At VMworld 2009, Microsoft introduces a new option, available immediately, for midmarket enterprises and small businesses: a new, discounted software license that includes both System Center Essentials 2007 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008.SAN FRANCISCO -- Most people don't yet equate Microsoft with data
center management or virtualization software, but the fact is, the
world's largest software company has been developing these for a few
years in the form of its System Essential data center wares.
At VMworld 2009, Microsoft on Sept. 1 introduced a new option,
available immediately, for midmarket enterprises and small businesses:
a new, discounted software license that includes both System Center
Essentials 2007 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008.
"With the latest version of System Center VMM, what people now have is
a full set [of virtualization management controls] and parity in terms
of performance, when compared to what VMware has," David Greschler,
director of virtualization and management marketing of Microsoft's
server and tools business, told eWEEK.
"The difference is, of course, that we're about one-sixth the price,"
Greschler said, without qualifying the statement. "Let's face it: This
is my comparison. For example, when GPSes came out, you have to pay
separately for them. Now, cars more and more have them as standard
equipment. That's what we offer -- virtualization included within the
data center [software] package."
With VMware, you still have to buy a separate system, Greschler said.
"That was great when you had a niche solution, but we believe
virtualization should be as ubiquitous as connected to the Internet,"
Greschler said. "Everybody's going to want to do it; it should just be
part of the whole system. You shouldn't need separate training or
certification. If you know Windows, you will know virtualization."
When people buy Windows Server now, Greschler said, "it's [Hyper-V]
just in there. Customers can now find out what the value of
virtualization is and build a foundation for this concept of IP, or
infrastructure as a service, which is the whole sort of cloud picture."
System Center Virtual Machine Manager, in combination with System
Center Essentials 2007, enables the following: improved physical server
utilization, live migration of virtual machines between servers, remote
software distribution and update management to servers and clients,
inventory management, and centralized management of all physical and
virtual machines, Greschler said.
Midmarket enterprises typically have 10 to 200 computers and five to 30
servers, according to industry analysts. They also generally have no
more than a few (one to three) IT staff members who cover the entire IT
system. According to a recent industry survey by AMI-Partners, only
about one-third of midrange-size businesses with servers are currently
using network management applications.
This, of course, represents a major market opportunity for Microsoft, Greschler said.
Dell, Lenovo and Fujitsu announced Sept. 1 that they will offer a new
technology upgrade for midmarket organizations that acquire the System
Center Essentials 2007 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008
license starting today and continuing until the final release of System
Center Essentials 2010 in Q2 2010, Greschler said. The license also
will allow customers to get System Center Essentials 2010 without
having to repurchase it.
The license includes an upgrade program in the OEM channel and software
assurance via Microsoft's volume licensing channel -- starting
Oct. 1 -- so that midmarket organizations have upgrade rights to
Microsoft's next version of systems management tools, Greschler said.
Virtualization 
