Following the broad product, partner and customer announcements from its “Get Virtual Now” launch last month, Microsoft Corp.’s CEO Steve Ballmer today announced the final release and availability of Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 in front of a crowd of 700 IT professionals during a TechNet Server and Tools event keynote address in London. To further assist customers with the adoption and deployment of Microsoft virtualization solutions, Microsoft announced a new offering of specialized assessment and implementation services available from the Microsoft Services organization that help customers use server virtualization, and separate new training and certifications from Microsoft Learning for IT Professionals.

Products, Services, Training and Certification Ease Use and Adoption

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008, a bare metal hypervisor-based server virtualization product, is now available as a no-cost Web download. Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 provides a simplified, reliable and optimized virtualization solution for customers to consolidate Windows or Linux workloads onto a single physical server or to run client operating systems and applications in server-based virtual machines in the data center. Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 allows customers to leverage their existing provisioning, updating, management and support tools, processes and skills.

The provisioning and management tools are based on Microsoft System Center suite, which provides centralized, enterprise-class management of physical and virtual resources across desktops and data centers. One of these products is Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008, which is available as beta software; a final version will be released by the end of the month. System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 enables customers to configure and deploy new virtual machines and centrally manage their virtualized infrastructure.

Customers can now benefit from the Server Virtualization with Advanced Management offering from Microsoft Services to help maximize the value of server virtualization using Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V and System Center. This offering includes assessment of existing physical infrastructure, review of potential cost savings, and proof-of-concept implementation, followed by a full design, deployment, migration and operational integration of the virtualization infrastructure.

Building on the strength and valued reputation of the Microsoft Certified Professional program, Microsoft is also delivering a new series of global virtualization training and certification offerings for IT professionals covering desktop, server and management environments.

Vinod/ITvoir Network