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Microsoft to Work with Xen on Virtualization
suso writes "Microsoft has released a statement to the press, saying that they are to work with Xensource on making Windows Server work with Xen through Microsoft's own hypervisor technology." Coverage available from Reuters as well. From that article: " As a result of the collaboration, the next version of Windows Server, code-named 'Longhorn,' will provide customers with a virtualisation system that promises to help run both Windows and Linux on the same machine more cost-effectively. Microsoft said it expects to conduct a public trial of Windows Server virtualisation by the end of this year and to release a commercial version of the software within 180 days of the date when Windows Server 'Longhorn' is released. Microsoft aims to release 'Longhorn' by the end of 2007, it said."
No longhorn is the codename for Vista. Blackcomb is the codename for Vienna (Vista server) if I remember correctly. The codename for Win95 was chicago, also if I remember correctly.
It seems like the logical direction of Xen's progression.
d ex.html
From the creator of Xen's website "A port of Windows XP was developed for an earlier version of Xen, but is not available for release due to licence restrictions"
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/Research/SRG/netos/xen/in
The only thing standing in the way of Xen's running Microsoft's products is Microsoft.
There's a pdf on the Xensource website with information on how to install Windows Server 2003 right now. You do need a VT enabled Intel or AMD-V system though:
xensource
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No, that does not appear to be what that press release is saying.
It's saying that Microsoft will be able to run Xen enabled guests on Windows Server. IOW... They are acting as the Xen hypervisor and can run canned Xen images. I don't see anything in that announcement that gives me any encouragement to believe you will be able to run Windows under the native Xen hypervisor. They're not talking about "running Xen" only "running Xen enabled guests under the Microsoft virtualization". Different critter.
In fact, reading that release, they seem to have gone to great pains to word it to exclude running Windows as a guest under the Xen hypervisor. It's all spun very carefully, there.
No, you're wrong. We have W2k3 running inside a Xen-enabled FC5 kernel. Try the instructions at http://www.xensource.com/files/xen_install_windows .pdf.
That's one of the major reasons why VT hardware support is so exciting.