Now Microsoft offers technical support to customers who run the virtualization tool with Windows Server.

VMware, the clear leader of server virtualization, has announced that its VMware ESX hypervisor meets the requirements of Microsoft’s Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP). VMware ESX 3.5 update 2 (ESX 3.5u2) is the first hypervisor to join the program, which provides support from both Microsoft and VMware to customers who work with Windows Server and Microsoft applications. “Virtualization is already established within a stream of IT and our relationship with Microsoft shows just how far it has come, providing users of VMware ESX access to valuable support for their virtualized Microsoft applications,” says Bogomil Balkansky, Senior Director of product marketing at VMware. “VMware and Microsoft are working together to make sure that our joint customers enjoy the benefits of virtualization with the reassurance that professional support provides,” he adds.

Microsoft’s Server Virtualization Validation Program enables VMware and other software vendors to test and validate that their virtualization tools run well with Windows Server 2008 and previous versions. Through this program, Microsoft provides technical support to joint customers who run Windows Server on validated virtualization software that is not Microsoft’s, such as VMware ESX 3.5 update 2. Customers who have support services and implement applications based on Windows Server in VMware ESX 3.5u2 can now get technical support from Microsoft. VMware also offers an extra level of protection for its customers (in addition to the SVVP)—for those who work with VMware directly on the issue of support. This additional protection is part of the VMware Premier Support contract with Microsoft, which allows VMware to quickly identify problems with applications and to work directly with Microsoft engineers to speed up the resolution.

Most of the content of this article was based on an article by channelpartner.es.