VMware Launches Virtualization Management Package for SMBs

Virtualization software vendor VMware is releasing a new software bundle designed to give small and midsize businesses (SMBs) a much-needed assist in managing their virtual infrastructures. The software could also go a long way toward helping the company extend its market reach.

Designed for organizations using the free VMware Server hosted software package, the $1,500 VirtualCenter for VMware Server software boasts capabilities the company says will help even small businesses remove much of the complexity associated with administering virtual environments. A VMware spokesperson says the new bundle will give SMBs an easy entree into virtualization, giving these organizations the administrative control they need to cut costs and react more quickly to shifting corporate requirements.

VirtualCenter for VMware Server claims a number of key, enterprise-class capabilities, including centralized management for all virtual machines and hosts. System administrators can stave off performance problems by setting alerts and automating actions when conditions such as CPU utilization cross a predefined threshold. The new management software also offers rapid server provisioning, which lets companies slash server set-up time from days or hours to minutes.Wamego Telecommunications (WTC), a small Kansas-based telecommunications provider, used VMware's technology to make the move from an entirely physical environment to a more virtualized one. The company, which now has 25 virtual machines that run everything from internal billing to its customers' Web hosting services, says the new VirtualCenter software will play a critical role in helping the organization grow without having to add to its IT staff.

The VMware Server hosted software solution, available for free download at http://www.VMware.com/products/server/, lets organizations partition a physical server into multiple virtual servers. The new VirtualCenter for VMware Server bundle comes with three agents and unlimited 30-day vendor support. Companies can purchase additional agents for $400 per managed physical server.

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