Virtual Migration For Workloads

Virtualization startup SWsoft wants to solve the challenge of moving virtual servers between physical servers without end-user disruption or the need for a storage server.

The company’s tool for doing that? Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0, which features a “zero downtime migration” tool.

The tool is designed to ensure that customers don’t go offline while they transfer data from one machine to the next.

In that respect, the tool is similar to rival VMware’s VMotion technology, but doesn’t require the added cost of a storage array, according to SWsoft CEO Serguei Beloussov.

The zero downtime guarantee SWsoft delivers in Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0 is attractive to customers for a number of purposes, including server consolidation and disaster recovery.

Take server consolidation.

Many businesses have data centers with legions of server racks, creating a heat and energy consumption conundrum that causes IT costs to skyrocket.

SWsoft’s virtualization software allows customers to considerably pare the number of servers they use by carving up physical machines into multiple virtual servers.

The virtual servers perform and execute as independent servers with their own memory, input and output, configuration files, users and applications. Each can be re-booted independently.

Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0 also now covers Red Hat Enterprise Server 4.0, Fedora Core 4.0 and CentOS 4.0 on both the host system and the guest virtual server levels.

Beloussov also introduced Virtuozzo for Windows 3.5.1, which increases performance and adds support for Windows Server 2003 release 2 and Microsoft Small Business Server 2003.

The Windows-oriented product also features a “physical-to-virtual” to help users migrate data from a physical server to a virtual server.

The CEO said both the new Linux and Windows versions of Virtuozzo come with comprehensive management tools, including workflow perks that manage requests for additional virtual private servers.

Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0, Virtuozzo for Windows 3.5.1 and are now available, with pricing at $1000 per CPU for Virtuozzo. The management tool is $1000 per seat for unlimited servers.

SWsoft’s new products come on the same day VMware introduced a free virtual server to turn more of the masses into virtualization.

The idea is that customers will download VMware Virtual Server for free and may subscribe to support services, ultimately working their way up to purchasing VMware’s enterprise-loaded ESX Server.