Intel and Microsoft Plans for New Virtualization Technologies

Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corp., at Intel Developer Forum, San Francisco, outlined plans to connect computer network management technologies and also to work together to advance promising virtualization technology that will bring businesses new capabilities and cost savings.

In a move to bring unique management benefits to the broad number of users of Microsoft^® Systems Management Server 2003 (SMS) for the first time, Intel plans to connect its new Intel^® Active Management Technology (Intel^® AMT) with Microsoft SMS, substantially enhancing customers’ ability to more thoroughly protect their computers from viruses and to help significantly lower maintenance costs.

Intel and Microsoft have also joined together to extend Intel^® Virtualization Technology (Intel^® VT) to include support for mapping I/O devices to virtual machines on servers with a new specification, published today, called Intel Virtualization for Directed I/O (Intel VT-d). Part of the Intel VT family of technologies, Intel VT-d helps improve the reliability, flexibility and performance of I/O in a virtualized environment. Microsoft has collaborated with Intel on development of the specification to help ensure it provides optimal functionality for users.

“Intel AMT and Microsoft SMS will mean relief for those who manage computer networks who have struggled to effectively control virus outbreaks, audit networked PCs or handle computer problems without affecting users’ productivity,” said Pat Gelsinger, Intel senior vice president, general manager, Digital Enterprise Group. “In addition, the combination of hardware virtualization in Intel VT-d working with Microsoft operating systems, management tools and Windows^® hypervisor technology promises dramatic new capabilities and efficiencies.”

“Microsoft is pleased that customers using SMS 2003, including our recently announced SMS 2003 R2, can take advantage of the new capabilities delivered through Intel AMT and Intel’s Professional Business Platform via the Intel developed add-on software for SMS,” said Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Server and Tools Business at Microsoft. “This enables customers to better manage their environments and computing infrastructures by reducing many challenges they face today. Similarly, Microsoft is increasing its investments in the Microsoft System Center family of products to address resource optimization and virtual machine life-cycle management so customers can manage their physical and virtualized environments from one toolset.”