VMware opens code to challenge Microsoft and Xen
VMware opens code to challenge Microsoft and Xen
Aug 09, 2005: VMware has opened up its VMware ESX Server source code to its partners to accelerate the adoption of open standards for virtualisation and to maintain its leading position over Microsoft and the Xen project.
It is planning to work with AMD, BEA Systems, BMC Software, Broadcom, Cisco, Computer Associates International, Dell, Emulex, HP, IBM, Intel, Mellanox, Novell, Qlogic and Red Hat to advance open virtualisation standards.
It will also provide its partners with access to VMware ESX Server source code and interfaces under a new programme called VMware Community Source. It is designed to empower partners to influence the direction of VMware ESX Server through a collaborative development model and shared governance process.
Joe Menard, the corporate vice president of software strategy at AMD, said that virtualisation is a game-changing technology for the data centre, and he expects VMware's open collaboration to help foster a broad set of well-integrated commercial solutions for AMD Opeteron processor-based systems.
"VMware has significant market experience, focusing on robust and accelerated support for AMD's 'Pacifica' specification. We support VMware's lead in offering API's to further drive market adoption of virtualisation."
The expected benefits for customers, as a result of these initiatives, include the creation of an expanded ecosystem of virtualisation solutions; expanded interoperability and supportability and accelerated availability of new virtualisation-aware technologies.
This news is expected to come as a blow to Microsoft and Xen, because they have not been included on the list of partners that VMware is intending to work with, and it includes a number of Xen's allies.
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