Database, middleware and applications giant Oracle has revealed that it is to offer a server virtualisation product named Oracle VM.

The product is a combination of open source server software from XenSource, a virtualisation company that was recently acquired by Citrix, with a web-based virtual server-management front end.

Virtualisation allows companies to run many "virtual" instances of servers on a single piece of hardware, or a single "virtual" server accross many machines. This helps them to drive efficiency from their traditionally-under-used hardware footprint in the data-centre.

Oracle VM will be available as a free download from the company's website from Wednesday. The company hopes to make its money from support contracts for the product of either $499 or $999, depending on the size of the implementation.

The company has said that the product will allow customers to virtualise servers that support applications from its rivals, as well as its own.

The product adds to Oracle's already considerable software portfolio, which now includes products for pracitically every level of the stack.

“Customers can now optimise resource consolidation by deploying Oracle VM with Oracle Unbreakable Linux, and run the full Oracle software stack -- Oracle Database, Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle Applications -- all with one worldwide support call,” said Oracle’s Chief Corporate Architect, Edward Screven.

Meanwhile, software titan Microsoft has announced - in a change to its previously stated policy - that it will sell its hypervisor product Hyper-V (formerly known as Veridian) as a separate product from its Windows Server operation system.

These two announcements promise to improve competition in the virtualisation software market, which is currently dominated by early mover VMware.

Further reading

The rise of virtual sprawl The challenges of systems management are about to grow exponentially as organisations wrestle with the proliferation of virtual machines.

The new virtual platform The virtualisation revolution is only just starting. Expect the most radical benefits to appear at the processor level.

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