Sun xVM
FAQs for Sun xVMGet answers to the most frequently asked questions about Sun xVM. General Questions
Q:
What is the Sun xVM Portfolio?
A:
Sun xVM is Sun's enterprise-class software portfolio designed to enable the virtualization and management of heterogeneous IT infrastructure end-to-end, from desktops to the datacenter.
The xVM portfolio is specifically built to unify virtualization and management across heterogeneous infrastructure. It will run on and manage both Sun and non-Sun hardware. It is capable of delivering enterprise-grade scalability, availability, and security across the application life cycle- from development through testing/staging to deployment, as shown in the diagram below. The portfolio is also designed for enterprise-wide, multi-campus deployments and can manage thousands of nodes.
Q:
How is Sun xVM open?
A:
The Sun xVM portfolio is designed from the ground up to be an open and interoperable for heterogeneous IT environments. For example, Sun xVM server supports Sun and non-Sun x86/x64 systems and enables Windows, Linux, and Solaris guest operating systems to run on those platforms; Sun xVM Ops Center will manage and integrate with Sun as well as non-Sun hardware and software infrastructure.
Q:
What are the products that make up the Sun xVM portfolio?
A:
The Sun xVM portfolio comprises the following key software products:
Sun xVM VirtualBox is an open source hypervisor for developer desktop virtualization to run multiple operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Linux, OpenSolaris, and the Solaris OS side-by-side for development and testing. Sun xVM Server is an enterprise-class hypervisor that enables you to quickly virtualize your systems without risk. Sun xVM Ops Center is a highly scalable datacenter management platform, which enables enterprises to provision and administer both physical and virtual nodes. Sun Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software is a remote access and virtual machine management product. Sun VDI delivers full-screen desktop environments running in virtual machines on VMware Infrastructure 3 to a variety of client devices.
Q:
What are the key features for the Sun xVM portfolio?
A:
Windows and Linux guest support: Particularly innovative is Sun xVM's ability to bring many enterprise grade features that have traditionally been available only in Solaris to Windows and Linux guests as well. Sun xVM also provides support for Windows guest management (e.g. provisioning, patching and monitoring).
Heterogeneous Infrastructure support: Sun xVM is truly heterogeneous and will run on, as well as manage, both Sun and non-Sun hardware. Enterprise-grade scalability, availability, and security: The server virtualization and management platform is designed from the ground up for enterprise wide, multi-campus deployments and can manage thousands of nodes. Each node is able to support guests at high-levels of availability, reliability, performance, and security. Openness and Interoperability: Key Sun xVM components will be available for free and as open source offerings. All key functionality will be exposed through open interfaces and industry standards.
Q:
What are the key features of Sun xVM VirtualBox for end-users?
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Q:
What are the key features of Sun xVM VirtualBox for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)?
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More about Sun xVM VirtualBox
Q:
What are the key features of Sun xVM Ops Center?
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Q:
What are the key features of Sun xVM Server?
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Q:
What are the key features of Sun Virtual Desktop (VDI) Software?
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More about Sun Virtual Desktop Software
Q:
How does Sun xVM address server sprawl and enterprise scalability issues?
A:
Sun xVM as a portfolio is designed for enterprise class scalability. This means that customers will be able to manage thousands of nodes. Each node is able to support guests at high-levels of reliability, performance, and security. Particularly innovative is the ability of Sun xVM to bring these enterprise scalability features, traditionally available only in Solaris, to Windows and Linux guests as well.
Q:
Does Sun xVM address the issue of better system availability?
A:
xVM will be able to run Windows more reliably than Microsoft. Features like Predictive-Self Healing/Failover Management (FMA) will allow xVM to detect impending failure by observing precursors to failure and taking appropriate action, such as migrating guests off the node. FMA will also help diagnose an uncorrectable fault that crashes a server and prevent the server from automatically being put back into service only for the cycle to repeat.
Another example of an advanced feature that improves system availability is ZFS, traditionally available only in Solaris. ZFS is an innovative file system from Sun that is available as part of Solaris 10. It provides very high levels of data integrity and performance, and improves the ease of file system management by eliminating the need for a volume manager. Also, because it is 128-bit based, it opens the door to virtually unlimited data scalability. Sun xVM will offer the scalability, data integrity, and performance benefits to Windows and Linux guests as well.
Q:
Does Sun xVM address quality of service for a virtualized enterprise environment?
A:
While modern hypervisors are getting increasingly good at managing guest contention for CPU resources, effectively utilizing I/O remains a major challenge. The advanced I/O technologies that are part of Solaris will allow xVM to address these deficiencies. For example, project crossbow technology will allow us to do network metering and ensure QoS for guests sharing a physical NIC.
Q:
When building a virtualized IT environment, security is one of the largest priorities. How does Sun xVM create a secure platform?
A:
Sun xVM inherits the reliability and security foundations from Solaris to enable a truly secure foundation for virtualized environments. For example, Sun xVM Server can enable encryption of network traffic between guests to mitigate the risk of potential attacks between guests on a node. Additionally, Sun xVM Ops Center provides best-in-class patch management capabilities ensuring that all guests are updated with the latest security patches.
Q:
How does the Sun xVM portfolio manage both physical and virtual environments?
A:
Products like VMware's Virtual Center manage the only the hypervisor. xVM Ops Center is a comprehensive management solution that can help manage the underlying hardware, the hypervisor, as well as the guest OS instances.
Q:
How is remote management handled with Sun xVM?
A:
Given that the current x86/x64 virtualization demand is predominantly Windows-driven, solutions such as VMware's Virtual Center are designed as a Windows client application. xVM is designed from the ground up to enable remote management of heterogeneous environments. With xVM Ops Center's browser-based, AJAX GUI, there is no compromise between user experience and portability. VMs and the physical hardware they run on can be managed from anywhere through a standard browser.
Q:
Will the xVM portfolio help me integrate my disparate Sun systems?
A:
Sun is one of the few vendors, if not the only one, with all the key components needed to comprehensively virtualize a datacenter including processors, systems, storage, networking, operating systems, and software. Sun xVM, especially its management component, xVM Ops Center, can seamlessly tie together the various largely disparate virtualization components that Sun controls today.
Q:
How do I get started with Sun xVM?
A:
Sun's portfolio of virtualization services can help you plan, design, and deploy an integrated solution to realize the full value of your solution investment. Our experts adhere to best practices that can lower your risk when adopting new technologies and help ensure maximum system uptime and service levels. Once a design is accepted, you can then rely on Sun and our partners as virtualization experts to implement, test, and put your new virtualized infrastructure into production. More information about Sun's Virtualization services.
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