“Shipping Is a Feature…” Argh.

A Web Exclusive from Windows IT Pro
Mark Minasi
Feature
InstantDoc #97213
Windows IT Pro

Mike Neil, Microsoft’s general manager of virtualization technology, recently said that although Microsoft would ship its hypervisor software on time—180 days after Windows Server 2008 ships, which is said to be on February 27, 2008—the company would have to drop three features in order to make that date. And, according to a statement Neil made at the Windows Server Division Weblog, “shipping is a feature.”

I’m sorry to hear that. I know I’ve said this in print before, but the time has come to say it again: Finish the software, then ship it! Don’t ship the software, then finish it in subsequent releases with the help of unpaid software testers otherwise known as “customers.”

For those just joining us, Windows Hypervisor (code-named Viridian) will be a downloadable add-on to Server 2008, which presumably means it will be a free download. (Whether Microsoft decides to set it up so that it installs only on Enterprise or will also work on Standard remains to be seen.) When paired with Server 2008, Windows Hypervisor is intended to compete with VMware ESX Server, the industry’s gold-standard platform for virtualizing the server infrastructure. No, make that the rhodium standard, the palladium standard, or the iridium standard—the fact is that VMware owns that market niche lock, stock, and barrelhead. . . .

Always a pleasure to read Mark's articles (7 years now...) I wish he wrote as freqently as before.
As a Corporate IT Infrastructures manager, I highly agree with Mark. Our business is making the business (And thus the IT Systems) work 24X7 as much as we possibly can using technological means. What customer will put his/her datacenter, With hundreds of thousands, or maybe more, of Dollars spent in high availability systems - Not to mention the cost in productivity loss or other reputation/business los, For a "solution" that isn't complete, Other for the IT guys to play with ? Unless something have changed during my night sleep, Server virtualization is a SERIOUS thing, Involving serious investments and costs / Benefits, That affect the entire enterprise. Small business choose and invest in very large VMWare ESX projects, and except high-available systems. This is not a Desktop OS or a Document authoring application. This is Serious - And no sane organization or IT manager, Who SERVERS THE BUSINESS NEEDS AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND will choose Viridian without High Availability feature (Not mentioning the lack of hot CPU addition or RAM Upgrades). Microsoft should understand (And better sooner than later) that "Being There" Might do the Hypervisor technology harm , Since people will obvously have a very negative opinion on the product after this and will not purchase it when it will be shipped fully...

--Sharon

Sharon Leibel October 03, 2007 (Article Rating:

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