Conversely, SOA and Web services management tools can't see outside an application platform. Most provide management agents that run inside Java VMs, but they don't know whether the underlying server is virtualized or not.
The biggest player in Java is IBM, through its WebSphere line. IBM has offered virtualization in mainframes for 40 years and still pitches its System i and System p as platforms for Java apps. Both have full OS virtualization built in to their AIX and i5/OS operating systems, respectively, and can support Web services either by running Linux or Windows inside a virtual machine or directly through Java VMs. This affords a lot of flexibility, but the need to standardize on IBM proprietary hardware and software will put off many enterprises.
IBM doesn't have its own hypervisor for standard x86 servers, but it does contribute to the Xen open source project and partners with hypervisor vendors, including VMware. Its main virtualization offering here is WebSphere Extended Deployment (XD), which provides for clustering multiple Java VMs. Administrators can set internal service-level agreements for specific services; the system then will configure Java VMs based on demand by creating new virtual instances and prioritizing the resources available to each. This capability isn't limited to IBM products, so WebSphere XD will work with most Java VMs and operating systems. However, it's limited to Java apps because it doesn't reach down into the hypervisor layer.
Windows servers running .Net are a part of most Web services installations, and Microsoft has big plans in both SOA and virtualization. In SOA, Microsoft last year announced Oslo, a long-term strategy aimed at simplifying application development by replacing code with a Visio-style model. Microsoft's virtualization plans are much closer to fruition. It already offers Virtual Server, which allows users to run older versions of Windows Server on top of the latest version, and plans to ship in the third quarter its Hyper-V hypervisor as both a component of Windows Server 2008 and a standalone product. There's little integration between the two--mostly because Oslo is still vaporware and may not ship before the end of the decade.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
