Patch Downloader 6.0 automates the download of patches for various VMware ESX versions. PHD Virtual Technologies is perhaps best known for their virtual machine data protection and recovery solution, esXpress. But in addition to this flagship product, the company also offers other virtualization solutions as well.Earlier this year, the company launched a new corporate brand, transforming PHD Technologies into PHD Virtual. And with it, they introduced a brand new Web presence that offered a number of free virtualization utilities for download such as VMNetBac and KS QuickConfig. Much of this technology came through the September 2008 acquisition of U.K.-based Xtravirt’s innovative suite of virtualization products (purchasing only the company’s software assets). As part of that acquisition, PHD Virtual was also lucky enough to grab Alex Mittell, who now serves as the company’s director of engineering.After spending quite a bit of time focusing on an update to the company’s flagship esXpress backup product, the company is now ready to release yet another freebie virtualization tool into the market. The new utility is called Patch Downloader 6.0. And PHD says the new freeware solution is designed to simplify patch downloading for various VMware ESX versions. Performing manual ESX patching can be slow and error prone. So instead, Patch Downloader automates the process for users. Rather than downloading each patch manually through a Java download manager, Patch Downloader provides virtual administrators with a dropdown menu to select the version of ESX, and then allows them to select the file repository to download the patches to. PHD said the utility will list all of the available patches and information about the patches including the severity of the problem it corrects, what the impact of VM/Host uptime is, and a description of the problem fixed.VMware is trying to address this hole as well with its own application, called VMware Update Manager (VUM). But if you don’t have a license for VUM, the free tool from PHD could prove to be a good, inexpensive alternative for you to look at.You can download PHD’s Patch Downloader 6.0 for free on the company’s Web site. Technology Industry