SWsoft, Scalent Push Virtualization

SWsoft upgrades Virtuozzo for Windows, while Scalent launches its Virtual Operating Environment, designed to fold servers, storage and networking into a single virtualization fabric.

Vendors continue to bring more virtualization options into the data center.

SWsoft Inc. this week upgraded its Virtuozzo for Windows software, bringing the capabilities for that product up to par with the one the company has for Linux users.

For its part, Scalent Systems Inc. this month launched its Virtual Operating Environment, or V/OE, designed to fold servers, storage and networking into a single virtualization fabric.

SWsofts Virtuozzo products create VPSes (virtual private servers) that enterprises can use for such tasks as server consolidation projects, disaster recovery and better capacity planning. The Herndon, Va., company launched the product for Linux more than three years ago, and in June its version for Windows became generally available.

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Virtuozzo for Windows 3.5 offers support for 64-bit computing platforms from chip makers Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Intel Corp., and offers improved performance and density for Windows-based servers, applications and middleware, according to SWsoft officials.

In addition, enterprises can now restore a single file and create a scheduled backup, and assign multiple NICs and storage devices to a single VPS.

"All of these features are in response to feedback weve gotten from the enterprise," said SWsoft CEO Serguei Beloussov.

Through its V/OE, startup Scalent Systems also is looking to address the problems of the rapidly growing number of servers in the data center, said Ben Linder, CEO of the Palo Alto, Calif., company.

"What we can do with V/OE is really allow the enterprise a cleaner way to handle server sprawl," Linder said. "With the growth of lower-cost servers came a false equity, because while they were cheaper, you needed more of them."

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The software, which supports both Windows and Linux environments, decouples the applications from the physical resources in the data center, he said. By doing so, it enables IT administrators to view those resources—servers, storage devices and I/O—as a single heterogeneous pool that can by dynamically allocated in response to application demand.

Users get greater utilization of their data center resources—particularly servers—and better capabilities for planning for and managing peak load requirements. The software also makes it easier for enterprises to plan their hardware purchases.

The software can work with most servers, switches and storage devices currently in data centers, Linder said.

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