This Microsoft Virtual server, works as a visualization solution to assist on making virtual machines on the Windows XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003 Operating Systems. Initially made by Connectix and later transferred to Microsoft, prior to its release, Windows Virtual PC’s are connected to desktop visualization software package of Microsoft. Virtual machines are usually the product of an IIS a web based interface, or made by Windows client application tool called WMRCplus.
A little more About Microsoft Virtual Server:
Earlier, the Microsoft Windows Server virtualization was called Viridian- a hypervisor based technology, which is a part of Windows Server Longhorn. It brings a scalable safe and easily attained virtualization platform. The important goal of Microsoft is to be able to bring out the best operating software platform for virtualization.
The version used at present, is the Microsoft Virtual Server 2006 RS SP1. Linux guest operating system support is the latest feature in the RS SP 1. This latest feature is in addition to Virtual Disk Pre-Compactor; SMP, x85-64. In addition there is also Host OS support with the capability of mounting virtual hard drives on the host OS and other additional operating system plus the Windows Vista.
The recent version gives a volume shadow copy writer which assists live back ups of the guest OS on a Windows Server 2003 or its host. It even provides a usage for the mount images. Microsoft has obtained its unreleased version of the Virtual Server from Connectix in February 2003. The initial release of Virtual 2005 came out in 2 editions- the Standard and The Enterprise. It was the Enterprise version that supported many more processors. Microsoft Virtual Server RS SP1 supported both Intel [VT IVT] and also AMD Virtualization [AMD-V]
In spite of all this, Microsoft has its own setbacks. Although the Virtual Server 2005 R2, can move on hosts with x86-64 processors, it cannot run x64 guests which need x86-64 processors. Again, it is not able to virtualize SMP even though it can use it. The Windows hypervisor, a very fine layer of software between the OS and the hardware, lets multiple operating system function along with a unchanged host computer.
It gives out easy partitioning functions and also helps keep sturdy isolation among partitions. It is absolutely safe architecture and does not include any third party device drivers. The Windows Server virtualization brings out a great stage for Key virtualization scenarios; in addition to production server consolidation; business continuity management; software test and development of a dynamic data centre.
It provides scalability, great performance for its support guest multiprocessing support, and 64 bit host and guest support. It also provides dynamic addition of virtual resources and integration with system Virtual Machine Manager. The latest version Microsoft Virtual Server is easily got for shipping and can also be downloaded freely!