sahara desert and pretend that you invented sand too, whilst speculating on the price of sand just prior to stealing it?fr0thy210th Oct 2008 -
I knew computers before MS
Before MS there were plenty of computers:
TI-99/4A
Timex Sinclair
Commodore PET
C-64/128
Amiga
Apple 1/2/3
Tandy TRS-80
There were plenty of applications before MS:
Ami Pro
WordPerfect
Lotus 123
Quattro Pro
Harvard Graphics
Photoshop
Dbase
FoxPro
Groupwise
Novell was around for NOS before the Crapfest known as NT/2k/2k3/2k8.
Sorry, without MS we would have done just fine. And we'll do just fine once they are marginalized to extinction. Ask any of the giants - once you're on top the only way to go is down. With MS it will be a slow, gradual taknking but I'd bet $$ on the fact that it will happen.
itguy0810th Oct 2008 -
I know no less than your list
You don't talk abot Novell, it is just a joke. And you don't talk about apple i/ii/iii, because they are jokes too. lets look at your list, what is still on the list: only Photoshop still there. Foxbase never dominate market until it is sold to MSFT, now Foxpro, still fastest db on desktop. Lotus 123 is dying. you know what, the father of Lotus have got better one to replace it. you what i am talking about.jk_1010th Oct 2008 -
The mouse-wielding monkeys are slowing their descent like a parachute.
But the decline will continue, with the odd boost each time they release a new "product"/under-deliver.
All the time and money in the world and all they can build is a "work in progress" and start trying to force that down people's throats. Hey that's like real progress
fr0thy210th Oct 2008 -
RE: Microsoft: How we'll take on VMware
Vmware had a head start and lots of their software is free: ESXi and GSX. VMware started out of opensource while M$ still had dollar sign eyes. Don't think we're going to use MS's hypervisor and VM tools soon.
MrZodiac12th Oct 2008 -
myDocs: Enterprise Email Management on SharePoint
myDocs is an enterprise email management tool based on Microsoft SharePoint platform and integrates into Microsoft Outlook and IBM Lotus Notes. Anyone who interested in this can visit at www.nsynergy.com for more information.
shirleyge2008@...30th Oct 2008
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