Are unused virtual machines sapping server power? One free way to find out

Those of you who appreciated my brief (yet effective) post a couple of weeks back about a free Windows client power manager (and there were many of you, thanks!) will appreciate knowing about this second bit of freeware from Microsoft partner NetWrix: a utility for eradicating virtual server sprawl.

The pitch for the NetWrix Virtual Machine Sprawl Tracker is pretty simple. There are times when unused or inactive virtual machines actually wind up being a sap on power, even though server virtualization itself is one of those no-brainer strategies that is rewriting the rules of data center electricity consumption. The software works by sending a report outlining which virtual machines are running with no apparent usage, which allows an IT manager to shut it down if it makes sense.

The freeware version of the software can process up to 100 virtual machines. And even though NetWrix is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, the utility works with VMware Virtual Center 3.x, ESX Server, and ESXi Server 3.x.