Microsoft Offers Virtual Server Preview

A pre-beta version of Microsoft's Virtual Server product, which the company purchased from Connectix in February, is now available for public download from BetaPlace. The preview release, build 1.0.218, is the same that leaked out of Redmond late last month.

Microsoft Virtual Server enables businesses with large server clusters to reduce the amount of physical machines by running multiple virtual servers on each. Microsoft plans to also position Virtual Server as a migration path for companies still running Windows NT4 servers, which can be consolidated onto a single newer machine running Windows Server 2003.

"Each operating system runs in isolation from the others," explained Jim Hebert, General Manager of Microsoft's Windows Server Group. "So what you do in one operating system does not affect what you do in the other operating system, or on the computer on which these other operating systems are running."

Microsoft stresses the pre-beta release is not suitable for production, as some features are disabled and Virtual Server has not been optimized for performance. Virtual SCSI disk support has not yet been implemented.

The Virtual Server preview build can be downloaded by logging into BetaPlace with the guest ID: vscp. After downloading, users can officially enroll in the preview program to gain access to beta newsgroups and updated files. Updates and patches will be released throughout the beta, according to Microsoft.

A final release of Microsoft Virtual Server is slated for the end of 2003. Pricing and packaging details have not yet been determined, says Hebert. Support for the product will be provided through Microsoft Product Support Services.

"We are making solid progress against our milestones, and this deliverable demonstrates that the Connectix technology acquisition has momentum and focus," said Hebert. "We want people who are curious to try it out, play with it and tell us what they think."