Yesterday at VMworld 2009, VMware announced a beta version of VMware Go, a free web-based service that is designed to allow small businesses to make the jump to virtualization by simplify and automating the installation and configuration of VMware ESXi. VMWare claims it will allow IT to get ESXi up and running with just a few mouse clicks.
VMWare ESXi is also a free product, but lacks some of the features and management abilities of the VMWare’s flagship server virtualization hypervisor product, ESX.
“Nearly every SMB stands to benefit tremendously from virtualization. VMware Go will simplify virtualization for SMBs to a few easy online steps and was designed with SMBs in mind. We want SMBs who may be sitting on the fence to realize all the benefits of virtualization without burdening their limited IT resources,” said Dan Chu, vice president, emerging products and markets at VMware.
VMware Go was developed in partnership with Shavlik Technologies, and is available now as a beta offering on at http://www.vmware.com/go/vmware-go-beta. The final version should be available in 2010.