10 main events in the market of virtualization in 2011

The organizations closely consider projects of virtualization of desktops and users, looking further, on transition to a cloud and all expenses connected with it.

From VMware setting the tone in new model of licensing on the basis of consumption to the iPad tablet which gave a desired spark to the market of virtual desktops, and new efforts of Google together with VMware and Citrix to let pass to corporate applications on Chromebook, - it was year when vendors made something bigger the normal strategic maneuvering. Here 10 proofs of it.

10. Administration in the virtualized environment

Virtualization simplifies IT infrastructure thanks to consolidation, but growth of number of virtual machines in the organization, with the subsequent arrival of virtualization of desktops and DWH, causes the increasing dizziness in IT administrators. And in it the main reason why administrative tools in the virtualized environment became one of hot spots of this market.

In January the vendor of software of IT administration of SolarWinds purchased Hyper9 company beginner. In February NetApp laid out 60 mln. dollars for Akorri company with its packet BalancePoint analyzing performance among virtualized and physical servers and DWH. And in March

VMware released the packet of vCenter Operations Suite allowing to manage performance, the operating capacity and a configuration in a virtual and cloud environment based on vSphere. Considering inability of old instruments of administration to cope with new realities of a virtual and cloud environment, similar products will draw further the closest attention of many customers.

9. Virtualization of mobile devices

Owners of smartphones dreamed long ago of an opportunity to use the same device for the personal and office purposes, but security of data and device management did not allow it to come true. And here in September VMware offered a packet of Horizon Mobile which, using virtualization, creates such separation in the way, acceptable for IT services.

He creates the "locked" phone - in - phone which fences off a working mobile user space from its personal space and includes the expanded administrative tools allowing IT services to provide and disconnect remotely this working space.

LG and Samsung already offered the smartphones based on Android equipped with the Horizon Mobile function. Other companies also created software, achieving the same goal, but Horizon Mobile personifies more innovative approach to the solution of this problem for today.

8. Citrix aims on the market of SMB

Citrix Systems wants to take more market of SMB, and purchase of firm of virtualization of desktops Kaviza with its packet of VDI-in-a-Box in May was a big step in this direction. After this Citrix managed to release the first version of VDI-in-a-Box under own brand which is built in its cloud support service by GoToManage, improving functioning of the platform in the scenario of services of management of IT.

Also, aiming to attract partnership of more Var'ov aimed at SMB in the program, Citrix in November entered certification for SMB-partner. Mike Futs, recently appointed senior director of Citrix on channels of America and transactions on places, said that formation of the sales channel in the market of SMB will be the important purpose of the company in new year.

7. Big Switch Networks threatened on virtualization of networks

Big Switch Networks company beginner considers that the network market needs the VMware, and is ready to act in this role.

This developer of network virtualization appeared under review this year, at once having expressed the intention to reach the same transformation in the field of networks what was reached by VMware in virtualization of servers, relying at the same time on new technology of programmable network infrastructure (SDN).

Big Switch Networks uses the protocol of switching OpenFlow to save from tiresome configuring and administration of network devices. Its technology provides management of physical hosts in network by means of the additional virtual level working over network. It not only simplifies administration of networks, but also allows to add quicker resources at the physical layer.

6. Microsoft decided to include Hyper-V in the client of Windows 8

Windows 8 will appear not earlier than next fall, but Microsoft already surprised observers of the industry, having announced in September intention to include Hyper-V hypervisor in a client part of OS. Hyper-V is a part of Windows Server from the moment of its emergence in 2008, and now with arrival of Windows 8 it will be possible to start at the same time several copies of 32-or 64-razryady OS on any computer with architecture of x86. "We will provide support of virtualization on "client" Windows OS", - Stephen Sinofsky, the president of division of Windows and Windows Live reported in the blog, when opening the Build conference.

Also at a conference the version of Hyper-V 3.0 planned to start with future version of Windows Server in which opportunities and performance of a hypervisor are considerably increased was shown.

5. Google + Citrix and VMware = corporate Chromebook?

When Google announced the Chromebook notebooks in May, having positioned them as an inexpensive alternative to models with Windows, one of the first questions which arose at observers of the industry, was: whether they will be able to pull corporate applications? In reply to Google combined efforts with Citrix and VMware (with which not really cooperated earlier) to guide bridges of virtualization and to solve this problem, having made the platform potentially attractive to business users.

In August Citrix showed the preliminary version of a packet of Receiver for Chrome OS, and VMware works on a similar product. For the present too early to speak whether Chromebook notebooks will be able really to throw down a challenge to Windows, but the strategy of involvement of vendors of virtualization shows that Google is seriously aimed at business market.

4. Virtualization of users becomes fashionable

The AppSense company which is engaged in development of virtualization of users 12 years received 70 mln. dollars of the venture funding from Goldman Sachs that allowed to translate this segment of the market on higher speed.

The technology of virtualization of users grew from management of the user profiles and helps to cope with all difficulties of migration of virtual desktops, including transfer of user preferences and other aspects of personalisation. Now and RES Software, Liquidware Labs, Tricerat and Unidesk companies should benefit from the increased attention to this segment.

3. Virtualization of desktops and its iPad accelerator

All doubts concerning what product brings more business of virtualization of desktops for the channel, were disseminated this year when iPad was as honey pie of the business mobile market. Of course, there are tens of tablets with Android, and HP released the TouchPad in July (having allowed it to live only six weeks), but to all these competitors is so far prior to a victorious procession of the firstborn of Apple.

An opportunity to show how the whole desktop with all applications is started on iPad thanks to virtualization, was the powerful catalyst of business for Var'ov which opened for themselves this market.

"Nearly each visit to the client includes demonstration on iPad now. It became the most convincing argument in a conversation and the accelerator of transactions", - Mike Strol, the president of Entisys VAR company says.

2. VMware prepares Cloud Foundry

In April VMware submitted the beta of the platform - as-service of Cloud Foundry which will allow developers to rewrite applications on Java, so that they normally worked in a private cloud based on its technology. Cloud Foundry serves also as recognition of that (as more than once the general manager Paul Maritz already repeated) that most of developers are the young people in love with new platforms of development and programming languages, such as Ruby, Node.js and Spring today (last of which was purchased by VMware in August, 2009 together with SpringSource company).

(In addition, creation of Cloud Foundry allows VMware to declare success of the efforts on pulling of the personnel from competitors: Mark Lukovski, the technical director of VMware, and Derek Kollison, the chief architect of its division of cloud services which both passed into the company from Google took part in development of this platform.)

Cloud Foundry for the present is in a stage a beta, but developers already reacted to it positively, and HP uses it in the private beta of HP of Cloud Services starting in September.

1. To licensing on the basis of consumption

Having given start to the new version of vSphere 5 in July, VMware raised performance and possibilities of the cloud OS on even unprecedented heights. But together with it also vRAM, new model of licensing vSphere which became the step of VMware largest for today on the way to licensing on the basis of consumption (consumption-based) started.

VMware already uses the prices by the number of virtual machines for the products vCenter, but in this case transition to vRAM did not take place smoothly. Some customers were dumbfounded, having carried out calculation and having come to a conclusion that their servers using huge resources of memory will be much more more expensive with transition to vSphere 5.

VMware reviewed later the conditions, having doubled initial quotas on vRAM, and it calmed fears of customers. And now the general manager of VMware Paul Maritz lets know that it is necessary to wait for further changes in licensing which ultimate goal - transition to model on the basis of consumption. If this first step speaks about something, then the road can not be smooth.

Source: Kevin Maklokhlin, CRN/USA