I am a die-hard Shakespearean – my daughter is even named Miranda for one of the main characters in
“The Tempest.” So while it is not exactly mid-summer – it is close enough to borrow from the Bard while I give you a virtualization update.

So what is hot this summer? Besides Texas – we are setting records with triple digit temperatures – there is Client Virtualization. This emerging area promises to become even hotter as we move into the fall. There are several approaches to Client Virtualization – virtual desktops, streaming applications, and client hypervisors.  Before you get mired in the methodology – the key take away is that client virtualization offers you an alternate way to secure, manage, and add flexibility to your client infrastructure. I just did an interview with All Tech Radio on the topic of Client Virtualization so follow the link if you want to listen to some deeper thoughts while you are basking by the pool.

One of the gurus of application and desktop virtualization is Brian Madden. AMD is thrilled to be a sponsor of BriForum 2009 in Chicago July 21 – 23 in collaboration with Wyse Technology, a leader in thin client technology, including technology based on AMD hardware. It is well worth checking out Brian’s thoughts on advances in Client Virtualization – and we will report back to you our experiences at BriForum – hopefully the topic will sizzle but the weather will be cooler in Chicago.

When we speak of client virtualization we should not forget Windows 7 XP mode. This exciting new feature provides you with a Windows XP virtual machine where you can run XP-based applications. You do need a client system with hardware virtualization technology– and lucky for you all AMD client processors (with the exception of AMD Sempron™ processors) currently ship with our hardware assisted virtualization – AMD-V™ technology.

 Server virtualization has not cooled down. Windows Server 2008 R2, which includes Hyper-V R2, is marching towards a planned release later this year. We have just posted a new live migration video with showing the ability of Hyper-V R2 to migrate a running VM from our Quad-Core to Six Core AMD Opteron™ processors. This kind of flexibility is a result of AMD’s dedication to a stable platform and our cooperative engineering effort with Microsoft. Check out the video on YouTube. And don’t forget that this release also supports our Rapid Virtualization Indexing (RVI) technology.

This summer also has AMD in planning mode for VMworld  in San Francisco August 31 through Sept 3. We view our sponsorship at this industry leading event as a perfect close out to a “summer of virtualization.“  We are evaluating showcasing demos that push the next wave of innovation in virtualization –like virtual desktop with VMView, enhanced hypervisor security, and I/O virtualization. And of course we will also be showcasing energy efficient version of our Six-Core AMD Opteron™ processor . We already have a booth in the VMworld On-Line Virtual Conference so check us out as we ramp up to VMworld Conference.

So not only do we find Texas hot – virtualization is also heating up the summer.  Hopefully we will see you at some of these activities.

Margaret Lewis, director, AMD commercial software and solutions

Margaret Lewis (@margaretjlewis) is a Product Marketing Director at AMD.

Her postings are her own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.

@margaretjlewis