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Parallels + Quest = VDI Solution Bundle

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Quest Software and Parallels today announced a major deal by jointly launching a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) bundle that offers enterprises a centralized Windows desktop deployment and management platform.

Parallels

Quest - Provision Networks

The combination of Parallels Virtuozzo Containers server virtualization and Quest’s Provision Networks Virtual Access Suite (VAS) desktop brokering and management solution aims to simplify desktop and image management, improve security, address regulatory compliance and offer the most cost-efficient approach to terminal services.

Parallels Virtuozzo Containers enables users to run multiple workloads as isolated, simultaneously executing virtual environments. Since it is installed on top of the operating system (OS), the containers use the resources of the underlying host OS, rather than needing their own.

“By delivering up to three times the number of virtual desktops on each physical server, Parallels Virtuozzo Containers makes VDI a truly cost effective solution,” said Paul Ghostine, VP and General Manager of Quest Software’s Provision Networks division. “We see this partnership as an opportunity to further extend our leadership in the VDI space by giving customers a variety of platform choices for their desktop virtualization needs.”

The solution is priced $140 per concurrent desktop connection and it’s available now through sales channels of both companies.

Last Week’s Virtualization Headlines

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We apologize for the limited reporting of last week, and we just wanted to let you know we’re going to pick up our usual pace as of today. For now, these are the most apparent stories we came across with regards to what happened in virtualization land:

  • Virtual Iron and Surgient both lost key marketing executives. Mike Grandinetti, who had been working for Virtual Iron since 2003 (see our video interview with Mike at VMWorld Europe 2008), has moved on to become Managing Director of Southboro Capital, presumably his own venture. Similar story at Surgient, who saw the leave of VP of Marketing Erik Josowitz who had been with the start-up since 2004. No word on what Josowitz is up to next.
  • Quest Software reported (PDF) its 2008 Q1 results. Total revenues increased to $172.8 million compared to the prior year’s first quarter revenue of $149.8 million.
  • Parallels has updated Parallels Desktop to build 5600. With the update, the company has added full support for Windows Vista SP1, Windows XP SP3, and improved compatibility with the MacBook Air, along with some minor bugfixes and performance enhancements.
  • Stealth startup DynamicOps, a venture-funded spinout of management technology developed by Credit Suisse’s research and development organization, launched its virtual machine management application Virtual Resource Manager.
  • HP joined Desktone‘s Service Provider Partner Program.
  • VMware announced that VMware Site Recovery Manager, a product for disaster recovery management and automation, will be available for order this week with general availability expected to follow within 30 days. Both 3PAR and NetApp have already announced integration / support for VMware SRM.
  • Check Point Software Technologies announced the general availability of ZoneAlarm ForceField, which it claims to be a comprehensive, virtualized browser security solution.
  • AMD announced enterprise customers now have more choices for rack-mount and blade systems based upon Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with the launch of six new servers from Sun Microsystems.
  • EMC could very well be planning to sell off all or part of its majority stake in VMware, a rumor spread by Bloomberg. EMC will be able to do a tax-free distribution of shares in January 2009, and some are already citing Intel as a potential acquirer of the assets.

Baseline: 10 Free Virtualization Tools You Should Know

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Baseline published an interesting list of “10 free virtualization tools you should know” on its website.

virtualization-free-tools1.png

The list in full:

  1. OpenVZ (Parallels) – also check out our video interview with Werner Fisher from Thomas-Krenn.AG on OpenVZ
  2. FreeVPS (Positive Software)
  3. Sun xVM (Sun Microsystems, who wants to equip Web 2.0 startups with “SAMP”)
  4. VirtualBox (innotek, recently acquired by Sun)
  5. PlateSpin Power Recon (PlateSpin, recently acquired by Novell)
  6. Vizioncore vOptimizer Free Ware (Vizioncore, recently acquired by Quest)
  7. Virtual Iron Single Server Edition (Virtual Iron)
  8. Enomalism Virtualized Management Dashboard – VMD (Enomaly)
  9. Microsoft Virtual Server Migration Toolkit – VSMT (Microsoft) – also check out our video interview with Mike Neil, Virtual Machine Technologies Product Unit Manager at Microsoft
  10. Moka5 LivePC Engine (Moka5)

Acquisition Mania: Quest Software Snaps Up Vizioncore

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Ain’t no stopping the flurry of acquisition spree we’re witnessing lately in the virtualization space. As reported by many media already, Quest Software Inc . has completed its acquisition of Vizioncore Inc. , a provider of disaster recovery and other products for virtual infrastructure management.

Quest already took a controlling stake in the company in 2005, but now moved to snap up the remaining interests. In 2007, Quest had already broadened its virtualization product portfolio by buying Invirtus , a provider of virtual machine optimization, conversion and automation products, and Provision Networks , a provider of virtual client and desktop management solutions.

Vinny Smith, CEO of Quest, said: “We see virtualization as the next great frontier within IT. The completion of the Vizioncore acquisition along with the recent additions of Provision Networks and Invirtus to the Quest family combine to position us as one of the leading pioneers in this emerging market space.”

[Source: press release at TradingMarkets.com ]