 "Red Hat, Microsoft Expand Virtualisation Interoperability Options")
Red Hat, a provider of open source solutions, has announced that customers can now deploy fully-supported virtualisation environments that combine Microsoft Windows Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. In response to customer demand for interoperability in their IT environments, Red Hat and Microsoft have completed testing and validation for mutual customers using server virtualisation. Joint support from Red Hat and Microsoft for these configurations is available now.
In February 2009, Red Hat and Microsoft announced agreements to validate and support the companies’ corresponding virtualization and operating system platforms. The agreements have enabled the delivery of expanded virtualisation interoperability through the cross-certification of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Microsoft Windows Server.
Customers can now deploy tested and supported heterogeneous, virtualised Red Hat and Microsoft solutions. The completed certifications include:
§ Validation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4, using the Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor, with Windows Server 2003, 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 guests.
§ Certification of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 host with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 guests.
Additionally, Microsoft products certified on Windows Server and Red Hat products certified on Red Hat Enterprise Linux are also supported in these heterogeneous virtualised environments, providing customers with increased deployment choice and flexibility.
“We are happy to offer our customers added choice and interoperability in virtualisation – the ability to deploy mixed virtualisation environments with Red Hat and Microsoft platforms – with co-ordinated support by both companies,” said Mike Evans, vice president, Corporate Development at Red Hat. “Red Hat customers have the flexibility to run their applications in environments that span from bare-metal servers, to virtualised servers, to public clouds – and this additional support will broaden their deployment choices even further.”