Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0 released. xVM Server and xVM Portfolio expected announcement on September 10
September 7th, 2008 | 
Author: It’s the week before VMworld and a lot is happening outside of VMware. I’ve already posted about Microsoft’s Virtualization Launch stealing the spot light before VMworld, and now Sun has announced it’s intentions to do the same. In fact, after allowing just enough time for the hype from the event in Bellevue, WA on Monday to fade, Sun plans on announcing it’s xVM Portfolio on Wednesday (September 10). Although not quite the party that Microsoft and VMware are throwing, Sun’s live web presentation and chat scheduled for 9 a.m. PST should be exciting as they are introducing the bigger picture for Sun xVM, and how Sun xVM Ops Center, Sun xVM Server, Sun xVM VDI, and Sun xVM VirtualBox fit together.
More information on Sun’s virtualization products is available on the xVM web page. Taken from this page, here is a brief summary of the products in the xVM Portfolio.
At a Glance xVM Platform Portfolio includes:
- xVM Ops Center Unified management of physical and virtual environments
- xVM VirtualBox Streamlined development, testing and deployment in a multiple OS environment
- xVM Server Dramatically reduced downtime and faster virtual environment restart
- Sun VDI Software Secure virtual desktop solution to support anyone, any time in a secure virtual environment
Personally I am very interested in the
VirtualBox and xVM Server products, and I look forward to learning more about the entire portfolio.
xVM VirtualBox version 2.0
Sun xVM VirtualBox version 2.0 was released last week and is now available for download. I’ve already upgraded both my Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux versions and the VirtualBox Guest Additions in my VMs without issue, and I continue to be impressed. The biggest noticeable difference so far in my implementations is the Windows Task Bar is correctly positioned above the lower Ubuntu panel when in Seamless mode. Previously, the Windows Task Bar completely covered the Ubuntu lower panel. Version 2.0 “feels” faster too, but I can’t offer technical evidence to substantiate this claim.
The official announcement from Sun on September 4 provided a quick summary of the new features and changes.
“Users of xVM VirtualBox 2.0 software will now benefit from new support for 64-bit versions of operating systems like Windows Vista and RedHat Enterprise Linux, in addition to all other major host operating systems. The software also offers a new user interface for the Mac platform, improved networking for the Mac OS X and Solaris OS, as well as improved performance, especially on AMD chips.”
For the complete list of new features and fixes check out the VirtualBox Changelog page.
xVM Server
I’ve been waiting for the release of the xVM Server product for a while now. If you’ve tried to make VirtualBox “server -ish” by creating Headless VMs and using the VRDP features like me you will be as equally pumped as I am about the release of the xVM Server product and it’s Web UI. It’s my understanding that the xVM Server can be managed within xVM Ops Center as well, and the Web UI is similar to the Ops Center interface.
For screen shots of xVM Ops Center and a video from August 11 showing a live demonstration of the xVM Server go to Steve Wilson’s Virtual Steve Weblog.
I will definitely plan on catching up with Steve and checking out the xVM booth at VMworld this year!
Posted in 
Tags: 
No comments anywhere as to what all this will cost.
Anybody know??
Thank you, Tom
Tom,
I have not heard any prcing either. I want to say the xVM Server product will be free, but I can not confirm at this time.