VMware Inc. next week is unveiling its VMware Technology Network, or VMTN, a Web-based program that will let users get virtual machines preconfigured with software from ISVs.
The network will launch the following week.
“This is a response to a growing trend were seeing where organizations are adopting virtualization and standardizing on virtualization,” said Srinivas Krishnamurti, group product manager at VMware, in Palo Alto, Calif.
The program will save users and developers money and time in provisioning and deploying their VMs, Krishnamurti said. In addition, it will reduce businesses hardware costs by making it easier to use VMs instead of physical servers, he said.
It also gives software vendors another vehicle for delivering their products to users, and it lets developers reduce the time spent installing and configuring applications and increase the time they spend on testing and developing.
The bundled products—which encompass VMware Workstation 5, VMware GSX Server, VMware ESX Server and P2V Assistant—are available through a yearly subscription of $299. In addition, developers can access applications from ISVs, such as Novell Inc., Oracle Corp., Red Hat Inc. and open-source software through SpikeSource Inc., preloaded on virtual machines without the subscription by downloading them from VMTN.net.
The network also includes a Web site with technical resources, such as articles, white papers and a community forum, Krishnamurti said.
Baker Hill Corp. has been expanding its use of VMware technology for the past three years and now uses VMware ESX Server extensively, said Eric Beasley, network administrator for the software maker, in Carmel, Ind. The VMTN offering will enable companies like his to expand their use of VMs and give other businesses the chance to evaluate the technology without having to spend a lot of money, Beasley said.
“Otherwise, it can be fairly daunting for some companies, particularly companies that just want to get into the VMware environment,” Beasley said. “With this, as long as [I] have the subscription, Im getting their newest products.”
Baker Hill has been able to retire dozens of physical servers and workstations by migrating jobs onto VMs, moves that have saved the company time and money, Beasley said.
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