KVM Virtualization Software Includes Dynamic Workload Management and VLAN Support

Update of ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise from Convirture also adds LDAP support and enhanced scalability features

SAN FRANCISCO: IT managers who are building virtual data centers and private clouds based on Xen and/or KVM open source hypervisors now have even more advanced management capabilities with the latest version of ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise from Convirture.

The newest release adds advanced enterprise features including dynamic workload management, virtual local area network (VLAN) configuration and lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) support, as well as enhanced scalability and search functions.

“As Xen and KVM become more widely used in virtualized data centers and for private cloud implementations, the need for sophisticated management capabilities increases,” said Arsalan Farooq, CEO at Convirture. “The new features in ConVirt Enterprise only add to the rich functionality that IT managers want and need, and which were previously unavailable to open source-based hypervisor users.”

The new features include:

  • Dynamic Workload Management: Enables automated load balancing of virtual machines across servers based on pre-defined business objectives. Two policies are available in this release: an Even Distribution Policy that spreads loads across the available hardware and a Power Save Policy that consolidates virtual machines on a minimum number of servers and shuts down unnecessary servers to save power.
  • VLAN Configuration: Provides a centralized interface for managing virtual networks. Users can define virtual host private networks or VLANs that span multiple servers in the server pool, and let ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise do the required configuration, such as network bridge setup.
  • LDAP Support: Simplifies user administration by supporting LDAP-based authentication and role creation, ensuring that all of ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise privileges are consistent with corporate policies.
  • Enhanced Scalability: ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise introduces a number of scalability and user interface improvements for enterprises managing hundreds or thousands of hosts.
  • Advanced Search: Users can now quickly search for relevant information about servers and virtual machines using various criteria. Custom searches can also be saved and shared across the organization, enabling administrators to customize the user interface to their needs.

Availability
The latest version of ConVirt 2.0 Enterprise is available immediately, directly from Convirture. Current customers will receive it as a free update. Pricing starts at $1,495 per host for up to 10 hosts, with volume pricing available for larger environments.