The difference between cloud computing and virtualization in the IA architecture

Microsoft released a beta version of Microsoft's System Center product, Virtual Machine Manager (VM Manager, VMM), hoping to regain user confidence in the competition with VMware.

System Center is one of the Microsoft server-facing management software suite products, and its first version of Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 was released in March and is followed by affiliate software System Center Revisit Manager 2007, the software is now in its second beta test phase.

The System Center product family also includes the capacity calculates (capacity planning) tool, data Homeowner manager, DPM, and other software, some of which are still in beta testing and others are already on the market.

All of these software will be in the same development as Longhorn, Longhorn the Microsoft's next-generation Windows Server operating system is now in beta testing and is expected to be launched later this year.

VMM is the management and support of virtual machines on the ground floor. Previous virtual software must be installed on an OS, and then install virtual machines, OS and apps on top of virtual software. But now that Intel's CPUs have hardware support for virtualization technology, most VMM is directly mounted on a bare metal, with a few more virtual machines on it ... This greatly improves the performance experience in virtualized environments. The figure is the current common VMM mode of work:

Look at VMM's many vendors, you will find that most of the VMM has a toll and free version, the difference between them is generally functional differences: the free version of the general can only achieve the most basic functions, let you experience, and the fee version of the functional support is more comprehensive. Manufacturers are to rely on the fee version to make money, but need to use the free version to popularize the concept, expand popularity. Do not underestimate the free version, in fact, many of our basic virtualization needs with the free version can be satisfied.

Let's talk about VMware first. VMware is a major supplier of VMM, a US-listed company. Its VMM product currently has two major series: Free ESXi, vsphere. ESXi supports basic VMM functionality, such as server consolidation, while vsphere supports more advanced features such as dynamic migration, load balancing ... These advanced features allow for higher availability, reliability, and disaster tolerance for applications based on VMM. Of course, vsphere is also more expensive, the people who have bought know.

Another great VMM supplier is Citrix. Citrix's products are divided into two major categories: free XenServer, essentials fees. XenServer is free, but also claims to support enterprise-class applications, so there are dynamic migration features. And essentials of course is also functional. At present, the price of essentials is not very expensive.

Microsoft also has its own VMM product: Hyper-V. Hyper-V is integrated into Windows Server 2008 and enables server consolidation, rapid migration, and more. Because Windows Server is charged, this should also be charged. Microsoft's appeal is also very strong, there are many third-party software companies based on Hyper-V two development, further enhance the function of Hyper-V.

When it comes to VMM, be sure to talk about Xen. Xen itself is open source, and many commercial distribution Linux also integrates Xen RPM packages, and some companies are using these different versions of Xen to build virtualized environments.

VMM is expected to deliver the manufacturer (RTM) this fall, the same time as the revisit manager's release plan, while the price of other software, including Operations Manager, has not yet been determined.

In addition to the interface being consistent with other System Center software, Microsoft added the ability to monitor the performance status of virtual machines and hardware servers in Operations manager for the latest beta release of VMM.

"Our goal is to allow users to use the same platform to manage hardware and virtual machines," says David Greschler, head of Microsoft's virtualization strategy. The virtual machine has been well monitored for both boot and running status, and now we have added operations Manager to Machine Manager virtual. ”

VMM is just one of the pieces that Microsoft has to contend with VMware. The Longhorn system will also bring its own virtualization technology. Microsoft also plans to set up a system management program for virtual machines in 2008. The code for this Management program, Veridian, will enable Microsoft to compete with VMware's ESX, and Microsoft has no product to contend with at the moment.

Meanwhile, Microsoft still refuses to let go of Vmware,vmware also to Microsoft quite DOJ. In addition to being able to convert hardware to virtual machines, the latest beta version of VMM also has the ability to convert virtual machines to virtual machines, allowing users to convert VMware's virtual machines to Microsoft's "mock up VM VHD/VM".

But who would take advantage of this conversion? One user sees this very clearly. Carnival Cruise Lines's Wintel server research and development team overseeing Rodney Orange said he was going to try VMM, but he understood that it was already obsolete to discuss the question of whether to choose VMware or Microsoft. The technology of these two companies should be a good try, so as to decide whether to choose a full set of Microsoft solutions or a choice of Gao Mingzai. ”

The release is not enough to make the final choice for users like Orange, but it can give these users another chance to choose.