TECH ANALYSIS: Both IBM and Sun Microsystems offer virtualization technology for their systems, but IBM would probably phase out Sun's if the two companies were to merge. Sun's VirtualBox virtualization software has not been around long enough to gain a strong foothold among Sun users, while IBM has a strong relationship with VMware.
There are few technologies in the data center that are getting the same level
of attention from enterprises as virtualization.
Virtualization offers the promise of driving down costs through
consolidation while increasing server utilization. The technology also is
rapidly expanding beyond servers and into other aspects of the data center,
from storage devices to applications to networks.
It's also an area in which both
IBM and
Sun Microsystems have offerings. Those products will have to be sorted out if IBM
follows through on buying Sun.
Sun has virtualization for its SPARC hardware running Solaris and also for
commodity x86 systems in its xVM line. IBM
has virtualization for its proprietary hardware and would likely add the xVM
developments to its product line while phasing out Sun's proprietary
virtualization system as the underlying hardware reached the end of its service
life.
Sun acquired Innotek-the original maker of VirtualBox-in February 2008, so
it isn't as if IT managers have had years to implement and embed the x86
virtualization technology. As a competitor to Microsoft's Hyper-V or, more
importantly, VMware's ESXi, it doesn't really register on the scale.
IBM has relationships with VMware and
embeds the VMware hypervisor in some of its server offerings. Leaving IT
managers undisturbed as they proceed to virtualize with VMware would probably have
the advantage over an attempt to introduce xVM.
Labs Technical Director Cameron Sturdevant can be reached at cameron.sturdevant@ziffdavisenterprise.com.
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Cameron Sturdevant is the executive editor of Enterprise Networking Planet. Prior to ENP, Cameron was technical analyst at PCWeek Labs, starting in 1997. Cameron finished up as the eWEEK Labs Technical Director in 2012. Before his extensive labs tenure Cameron paid his IT dues working in technical support and sales engineering at a software publishing firm . Cameron also spent two years with a database development firm, integrating applications with mainframe legacy programs. Cameron's areas of expertise include virtual and physical IT infrastructure, cloud computing, enterprise networking and mobility. In addition to reviews, Cameron has covered monolithic enterprise management systems throughout their lifecycles, providing the eWEEK reader with all-important history and context. Cameron takes special care in cultivating his IT manager contacts, to ensure that his analysis is grounded in real-world concern. Follow Cameron on Twitter at csturdevant, or reach him by email at cameron.sturdevant@quinstreet.com.
