XenSource, developer of the free virtualization solution Xen for Linux, with the help of those on a physical machine multiple operating systems can run independently of each other in parallel will help Microsoft to integrate a compatible to Xen Virtualization in Windows Server “Longhorn”.

Virtualization with Xen, there is a hypervisor, so a privileged operating system that monitors the other guest systems. Guest systems must to Xen be compatible, such as, for example, the distribution of recently introduced SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10. Or but the used processor must support the virtualization technology from AMD or Intel – Pacifica or Vanderpool-, Xen works even without modifications to the guest systems.

With the new generation of processors with virtualization technology, it is possible to run Windows as one of multiple hypervisor with Linux running on a guest system. Since this idea Microsoft is apparently not tastes, you want to have even a compatible to Xen hypervisor in the offer – this is to make the next generation of server operating systems from Redmond, which led still under the code name “Longhorn”. Xen-compatible distributions then can run as a guest systems running Windows Server “Longhorn”. Longhorn Server is expected to come onto the market as Windows Server 2007.

In contrast to many other Virtualisierunglösungen, not Xen emulates the underlying hardware, but will be provided directly to the guest systems with only a small performance loss. Details can be found in our online dictionary: Xen.