Virtual Server 2005 R2 - Enterprise Edition - Now Free
Virtual Server 2005 R2 - Enterprise Edition
"Download the Enterprise Edition of Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2. Virtual Server R2 is a cost-effective and well supported server virtualization technology for the Windows Server System™ platform. As a key part of any server consolidation strategy, Virtual Server increases hardware utilization and enables organizations to rapidly configure and deploy new servers."
As has been hotly rumored, Microsoft has freed Virtual Server 2005 R2.
Yep, free as in pizza (it’s too early for beer... I think... ;)
Now that’s cool. And since it’s not bundled into Windows, it won’t get MS in trouble with *.World?
Time to get my Dev/QA Lab setup with this. Just need to grab some hardware...
Technorati Tags: Virtual Server 2005 R2
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2 comments:
Not bundled with Windows? does that mean I can run it on bare metal? It is effectively bundled, let's be honest - System requirements state it needs Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, or Datacenter Edition or later.
However, this is equivalent to VMWare Server 3 (still in beta) being free too (which it is). You can download either and run it on your W2k3 server (or Linux for VMWare). You still need to licence your Guest OS in the same way (MS license for virtual environment is not tied to Virtual Server).
This isn't MS taking a step ahead, it's just playing catch up. Until Virtual Server can run on bare metal like VMWare ESX, Virtual Server remains a small kid on the block - But it has a Big Daddy, so I'm not writing it off.
A system/OS requirement doesn't make it bundled. I intended "bundled" to mean the OS out of the box comes with the given product/feature/utility/etc.
If a system/os requirement implied it being bundled then 90+% of all software available could be considered to be "bundled" with Windows (and wouldn't that just make the EU's head explode? ;)
Better to play catch up then not play at all.
I do agree we owe a thanks to VMWare for releasing some of their products for free, which encouraged MS to do the same.
We also owe a thanks to them for just being there... MS has always done better with an active competitor than without one.
Anyway, thank you for your comment...
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