Microsoft Reworks Virtualization Technology Offerings

Redmond, Washington-headquartered Microsoft Corporation has announced that it is reworking its strategy for virtualization technology. The company has entered into an alliance with Fort Lauderdale, Florida-headquartered Citrix Systems Inc for this purpose.

Microsoft is offering new Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) promotions to qualified customers. VMware View customers can trade in up to 500 licenses and obtain the same number of Microsoft VDI Standard Suite subscription and Citrix XenDesktop VDI Edition annual licenses free of cost, under the “Rescue for VMware VDI” scheme. This scheme is detailed further here: http://www.citrixandmicrosoft.com.

From July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance customers now can access Windows OS in a VDI environment without having to go for a separate license for the virtual access. Further, they are now free to access Microsoft products such as the OS and Office applications hosted on VDI technology on any secondary, non-corporate network device such as home PCs and kiosks.

In a further simplification of virtualization technology, Windows XP Mode has been freed from the hardware underlying VDI. This means that small / midsize businesses can migrate to higher versions of Microsoft’s OS (such as Windows 7) and still continue to run XP-based apps.

Read more about the strategic changes being made by Microsoft in this sunrise industry, here.