Operating System-Level Virtualization Technology for Linux Kernel 2.6.18 Precursor to RHEL 5 and Debian 4
HERNDON, Va., November 3, 2006 -- The OpenVZ project (http://openvz.org) today announced availability of beta level software based on the Linux kernel 2.6.18 -- preparing users the upcoming Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (RHEL5) and Debian GNU/Linux 4 releases.
OpenVZ is operating system-level server virtualization software technology, built on Linux, which creates isolated, secure virtual environments on a single physical server – enabling greater server utilization and superior availability with fewer performance penalties. The virtual servers ensure that applications do not conflict and can be re-booted independently.
"We are keeping in step with the very latest Linux technology to benefit the advanced users in the open source community," said Kir Kolyshkin, manager of the OpenVZ project. "We've actually had OpenVZ for the 2.6.18 kernel available in our code repository since 'day one,' but are releasing the OpenVZ software now after further development."
The new OpenVZ kernel software can be downloaded here, http://openvz.org/download/kernel/devel. Also, users can access helpful installation instructions from the OpenVZ wiki, http://wiki.openvz.org/Quick_installation. The site serves as a forum to gain and share knowledge about OpenVZ and includes documentation and a knowledge base with helpful advice.
With the power of today's processors from Intel, AMD and IBM, hardware is often under utilized. With virtualization technology, the server can effectively be split into many small ones, each running its tasks so that the whole server is utilized more efficiently.
About the OpenVZ Project
The OpenVZ project freely distributes and offers support to its users, promoting operating system virtualization through a collaborative, community effort. Since going into full production late last year, the OpenVZ project has been very active with the user community with more than 7,000 message posts on its support Forum. The OpenVZ website attracted more than one million hits for the month of August as more businesses and individuals explore and contribute to the leading open source operating system virtualization project.
OpenVZ software comes with user tools that help automate management of virtual servers. With its unique architecture that uses a single operating system instance, the virtual servers perform and execute like independent servers with their own memory, configuration files, users and applications. Each can be re-booted independently. Using template-based application deployment provides a simple way to get new virtual servers up and running in minutes and OpenVZ can run several times more virtual servers per CPU than other virtualization technologies.
Supported by SWsoft, the OpenVZ project serves the needs of the community developers, testers, documentation experts, and other technology enthusiasts who wish to participate in and accelerate the technology development process OpenVZ is open source software that is used as the basis for the SWsoft Virtuozzo virtualization software product. Also, the OpenVZ project maintains a blog site discussing virtualization technology, which can be accessed here, http://blog.openvz.org.