Microsoft relaxes virtual SQL Server terms
453668
Flexible friend Microsoft has updated the licensing terms and conditions of its popular database for the benefit of virtualized computing environments.â¦
747224
The latest version of the server includes built-in virtualization technology.
151612
In a new blog entry, Michael Kimsal points out a driver that Microsoft has released (during the end of last year) that allows PHP5 applications to connect directly to a SQL Server database.   This isn't replacing freetds any time soon.  I guess I'm still wondering what the market for "PHP apps deployed on Windows talking to SQL Server" really is - most of the shared hosting accounts I've seen, even on Windows, offer MySQL or Access as the database.    He also points out a video that was shot of the development team talking about the driver (here's their blog too).
475501
Dell has announced the availability of virtualisation services.
330405
SAP has decided to support virtual server installations.
294771
Go virtual, go nuts Microsoft, of all companies, continues to lead the way with free and loose licensing terms around server virtualization software and multi-core processors.â¦
114873
Application migration specialist ArtinSoft is planning tools to smooth customers&#39; transition from Oracle to Microsoft Corp&#39;s SQL Server.
652863
(InfoWorld) - Microsoft has clarified how licensing for its current version of Windows Server works when paired with virtualization software. However, customers may face a whole new set of licensing rules once the next version, Windows Server 2008, is released later this year. In a white paper called "Licensing Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 to Run with Virtualization Technologies," Microsoft outlines clearly how to license the current version of Windows Server -- Windows Server 2003 R2 -- for specific third-party virtualization technology, including VMware ESX, VMware Vmotion and SWsoft Virtuozzo. It also explains licensing for Microsoft's own System Center Virtual Machine Manager. The document can be found on a Web page that also includes previously released virtualization calculators that help customers determine the cost of Windows Server licensing in various virtualization scenarios. Virtualization has complicated server OS pricing because it allows more than one instance of server software to run on a single server, while traditional OS pricing has been per server, assuming that only one version of an OS can run on one piece of hardware. Virtualization allows software to be emulated via a virtual machine, and so run without having to be physically installed. But even if Microsoft has done enough to clarify how its current version of Windows Server should be licensed for virtualization scenarios, customers could find themselves needing new guidelines once Windows Server 2008 is released, something Microsoft expects to do by the end of the year. Formerly code-named Longhorn, the next version of Windows Server will have virtualization technology built in, which could preclude the need for third-party virtualization software. "We believe most customers will choose to use Windows Server virtualization, which comes as a role within Windows Server 2008," said Microsoft spokesman Patrick O'Rourke. "But customers still have the option to use third-party server virtualization software on Windows Server 2008." Pricing for Windows Server 2008 has not yet been announced. According to the Microsoft white paper, current virtualization pricing for Windows Server 2003 R2 is as follows: Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition (SE) allows a customer to run only one instance of the software in either a physical or virtual way on a server. Users need to assign an SE license for each running instance of Windows Server on a system. Customers have more flexibility with the enterprise and datacenter editions of Windows Server 2003, however. They can run one physical instance of Windows Server and up to four simultaneous virtual instances with one Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition license, and can run unlimited physical or virtual versions of the software when Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition is licensed for every physical processor in a server Windows Server 2008 is currently available in a beta 3 version.
755828
Microsoft is inching closer toward the release of Virtual Server 2005. Virtual Server leverages the Windows 2003 Server system as a platform for running multiple instances of alternative operating systems on a single system. The final version of the Server will be made available on September 13th in two varieties: Standard and Enterprise. More information on Virtual Server is available in the BetaNews archives.
153792
(Article Central) Microsoft will release Virtual Server 2005 next week, a product aimed to help companies effectively gather computing resources.
497937
Conversations I've had this week at TechEd with attendees have made me rethink an opinion I stated early on, about how nice it was to see Microsoft toning down the marketing message and getting down to brass, technical tacks.  Some IT managers who want their employers to get the message of Windows Server 2008, would appreciate it if that message were easier to be "got."
491984
Microsoft (Quote, Chart) has released its second Community Technology Preview (CTP) for SQL Server 2005, adding greater performance and 64-bit support for SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services and SQL Server 2005 Integration Services.
368062
Although Microsoft is at least 18 months away from releasing its Windows server virtualization tool, code-named Viridian, Redmond on Thursday released software that does what market-leader VMware&#39;s apps cannot.
578002
Microsoft's Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 handles the new server chips optimized for virtualization, takes regular backups snapshots, is easier to use and costs less, says reviewer Jonathan Hassell.
126555
Microsoft on Monday released Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2005, a major upgrade that adds support for Windows Vista and Office 2007. In addition, Microsoft is now allowing unlimited virtual instances of SQL Server on severs licensed for the Enterprise Edition of the database software.
737028
Updated guidelines make clearer how to use Windows Server with third-party virtualization tools including VMware -- but that will all likely change before too long.
249324
Apache warrior Microsoft plans to cut web server licensing restrictions from Windows Server 2008 to better compete against open-source alternatives, according to CRN.â¦