Virtual machines slated to go mainstream 5 December, 2006 By Paul Weinberg

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"It is very early days for virtual appliance; we are just at the beginning of virtual appliances as a production deployment vehicle."

More than 300 virtual applications certified by VMware are now available via download from the company's new VMware Technology Network (VMTN) Web site. They can be accessed for free for evaluation or purchased for production purposes.

Pre-built products that include a pre-configured application stack coupled with the operating system, they encompass a wide variety of applications including collaboration, email security, enterprise applications, firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, operating systems and traffic management.

While end-user customers might want to download the code themselves for the virtual appliance it is more likely to be accessed as part of an overall solution delivered by the channel partner in a partnership with the ISV, stated Eunice.

However, VMware is seeking to work directly with channel partners in the setting up of a virtual infrastructure for the end user customer.

This provides the framework for the circulation of virtual machines within an organization, stated Eunice.

"There are a number of channel partners that I am familiar with, that are essentially doing that. They are essentially becoming virtualization experts, earning a portion of their keep by installing a virtualization infrastructure."

Stock keeping hardware becomes less of an issue in the channel with virtual appliances, he said. "You don't have to install a new box every time you install a new software package."

Up to now, virtual appliances have primarily been used for demonstration purchases. But Eunice stated he sees that changing.

"There is a great excitement around virtualization and data centre consolidation, server consolidation. "It means more and more customers will be installing virtual infrastructure, and therefore, places for [virtual appliances] to run."

Virtual appliances are ideal for SMBs that lack sufficient IT expertise in the configuration and installation process, stated Eunice. "Configuration can be extraordinarily daunting."

But even though larger enterprises with their in-house might scoff at the need for virtual appliances, Eunice is confident they will eventually be won over too. He cited the example of SATA drivers and Linux, both of which were greeted with "condescension" upon their initial introduction into the market.

But Charles King, the principal analyst at PundIT, counters that virtual machines are really designed for organizations with four or five servers and an interest in concentrating workloads on a single box.

For a larger company that is consolidating servers anyway, the concept of virtualizing half a dozen appliance workloads is not as compelling, he added. "It is like taking a small bite out of a very large piece of chicken."

All virtual appliances made available from the ISVs on VMTN are vetted and certified by VMware, explained Srinivas Krishnamurti, director of product management at VMware.

"Virtual appliances are guaranteed to be optimized for VMware Infrastructure by addressing customers' needs for performance and usability."

The VMware spokesperson described the VMTN as "a one-stop-shopping" site or marketplace" where ISVs and customers can interact. "We don't enforce the pricing on the appliance, basically, [that is the job of] the vendor."