Microsoft Virtualization Newsletter

I recently published a two-part series on the IT Manager Connection blog about virtualization. The series dealt with the rationale and resources available for IT managers considering this technology. In the resources entry, I mentioned Microsoft's virtualization newsletter (If you wish to subscribe to this newsletter, you will need a Windows Live ID, a freely available credential providing easy access to MSN Messenger, MSN Hotmail, etc). This newsletter is slated to review technology news headlines and the benefits of virtualization, including customer success stories.

The November issue arrived in my Inbox yesterday afternoon. After reading this issue, I have to say that my enthusiasm for virtualization continues to grow on an almost daily basis.

In this issue, for example, we read about Microsoft's rationale for integrating its version of hypervisor virtualization into the core operating system for Windows Server 2008; we also get brief glimpses into both Windows Server 2008's Hyper-V technology and the current Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 products; we get an overview of Surgient's Virtual Labs software delivery process, of Digiturk's implementation of Virtual Machine Manager, and of Voca's implementation of SoftGrid application virtualization to multiple sites; finally, there is a section on Microsoft's virtualization resources, including a beta of Microsoft Application Virtualization (4.5) publicly available from Microsoft Connect, and a link to Tony Iams' webcast "Virtualization: Making the Move" (This webcast requires registration with InfoWorld Webcasts. The original webcast was broadcast on 24-Oct-2007).

Tony Iams, a VP and Senior Analyst with Ideas International, Inc., has a Camtasia Studio screencast presentation about their company's Virtualization Analysis Suite which any mid-sized to enterprise IT shop considering virtualization should review.

If you're thinking at all about virtualization, I highly recommend signing up for this free newsletter and using it as your jump-off point and monthly reminder to keep your finger on the pulse of the virtualization industry.