Known for IT process automation and systems management, Opalis built support for VMware and Microsoft virtual servers into its server-provisioning and policy administration tool.

One of a growing number of companies building management and automation products for virtual servers, Opalis has adapted its physical-server management tools to support the provisioning, configuration, monitoring and maintenance of virtual servers as well. It goes beyond those basic functions, which the company says can reduce provisioning time by more than half, plus reduce or eliminate the amount of time IT staffs spend patching servers and other routine functions. It also supports Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best-practices server-management implementations on both physical and virtual servers as part of its function as part of an IT Service Management (ITSM) framework. ITSM, like ITIL, is a series of user-company proven best-practices for running IT operations. Opalis' products are designed to plug virtual servers into those procedures, and automate much of the work of maintaining them according to ITIL or ITSM specifications.

• Opalis Integration Server