New Virtual Hard Disk Program Should Speed Up Enterprise Software Evaluations
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Microsoft has unveiled a virtual hard disk (VHD) Test Drive Program, which allows customers to evaluate both its enterprise software and that from its software partners in a fraction of the time it would normally take. |
The VHD program is a first for Microsoft and the more than 7,000 software vendors who can now deliver pre-configured applications within Windows Server-based virtual machines to their customers.
The VHD format captures the virtual machine operating system and the application stack in a single file to create the larger virtualized system.
The VHD format has been available as a royalty-free license since May 2005, but was recently made freely available under the Open Specification Promise, with Microsoft officials saying that in the three weeks since then, VHD adoption has more than doubled.
The program launches with the latest versions of Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition, SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition SP1, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 (32-bit beta) with Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005, and Internet Security & Acceleration (ISA) 2006 Standard Edition.
The virtual machines are pre-built and pre-configured so that they can be downloaded or distributed for easy setup and evaluation, allowing customers to set up SQL Server 2005 in minutes instead of hours, and Microsoft expects more than 20 partners to begin distributing their software via the VHD Test Drive Program later this quarter.
Comments (20)
Congratulation to Peter Galli.... a review that is a REVIEW and NOT a pieces of dribble as was the the "reviews" done by your colleagues (Jim Rapoza and Scot Peterson).
Keep up the good work, and keep being unbiased !
Posted by Neil | November 6, 2006 9:10 PM
I agree to Neil's comment. Peter, You probably the best of the Microsoft-Watch writers after Mary Jo left and went on another site.
Great review, well written.
Posted by Steve M.V. | November 7, 2006 12:46 AM
May as well add my support too for this REVIEW!!! May be Peter should re-do WMP11 review for us...
Posted by William | November 7, 2006 2:48 AM
I 100% agree!
Posted by Casimir | November 7, 2006 3:39 AM
Yes Peter, you are the best writer on Microsoft Watch. You're the tallest midget on the site. We really need more analysis though. This post is a cut and paste of your news story.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2052374,00.asp
Posted by Dick | November 7, 2006 10:19 AM
Here, here! Peter Galli is the most fanciest. He make me cry from happy! MORE, PLEASE!!!
Posted by Schleprock | November 7, 2006 10:26 AM
Peter, I love it when you review virtual hard disks. You're so much better than the others.....
Posted by Jack MeOffer | November 7, 2006 10:29 AM
I was going to give Peter Galli heeps of praise for this article until.... I saw the post from Dick.... YOU HAVE GOT TO JOKING !!
Near enough to the same article just "cut and paste" that's all it was !
Why Peter did you have to RUIN a good article by doing that.
Now the thought comes to me "Did you actually write it in the first place" or did YOU copy it from somewhere else ?
My opinion of your journalism is now the same as Jim Rapoza and Scot Peterson, and that aint good mate !
Posted by Neil | November 7, 2006 6:15 PM
Um Neil, Peter Galli did post the linkage to his story. You could go look at his story and click on the link that redirects to his article. There's nothing wrong doinging. Even though, he cut and paste the artcile in a good way that he wrote a breif writing on the subject. He is better then the other staffer's writing.
Posted by Steve M.V. | November 7, 2006 8:18 PM
Steve... True...but "cut and paste" is still "cut and paste" !
Even my children are told by their English Teachers "If you take something from the Internet do NOT copy it word for word, change it around so that it at least looks different to the original, and then add in some of your own information".
Why teach our kids this when adults do not do it themselves, specially people who journalists and make their living doing it !
It is in my view a form of "cheating"... you are NOT using your brain and you think that the people reading it don't use theirs either !
Posted by Neil | November 7, 2006 8:29 PM
Neil! It is HIS OWN article he cut and paste from. I don't think you understand that, or else you're just really weird.
Posted by ash | November 7, 2006 11:12 PM
Yes Ash I am aware that it is his own article, what I am going on about was copying his article from one place to another.
I feel that he should have changed it in some way for a different website (ie this one), that's what I am going on about.
On the whole this site is really not a good as it used to be that's for sure, even leaving out my critism of Peter Galli!
Do you at least agree with that ?
Posted by Neil | November 8, 2006 2:51 AM
Peter Galli cut and paste best of anybodys!
Posted by Snippy | November 8, 2006 10:02 AM
You've got to be kidding Neil! If there were any more information to put in the other article he would have put it in this one first! Why wast time writing the same thing in two different ways?
It's the same article, he's simply posting it on two different sites that probably have a different user base.
Irrespective of how crap the site is, your point is ridiculous.
Posted by Anonymous | November 9, 2006 3:55 AM
You've got to be kidding Neil! If there were any more information to put in the other article he would have put it in this one first! Why wast time writing the same thing in two different ways?
It's the same article, he's simply posting it on two different sites that probably have a different user base.
Irrespective of how crap the site is, your point is ridiculous.
Posted by Mike | November 9, 2006 3:56 AM
Neil, you are clueless!
It's his article and he wrote a breif "cut and paste" summary over here. It'sperfectly fine.
Posted by Steve M.V. | November 9, 2006 11:17 AM
jonny260
Posted by jonny533 | December 3, 2006 11:21 PM
Hey guys, there's another English person about, :)
I'm a new on www.microsoft-watch.com
looking forward to speaking to you guys soon
Posted by vipsticks | February 12, 2007 6:43 AM
Hello friends! i new on your forum!
see ya:))
Posted by Jamsona | August 10, 2007 12:45 AM
teste
Posted by chico | September 5, 2007 4:12 AM