INTC: Virtual Windows to Run Unmodified on Linux

Novell and Intel Corporation today announced the availability of paravirtualized network and block device drivers that will allow Microsoft* Windows* Server 2000/2003/XP to run unmodified in Xen* virtual environments on SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server 10 from Novell®, operating on Intel-based server platforms featuring Intel® Virtualization Technology. Combined with the existing ability to host unmodified Linux* on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, these new drivers will let customers confidently migrate to newer and fewer energy-efficient servers, consolidating legacy Windows or Linux solutions onto virtual servers.

"With our SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform launch in July 2006, Novell became the first major Linux distributor to integrate Xen virtualization into a Linux distribution," said Jeff Jaffe, Novell executive vice president and chief technology officer. "In September, we became the first distribution to support virtualized Linux workloads on Xen, and today we are the first distributor to support virtualized Windows workloads on Linux. Our commitment to innovation to solve customer problems has never been greater."

"Intel has been working with the open source community to enable Linux virtualization solutions to take advantage of Intel Virtualization Technology, so that guest OS and applications can run unmodified," said Doug Fisher, Intel vice president of Software and Solutions Group. "In addition, our Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processor-based platform with its outstanding performance, energy efficiency and reliability provides unparalleled headroom for multiple Virtual Machines running varied data center workloads. Getting Windows to run with Linux unmodified and vice versa will bring an immense confidence boost to IT managers in making decisions on corporate platform standardization and refresh."

In addition to providing cost savings when virtualizing Windows on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, these drivers can improve the availability of Windows- and Linux-based workloads via clustered virtual systems and help IT staff respond faster to business needs by easily creating and provisioning services on virtual systems.

Novell is sponsoring a virtualization pilot program for customers, providing enterprise-level support for running fully virtualized Windows 2000/2003/XP workloads on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. The paravirtualized device drivers are now available to members of the pilot program. General availability is scheduled for later this year. For more information on the pilot program and Novell virtualization solutions, visit www.novell.com/virtualization. For more about SUSE Linux Enterprise offerings from Novell, visit www.novell.com/linux. For more information about Intel Virtualization Technology, visit www.intel.com/business/technologies/virtualization.htm

MSFT: Windows Vista Expected to Generate $4 Billion in New Revenue for Florida IT Industry in 2007

Florida’s IT industry is expected to experience a significant financial impact as a result of the launch of the Windows Vista™ operating system. According to a research study recently completed by IDC and commissioned by Microsoft Corp., within the first year of the Windows Vista shipment, Florida’s IT industry will begin seeing considerable increases in new jobs and revenue. The study’s findings indicate that Windows Vista will provide a foundation for the IT market, with more than 18 percent of total IT employment in Florida being related to Windows Vista. In addition, total Windows®-related employment in Florida is expected to jump by more than 11,000 new jobs.

Windows Vista, together with the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, was made available on Nov. 30 to Volume Licensing customers and will be broadly available on Jan. 30.

“Windows Vista will create additional revenues for Microsoft in Florida, but will also create even bigger economic ripples throughout the ecosystem that sells products and services in Florida that run on or work with it,” said John Gantz, chief research officer and senior vice president of IDC. “Windows Vista’s footprint in the state will be wide, as original equipment manufacturers sell PCs that run on it, software companies sell applications that run it, and services and distribution firms deliver, install, support and train on it. We expect that in the first year of Windows Vista shipments, this ecosystem will sell more than $4 billion of Windows Vista-related products and services in Florida.”

Microsoft partners — companies that sell hardware, write software, provide IT services or serve as IT distribution channels — will also feel the impact of Windows Vista because it will drive substantial revenue and growth for Microsoft-centric companies. According to the study, the release of Windows Vista will help strengthen the more than 12,000 Florida IT companies that will produce, sell or distribute products and services running on Windows Vista. The study also forecasts that each dollar of Windows Vista-related revenue earned by Microsoft in 2007 will generate more than $21 in revenue for the ecosystem beyond Microsoft.

“Microsoft is proud to bring products to market that help infuse economic growth here in Florida,” said Craig Kampel, Gulf States Area general manager at Microsoft. “This launch is generating economic opportunities in Florida and across the nation by creating jobs, enabling organizational efficiencies and helping solve business challenges for our customers, partners and the IT industry as a whole.”

Microsoft’s ecosystem is making a sizable investment to prepare for and roll out Windows Vista worldwide, according to the IDC study. Between now and the end of 2007, IDC expects Microsoft partners to invest approximately $500 million in Windows Vista-related products and services.

