virtualization

vmSight Releases 3.5 Version of Virtual Network Intelligence Product Suite

April 23, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

vmSight recently announced the 3.5 release of its product suite. The Virtual Network Intelligence product suite allows customers to monitor, alert and report on application and user activity in virtual environments. The vmSight product suite includes VMware-certified virtual appliances for policy management and reporting and for monitoring.

vmSight Virtual Network Intelligence 3.5 adds the following key capabilities:

Application Performance Management – gather data on application response time, application uptime and network latency for all virtualized applications. Monitor, report and alert on service levels for specific applications, user groups and times of day. Measure end user experience and spot problems based on user satisfaction analytics and performance trends.

VM Sprawl Control – Sometimes referred to as “sprawl,” the uncontrolled proliferation of virtual machines can reduce the value and performance of Virtual Infrastructure. vmSight works to automatically and continuously monitor application performance trends and usage statistics to identify under-utilized applications and VMs. It identifies resources for reallocation and applications for consolidation to increase the cost savings of VM utilization.

VDI Diagnostics – continuously monitor VMware VDI deployments and infrastructure to ensure the success of VDI deployments. Capture information on RDP bandwidth, RDP connection results, network latency, and VMware VDM messaging results, as well as track all application activity from virtual desktops and bandwidth consumption by specific applications such as print jobs.

Other enhancements in the release include the ability to synchronize VM identities and groups from VMware VirtualCenter, along with the previously supported ability to synchronize user identities and groups from Active Directory (AD) or LDAP. This allows customers to define service level policies and report by groups defined in VirtualCenter and in AD/LDAP. The 3.5 release also offers capabilities to define charge plans and generate bills based on usage of virtualized applications. The model allows billing for virtualized business services on a connection time or data transfer basis.

[Source: press release]

VKernel Sets Up Worldwide Reseller Channel

April 23, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

VKernel yesterday announced (PDF) the launch of its Global Channel Partner Program for value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators, and consulting firms.

Additionally, VKernel hired Bill Brown as its director of channel sales to build and manage the new partner program. Mr. Brown joins VKernel from Acronis where he was the channel manager for the U.S. East Coast and Canada.

“The rapid growth of the server virtualization market is creating a new lucrative market for systems management solutions to real-world virtual data center issues. Traditional management tools in the physical environment simply cannot address issues in the virtual environment,” said Alex Bakman, founder and CEO of VKernel. “Our growing partner lineup is already reaping the benefits of our unique approach to systems management by offering a suite of virtual appliances that are designed to eliminate complexity, quickly solve problems, and immediately deliver value to their customers.”

“VKernel’s sales strategy is channel exclusive and we are dedicated to making our partners successful,” said Bill Brown, director of channel sales at VKernel. “The virtualization eco-system is currently evolving to include critical management solutions that partners need to fuel their growth and take advantage of a great market opportunity. It is our goal to have VKernel solutions included in each of our partner’s virtualization eco-system offerings.”

[Source: VMblog]

Which Technology Is Cooking In The VMware Kitchen?

April 23, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

In a blog post aptly titled ‘Phwaar’, VMware System Engineer Andrew DugDell reveals absolutely nothing about a new technology that’s internally available, but makes us darn curious in the process.

Dugie writes:

“I’m a bit excited, infact I’m a lot excited. I saw an email today, and then it all hit home. The email was from one of the product teams announcing internal availability of a new technology. It’s one of the technologies that really make me go “phwaar“. (And I thought it was phwaar even before my life here at VMware) — and the phwaar is getting closer, every day.”

…

“It’s kind of like Christmas. You know it’s coming; you can expect [it] all year long, but it’s not until the Christmas decorations go up and the presents start arriving under the tree, that it really sinks in. Then once it arrives, it’s a flurry of wrapping paper, and eagerness, and, and …well you know the rest of the story. Anyway. It’s such a such a simple, (some might mistake it as almost trivial) technology, but it’s so fundamentally exciting that it will change the rules of “traditional computing” [again] completely.”

Anyone have any idea on what gets the man so excited?

VMware’s Financial Results For Q1 Are In, 69 Percent Revenue Increase Beats Wall Street Expectations

April 23, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

VMware today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2008:

Revenues for the first quarter were $438 million, an increase of 69% compared to the first quarter of 2007. (Analysts were expecting a top line of $422.4 million, according to Thomson Financial.)
GAAP operating income for the first quarter was $48 million, compared to $46 million in the first quarter of 2007. Non-GAAP operating income was $106 million, an increase of 62% over the year-ago quarter.
GAAP net income for the quarter was $43 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, compared to $41 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP net income for the quarter was $88 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, compared to $0.16 a year ago.

From the press release:

First-quarter U.S. revenues grew 65% compared to the year-ago quarter on increased demand from large enterprises standardizing on the VMware platform and an increase in the number of smaller transactions delivered through VMware channel partners. International revenues, which increased 74%, were driven in part by triple-digit business growth across Australia and emerging markets including Brazil, China, India and Russia.

Software license revenue grew 73% compared to the same period last year to $294 million and service revenue, including support, subscription and professional services, increased 62% to $144 million.

As for the financial outlook:

VMware continues to expect 2008 revenue growth of approximately 50% compared to 2007.

Second quarter 2008 revenues are expected to increase approximately 55% compared to the second quarter of 2007.

The stock was up $1.95, or 3.5%, to $58.02 in after-hours trading.

“Our product suite has a very high return on investment,” Greene said. “That puts us in a very good position for getting wallet share as the economy gets a little more uncertain.” Large deals, valued at $1 million and up, made up 20% of bookings during the quarter, Greene said in an interview.

Total bookings were not disclosed.

[Source: TheStreet]

Raptor Networks And Pirelli Successfully Complete Chassis Virtualization Testing

April 22, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Raptor Networks Technology today announced the successful completion of interoperability testing and chassis virtualization testing over distance with Pirelli’s City+ CWDM & DWDM Multiservice platform (PDF). Joint demonstrations of both companies’ technologies are planned for the upcoming Networld Interop Show in Las Vegas from April 22 – May 2, 2008.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Raptor Networks to bring to market the value of the first distributed core switching combined with the optical bandwidth efficiency of the Pirelli City+ carrier-class system,” added Pierluigi Franco, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing for Systems at PGT Photonics (a daughter company to Pirelli).

Microsoft Puts Forth System Management As Key Differentiator In Virtualization Technology

April 22, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Microsoft is targeting system management as a way to differentiate itself from competitors in the virtualization market, the company reportedly stated today, as reported by PC World.

Anticipating that the market for virtualization software, such as Microsoft’s Hyper-V, eventually will be commoditized, the company sees management as the key revenue opportunity for competitors offering server virtualization, said Windows Enterprise and Management Division General Manager Larry Orecklin, speaking to reporters on Microsoft’s campus Tuesday.

Microsoft is apparently so keen on making management the corner stone of its virtualization strategy that it plans to open up management for other virtualization platforms, such as VMware and XenSource, with its System center Virtual Machine Manager tool, which it released last September.

Also interesting to note:

Microsoft plans to outline its virtualization strategy further at its Microsoft Management Summit next week, said Orecklin, who suggested Tuesday that a beta of Virtual Machine Manager with support for Hyper-V and VMware ESX also will be available at that time.

[Source: PC World]