Virtualization

VM-capable microprocessors are key enablers of virtual server host hardware; dual- and quad-core chips continue to add power to servers destined to run many VMs as their key task.

Little expertise in virtualization beyond the chip; Intel still leads in most market arenas.

Tools to consolidate server, storage and software issues to help with capacity planning; sophisticated analysis of performance data can spot and troubleshoot VM problems early.

Software is somewhat pricey; company was formed only in 2005; venture funding raises potential for buyouts or cash-out changes in strategy.

Appliance monitors loads; maps transactions and creates database to compare real-time performance to past; load balancer shifts load to un-maxed VMs and reboots hanging ones.

Startup (2005) taking a non-standard approach to an increasingly common problem; performance of appliance should be tested in a customer's unique environment.

Designed its security product to protect VMs regardless of the state of the patches in each individual guest OS. Runs in close integration with VMware's hypervisor, preventing attacks on known vulnerabilities from penetrating to the VMs.

Demonstrated effectiveness in VMware not yet proven with Hyper-V.

CiRBA's tools help forecast how apps and servers will coexist, including evaluations of middleware, database and other factors; custom criteria help plan for OS virtualization, application stacking and migrations to blade-server setups.

It's a startup planning to use its latest round of funding to expand globally and continue its technological development—with all of the risks those two factors bring with them.

Direct support of wide range of enterprise applications; can virtualize applications, servers, desktops or all three; close alliances with all major hardware and OS vendors; longest experience in thin-client computing of all the major virtualization vendors; signed on as major partner in Microsoft's Hyper-V release push; deep expertise in storage and desktop virtualization.

Bought XenServer to compete in hypervisors, but will become less competitive as Hyper-V ships commercially; alliance with Microsoft may become conflict as Microsoft advances both server virtualization and its own terminal services.

Range of hardware on which to build virtual servers; expertise in packaging and customizing commodity-level hardware for virtual or other uses.

Little expertise in virtualization itself or virtualization-related integration services.