Evaluate Microsoft Solutions For Free Using MS's VHD's (Virtual Hard Disks)

Microsoft has announced last night (Nov 6), that it is making it's new VHD technology freely available under its Open Specification Promise.

Click HERE to download Virtual Server 2005 R2 and start using VHDs today.

The VHD Test Drive Program will enable customers and partners to evaluate mainstream enterprise software from Microsoft and partners in a fraction of the time. At launch, we will have pre-configured VHDs of Windows Server 2003 R2 and key Microsoft applications such as SQL Server, ISA Server, and Exchange Server + Live Communication Server. With the VHD Test Drive Program, we will also enable our partners for the first time to now be able to distribute their applications and solutions as a pre-configured VHD built on top of Windows Server 2003 R2 and leveraging other Microsoft applications.

Over the past 12-18 months, we have built up significant momentum behind Microsoft’s virtualization solutions with licensing changes, new releases of virtualization platforms, acquisition of Softricity, and the pre-announcement of Windows Server virtualization availability to be within 180 days of Windows Server “Longhorn” RTM. Today marks another milestone for not just virtualization but a new paradigm in how the Industry looks at evals and potentially could become a new software distribution mechanism.

What is Virtual Hard Disk format and why is it important?

The VHD format grew out of our desire to create a common language for virtualization solutions. The VHD format captures the virtual machine operating system and the application stack in a single file. As a common virtualization file format, the VHD format ensures a uniform product support system, and provides more seamless manageability, security, reliability and cost-efficiency for customers. More information on VHD can be found at: https://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/techinfo/vhdspec.mspx 

By making the VHD Image format specifications freely available under the Open Specification Promise, customers and partners can realise the value of standardising on the common Microsoft VHD format.  Additionally, the VHD format offers migration across Microsoft Virtual Server, Virtual PC products, and Windows Server virtualization technology in the future version of Windows Server, codename Longhorn. More information on OSP can be found at: https://www.microsoft.com/interop/osp/default.mspx