Microsoft is taking a stand on an emerging technology that threatens to reshape software pricing models.
The company on Monday is expected to detail changes to its server product licensing to better accommodate virtualization software, an emerging technology that big companies are eyeing as a way to consolidate servers and cut costs.
Advocates argue that virtualization lets companies reduce the number of servers they need by letting jobs run more efficient on a smaller number of machines. Virtualization software such as Microsoft's Virtual Server, EMC's VMware and XenSource's Xen lets a server simultaneously run multiple operating systems, or multiple instances of the same operating system. Each instance essentially behaves as a self-contained computer.
News source: C|Net News.com
The company on Monday is expected to detail changes to its server product licensing to better accommodate virtualization software, an emerging technology that big companies are eyeing as a way to consolidate servers and cut costs.
Advocates argue that virtualization lets companies reduce the number of servers they need by letting jobs run more efficient on a smaller number of machines. Virtualization software such as Microsoft's Virtual Server, EMC's VMware and XenSource's Xen lets a server simultaneously run multiple operating systems, or multiple instances of the same operating system. Each instance essentially behaves as a self-contained computer.
News source: C|Net News.com
Version 3.51
Bugs fixed:
- Fixed two vulnerabilities, which could be exploited with specially crafted ACE and UUE/XXE archives;
- Previous version did not delete some of temporary files;
- WinRAR could crash when processing very long (more than 1024 characters) archive name parameter in the command line.
Spelling error by Cnet lol...Sounds pretty nifty but shouldn't virtual server make each instance essentially behave as a self-contained SERVER?
One, the server is not able to do any more work then it could if you were running a single OS. You are still running on 2, 4 or however many processors. So why are you installing multiple images; simple, to provide a setup the OS is not flexible enough to offer with a single installation (ie, a Domain Controller and a Terminal Server cannot run on the same server unless you want to weaken security for your entire domain). Or, perhaps you want to ensure that one application cannot cause problems on another (again, a limitation in the OS).
Two, MS is licensing the server based on the number of processors you have (the higher editions which support more processors cost more). Therefore you should not pay more because you choose to configure your hardware into more then one OS image. You don’t buy two arrays to get two partitions, you shouldn’t have to buy two software licenses either. This is the way IBM has done their virtualization mainframe software for the last 35 years; MS should look at their example.
For Microsoft the purpose is pretty much only money. My eyes have been opened by companies that I've worked for since. There is much more to a company's "life" than just the bottom line. That being said, we are just gonning to have to assume that whatever puts more money in Bill's pocket is the driving force behind this license change.
AHAHAHA. Higher prices are better for customers. Good to know.
This kind of thing only benefits opensource so I approve. The more ridiculous their licensing gets, the more businesses will move toward open source solutions ( Linux + Xen or Linux + UML, etc).
if a user runs six virtual instances of a product such as BizTalk Server on a four-processor box, it would have to pay for six BizTalk licenses
This is actually not a change; when I first started looking at virtual server I found in the FAQs that you needed a license for each OS you install, which I do not agree with, but it has always been that way.
Do you know anything about shareholders and the stock market in general?
Why are there so many childish comments on this site ??
Do you know anything about shareholders and the stock market in general?
Yes, they are greedy and selfish if it comes to $$$$$$.
Yeah right......*coughs* BS *coughs*
Ohh... I hate M$$$$, money money money.
Shut up and think!
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