Microsoft’s virtualization event launches before VMworld

Microsoft’s continuing efforts to go after the virtualization market share that is currently dominated by VMware now includes putting on its own virtualization-focused event.

Its one day virtualization launch event is called “Get Virtual Now,” and it takes place in Bellevue, Wash. on Sept. 8. This is one week before VMware opens up VMworld 2008 in Las Vegas — VMware’s premiere virtualization event. And while VMworld is all about virtualization, it is still obviously dominated by VMware even though many of its competitors, including Microsoft, attend and sponsor the show. So GetVirtualNow is in many ways Microsoft’s own response to VMworld, and it just happens to launch a week earlier.

GetVirtualNow launches in Washington next week, but it will include a series of more than 125 events hosted by Microsoft and partners around the world, running through early January 2009. And with that, they are expecting over 250,000 attendees across all events.

The Redmond giant got off to an early start last week by announcing the latest version of its Microsoft Application Virtualization product, formerly known as SoftGrid. But like many of its competitors, application virtualization is only one piece of the virtualization puzzle for Microsoft. Microsoft has virtualization products on the market that cover the datacenter to the desktop. And during the Microsoft event, top Microsoft executives plan to put together these pieces of the puzzle by discussing Microsoft’s virtualization roadmap. The pieces of the puzzle will also come together when Microsoft unveils new virtualization partners that are building products, solutions, and services on top of their platforms.

“We’ve responded to customers’ and partners’ requests for alternative solutions and strategies for virtualizing the datacenter and desktops,” Microsoft’s group product manager, Patrick O’Rourke, told InfoWorld’s Virtualization Report.

O’Rourke added, “We’ve already begun the GetVirtualNow event series in some countries, and the U.S. kickoff event will help reset the industry so it’s not clouded by one vendor’s view of virtualization. Virtualization is a strategy and it’s a means to an end for large and small businesses alike. It’s not just about a hypervisor and making virtualization possible for those 12% who can afford it.”

As part of its battle with VMware, Microsoft’s virtualization ecosystem continues to grow with key partnerships such as with hardware vendors like AMD, Intel, Dell, HP, and IBM. And expect to see more announcements coming out around support of Microsoft’s virtualization solutions such as the ones coming out from Acronis, Certeon, Raxco, and Surgient.

It is no great coincidence that the GetVirtualNow event is taking place only one week before VMworld. Competition is heating up as more companies come out with their own virtualization platforms and products. The virtualization news is going to be exploding over the next two weeks.