Virtual Iron Software Adds Support For AMD, IBM Blades

Virtual Iron Software on Monday expanded its data center virtualization platform to include support for systems using the Opteron processors from Advanced Micro Devices and for IBM's BladeCenter blade servers.

The general availability of Version 2.0 of Virtual Iron's software platform extends the company's effort to provide "full datacenter virtualization" capabilities that can compliment single-server partitioning from other virtualization companies such as VMware Inc., says Mike Grandinetti, chief marketing officer for Virtual Iron.

The software will let businesses use a single copy of an operating system to run up to 16 microprocessors, as well as create virtualized storage networks, he says, simplifying the virtualization process. "What we have seen in the last few months in talking with customers is they are now suffering from virtual server sprawl," Grandinetti says. "There are a lot of virtual servers being created, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to addressing the management of virtual datacenters."

Virtual Iron says customers have asked it to extend support within its software to servers based on single and dual-core AMD Opteron processors, as well as IBM's BladeCenter blade server platform. The commitment to Opteron comes even as Intel in September invested $8.5 million in Virtual Iron's third round of venture financing. Grandinetti says the company is working closely with Intel in optimizing its software to utilize the virtual technology being built into future Intel processors. Although Virtual Iron currently has no formal collaboration agreement with AMD, he anticipates Virtual Iron also will be working to integrate its products with AMD's upcoming Pacifica virtualization technology.

In addition, the software will be tailored to take advantage of integrated I/O interconnects, networking, and built-it redundancy found in the BladeCenter platform, The Virtual Iron software will virtualize all BladeCenter components, including processors, memory, storage, and networking, he says.The software also provides enhancements for running J2EE application servers. "A lot of our early customers are in financial services markets, and many of those companies are running hundreds or even thousands of J2EE applications in their mid-tier," Grandinetti says.