ITComparison Virtualization Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 VS Xen Enterprise

Virtualization
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 VS Xen Enterprise 4 (Xen Biased)

Please be warned this comparison is biased toward Xen. For our un-biased comparison please click Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 VS Xen Enterprise 4 (un- Biased).

Xen MS Virtual Server

Planned upgrade/ Outage

XenMotion

Complex Microsoft host clustering

Cost Per VM Low Medium

64-bit Support Production Support Not Available

OS Support

32- & 64-bit Windows, Linux

Limited Windows, Linux guests

Mgmt OS a single point of failure?

False True (windows 2003)

Hypervisor just an extension to a fat OS

False True (Windows 2003)

Customer Support

Company Main Stream is Virtualization and all its support are concerned into that direction beside Xen are backed up by the Open Source Community. Adopted virtualization support and still building it.

Primary Customer usage
Production Ready

Primarily in test/dev environments

Requires Host OS No - Bare-Metal Installation Yes, Windows 2003 is required.

Performance High Low

Take Advantage of New Processors which include virtualization enhancement Highly Not addressed yet

Security

High Host OS dependant
(exposed to all Windows 2003 vulnerabilities)

Other Related Comparisons:

Xen Server Enterprise VS VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3

Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 VS VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3

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(Virtualization)

	Xen	MS Virtual Server
Planned upgrade/ Outage	XenMotion	Complex Microsoft host clustering
Cost Per VM	Low	Medium
64-bit Support	Production Support	Not Available
OS Support	32- & 64-bit Windows, Linux	Limited Windows, Linux guests
Mgmt OS a single point of failure?	False	True (windows 2003)
Hypervisor just an extension to a fat OS	False	True (Windows 2003)
Customer Support	Company Main Stream is Virtualization and all its support are concerned into that direction beside Xen are backed up by the Open Source Community.	Adopted virtualization support and still building it.
Primary Customer usage	Production Ready	Primarily in test/dev environments
Requires Host OS	No - Bare-Metal Installation	Yes, Windows 2003 is required.
Performance	High	Low
Take Advantage of New Processors which include virtualization enhancement	Highly	Not addressed yet
Security	High	Host OS dependant (exposed to all Windows 2003 vulnerabilities)