The complete Florida IDC study on the economic impact of Windows Vista is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/default.mspx

MSFT: Windows Vista Expected to Generate $7 Billion in New Revenue for New York IT Industry in 2007

New York’s IT industry is expected to experience a significant financial impact as a result of the launch of the Windows Vista™ operating system. According to a research study recently completed by IDC and commissioned by Microsoft Corp., within the first year of the Windows Vista shipment, New York’s IT industry will begin seeing considerable increases in new jobs and revenue. The study’s findings indicate that Windows Vista will provide a foundation for the IT market, with more than 17 percent of total IT employment in New York related to Windows Vista. In addition, total Windows®-related employment in New York is expected to jump by more than 16,000 new jobs.

Windows Vista, together with the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, was made available on Nov. 30 to Volume Licensing customers and will be broadly available on Jan. 30.

“Windows Vista will create additional revenues for Microsoft in New York, but will also create even bigger economic ripples throughout the ecosystem that sells products and services in New York that run on or work with it,” said John Gantz, chief research officer and senior vice president of IDC. “Windows Vista’s footprint in the state will be wide, as original equipment manufacturers sell PCs that run on it, software companies sell applications that run it, and services and distribution firms deliver, install, support and train on it. We expect that in the first year of Windows Vista shipments, this ecosystem will sell more than $7 billion of Windows Vista-related products and services in New York.”

Microsoft partners — companies that sell hardware, write software, provide IT services or serve as IT distribution channels — will also feel the impact of Windows Vista because it will drive substantial revenue and growth for Microsoft-centric companies. According to the study, the release of Windows Vista will help strengthen the more than 16,000 New York IT companies that will produce, sell or distribute products and services running on Windows Vista. The study also forecasts that, in New York, each dollar of Windows Vista-related revenue earned by Microsoft in 2007 will generate more than $19 in revenue for the ecosystem beyond Microsoft.

“Microsoft is proud to bring products to market that help infuse economic growth here in New York,” said Michael Robinson, New York Metro District general manager at Microsoft. “This launch is generating economic opportunities in New York and across the nation by creating jobs, enabling organizational efficiencies and helping solve business challenges for our customers, partners and the IT industry as a whole.”

Microsoft’s ecosystem is making a sizable investment to prepare for and roll out Windows Vista worldwide, according to the IDC study. Between now and the end of 2007, IDC expects Microsoft partners to invest approximately $700 million in Windows Vista-related products and services in New York.

The complete New York IDC study on the economic impact of Windows Vista is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/default.mspx

MSFT: Windows Vista Expected to Generate $2.5 Billion in New Revenue for New Jersey IT Industry in 2007

New Jersey’s IT industry is expected to experience a significant financial impact as a result of the launch of the Windows Vista™ operating system. According to a research study recently completed by IDC and commissioned by Microsoft Corp., within the first year of the Windows Vista shipment, New Jersey’s IT industry will begin seeing considerable increases in new jobs and revenue. The study’s findings indicate that Windows Vista will provide a foundation for the IT market, with more than 17 percent of total IT employment in New Jersey related to Windows Vista. In addition, total Windows®-related employment in New Jersey is expected to jump by more than 5,000 new jobs.

Windows Vista, together with the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, was made available on Nov. 30 to Volume Licensing customers and will be broadly available on Jan. 30.

“Windows Vista will create additional revenues for Microsoft in New Jersey, but will also create even bigger economic ripples throughout the ecosystem that sells products and services in New Jersey that run on or work with it,” said John Gantz, chief research officer and senior vice president of IDC. “Windows Vista’s footprint in the state will be wide, as original equipment manufacturers sell PCs that run on it, software companies sell applications that run it, and services and distribution firms deliver, install, support and train on it. We expect that in the first year of Windows Vista shipments, this ecosystem will sell more than $2.5 billion of Windows Vista-related products and services in New Jersey.”

Microsoft partners — companies that sell hardware, write software, provide IT services or serve as IT distribution channels — will also feel the impact of Windows Vista because it will drive substantial revenue and growth for Microsoft-centric companies. According to the study, the release of Windows Vista will help strengthen the more than 8,000 New Jersey IT companies that will produce, sell or distribute products and services running on Windows Vista. The study also forecasts that, in New Jersey, each dollar of Windows Vista-related revenue earned by Microsoft in 2007 will generate almost $21 in revenue for the ecosystem beyond Microsoft.

“Microsoft is proud to bring products to market that help infuse economic growth here in New Jersey,” said Michael Robinson, New York Metro District general manager at Microsoft. “This launch is generating economic opportunities in New Jersey and across the nation by creating jobs, enabling organizational efficiencies and helping solve business challenges for our customers, partners and the IT industry as a whole.”

Microsoft’s ecosystem is making a sizable investment to prepare for and roll out Windows Vista worldwide, according to the IDC study. Between now and the end of 2007, IDC expects Microsoft partners to invest approximately $300 million in Windows Vista-related products and services in New Jersey.


The complete New Jersey IDC study on the economic impact of Windows Vista is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/default.mspx