Stories by Jennifer Mears

VMware launches subscription service

VMware Monday introduced a new developer network that includes cheaper access to its virtualization products, with the aim of making it easier for enterprise customers to deploy applications in virtual environments.

Virtual Iron adds iSCSI support to virtualization app

Virtual Iron yesterday released an update to its software aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of deploying and managing virtual environments by adding support for iSCSI storage and enabling users to deploy the server-slicing software and its management features all on a single machine.

Key challenges of virtualizing your data centre

The benefit of virtualizing x86 servers is clear: break the link between software and hardware and create the foundation for a more dynamic, flexible and efficient data centre. With the market for virtualization software expected to grow to more than US$1 billion this year, companies are more than kicking the tires on the technology. But the road to a virtual data centre isn't without its twists and turns. The move to a virtual environment must be done carefully and with an understanding of how the new infrastructure will change IT planning and management. What follows is a list of eight virtualization "gotchas" -- hurdles that users may face as they deploy virtual environments -- that we've compiled through discussions with IT professionals, analysts and vendors.

Virtualization vendor joins forces with Microsoft

SWsoft, an x86 virtualization software firm that is charging after a market dominated by VMware, is partnering with Microsoft to provide customers 24/7 support.

Unix vendors get creative in face of OS competition

A little less than a year ago, Internet Brands, which operates Web sites for big ticket purchases such as cars, homes and mortgages, was looking to rid itself of the big ticket hardware in its data centre.

Daylight Saving changes could bring headaches

At first blush it may seem like no big deal: clocks in the US will move ahead by an hour three weeks earlier than usual this year. But for today's networked businesses, the simple change could mean complex problems if IT shops aren't prepared, industry experts say.

NEC rolls out low-cost fault tolerant server

In an effort to make fault tolerant servers more appealing to a broader range of customers, NEC this week unveiled a new single processor server that promises 99.999 percent uptime at a cost of just under US$12,000.

Harvard takes IBM supercomputer to heart

IBM has announced that Harvard University is using an IBM Blue Gene supercomputer, which holds the title as the fastest supercomputer in the world, to support research into the human heart and circulatory system.

Novell: SCO on its last legs, bankruptcy imminent

The SCO Group, the Unix vendor that gained notoriety for claiming IBM illegally incorporated its proprietary Unix code into Linux, is hanging by a thread and financial bankruptcy is "inevitable," according to court documents filed by Novell in U.S. District court in Utah last week.

Virtualization: Xen and hypervisor maintenance

The virtualization market is expected to heat up this year as Microsoft and the open source Xen project challenge VMware, which has been the only game in town when it comes to virtualizing x86 servers.

Novell: SCO on its last legs, bankruptcy imminent

The SCO Group, the Unix vendor that gained notoriety for claiming IBM illegally incorporated its proprietary Unix code into Linux, is hanging by a thread and financial bankruptcy is "inevitable," according to court documents filed by Novell in U.S. District court in Utah this week.

Open source: Moving on up the stack

Open source should be on the short list when it comes to application-buying decisions in 2007, industry experts say.

VMware pushes virtualization technology for Macs

VMware continues to push its virtualization technology for Apple systems, using the Macworld Conference & Expo this week to show off the software that lets users run Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris alongside the Mac OS X operating system on a single Intel-based desktop.

Pulling a story about the company's name out of Red Hat

Ever wonder why Linux company Red Hat is called that?

Sun gaining ground in Unix market

After several years of struggling, Sun is gaining ground in the Unix market, according to a new survey.