VMWare Pushes Virtualization To SMBs

System virtualization is not just for large enterprises. That's the latest word from EMC's VMWare division, the fastest growing provider of server virtualization software.

VMWare on Monday took the wraps off a new software package targeted at organizations with anywhere from one to 100 servers. The software, called VirtualCenter for VMWare Server, lets customers easily partition a physical server running Windows, Linux or Unix into multiple virtual machines running the company's free VMWare Server software.

Since its release last July, 1.2 million copies of the free VMWare Server software have been downloaded, of which 70 percent were by SMB customers, says Ben Matheson, VMWare's director of product management. "We have a huge breadth of customers in the SMB," Matheson says.

VirtualCenter provides a common interface for monitoring virtual machines and hosts. It can send alerts based on predetermined thresholds. It also simplifies provisioning, reducing the time from hours to just minutes.

The software costs $1,500 but offers solution providers services opportunities. For example, a customer considering deploying a Microsoft CRM application might be reluctant to do so if it means having to install a separate server, says Cary Goldman, vice president of business development at ASAP Software, a solution provider that is a VMWare corporate partner. "That's what makes it attractive," Goldman says.