Microsoft introduces tools for virtualization

Microsoft Corporation announced the availability of a set of tools designed to facilitate the adoption of virtualization technology for its customers and partners. The company launched the Microsoft Integrated Virtualization RoI tool that is designed to help customers quantify the cost advantage from deploying Microsoft's virtualization offerings versus competitive solutions. It also announced the availability of a solution accelerator-the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool to help customers automate the process of updating virtual machines, thereby allowing them to manage updating of a large numbers of offline virtual machines according to individual needs.
“Virtualization technology is one of the most critical IT concepts in the global as well as Indian scenario today. However, the current reality is that less than five percent of global servers are virtualized. This points to a clear gap in the adoption of virtualization solutions. At Microsoft, we are deeply committed to making the deployment of virtualization real for customers across India and the world,” said Pallavi Kathuria, Director-Server Business, Microsoft India.

She further added, “As part of Microsoft's ongoing client engagements, we found that while most customers acknowledged the benefits of virtualization, they desperately sought guidance and support in understanding the actual implementation of this technology. We also observed a constant dilemma amongst customers and partners around getting a comparative view of the RoI involved in adopting virtualization solutions available in the market today.”
The Microsoft Integrated Virtualization RoI Tool gives customers direct access to a software solution that produces a detailed representation of the total cost advantage that Microsoft's virtualization solutions deliver in comparison with other options in the market. It allows partners and customers to examine current production server, development/QA lab, desktop and application virtualization opportunities.

The tool is built on Windows Workflow Foundation and the Windows PowerShell interface to manage the workflow of updating large numbers of offline virtual machines according to their individual needs. “At Microsoft, virtualization is a means to enable the company's long-standing vision of Dynamic IT-where people and computers get the resources they need the moment they need them. Microsoft is therefore applying company-wide resources (in everything from product development and licensing strategies to interoperability initiatives and strategic partnerships) to make virtualization a reality for all of its customers,” added Kathuria.