Server virtualization specialists

The major players — including BMC, Computer Associates, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Sun, and Unisys — all have their own virtualization solutions. The vendors listed below have built their companies on server virtualization and, in many cases, datacenter automation.

Cassatt. As part of the Collage platform, the Cross-Virtualization Manager enables you to allocate resources dynamically across VMware and Xen virtual servers, with support for Microsoft Virtual Server coming soon.

Enigmatec. The Execution Management System combines process automation with policy-based control. Add the Virtual Environment Automation Pack, and you can automate virtual image provisioning and control.

Enomaly. Under an open source license, Enomalism provides virtual machine monitoring and management for Xen hypervisor, with a Web-based Virtualized Management Console to handle multiple virtual servers.

Leostream. The P>V physical-to-virtual migration tool supports the major Windows platforms on the source side, with both VMware GSX and ESX Server, and Microsoft’s VirtualServer virtualization platforms, as targets.

Opalis. Run Book Automation Software for automating datacenter maintenance tasks integrates with VMware VirtualCenter and can provision, monitor, back up, and recover Microsoft Virtual Server virtual machines.

Opsware. This high-profile datacenter automation company offers a Server Automation System that can provision, monitor, and manage VMware ESX virtual machines and Solaris Containers.

PlateSpin. Power Convert automates migration from physical Windows and Linux servers to virtual VMware and Microsoft VirtualServer environments, with support for server consolidation and disaster recovery.

Scalent. This company’s ambitious Virtual Operating Environment lets you move server instances seamlessly among physical servers and even among virtualization platforms while retaining network, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel connections.

Surgient. The Virtual Control Server Platform is a virtual environment specially designed for testing complex configurations of virtual machines with Surgient’s Virtual QA/Test Lab Management System.

SWsoft. Virtuozzo, a unique operating system virtualization solution, eschews hardware emulation in favor of a modified OS kernel that can handle large numbers of Windows and Linux virtual machines.

Virtual Iron. A prepackaged version of the open source Xen hypervisor, Virtual Iron competes directly with offerings from VMware and XenSource. Management solutions include LiveMigration, LiveRecovery, and LiveCapacity.

Vizioncore. Targeting VMware environments, Vizioncore is best know for its esxRanger backup software, but the company also provides VMware migration, replication, and performance management solutions.

VMware. Now an EMC company, VMware maintains its lead in server virtualization with VMware Infrastructure 3, a full suite of products including ESX Server, VirtualCenter for management, VMotion for migration, and more.

XenSource. From the guys who launched the open source Xen hypervisor project, XenEnterprise is a commercially packaged virtualization solution supporting Windows and Linux guests; monitoring and management console included.