July 3, 2008 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- The Release Candidate 1 version of VMware Server 2.0 (vmware.com/beta/server) was unveiled for testing this week in a move that will position the final release of VMware's second-generation virtualization server for delivery within the quarter.
This is latest development in the VMware product suite that began with VMware Server 1.0 in July 2006 as a continuation of the retired GSX Server product line and essentially a scaled-down version of VMware's ESX Server.
VMware said the VIX application programming interface is included with the server, allowing users to write high-level, practical scripts and programs to automate virtual machine operations.
A key new feature especially appealing to small and medium-sized businesses is Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service support. VSS takes snapshots of the state of a Windows virtual machine allowing for backups to help maintain the integrity of applications running in virtual machines.
Last week, Microsoft announced their Hyper-V software six-weeks ahead of schedule, which was seen as Microsoft's attempt to gain virtualization market share from VMware. VMware Server 2.0, with both Windows and Linux server support, is slated to be a major competitor for Hyper-V.
