by I just saw an article about how XenServer (free) has replaced VMware in many environments. The article specifically says that 30% of the XenServer downloads came from companies (or users) that have VMware. Here’s a link to the article: http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn/news/2243603/xenserver-freebie-wins-vmware-4694813
Now, I’m not sure how the math works out there… I will tell anyone that I was chomping at the bit to download XenServer when it became free. I use VMware at several of my positions. But because I downloaded it, does that mean that I use it? The above mentioned article seems to make that case.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. In fact, Virtualization.info detailed a similar situation here: http://www.virtualization.info/2008/10/gartner-updates-market-share-reports.html, where the IDC and Gartner didn’t exactly agree on information gathered about which hypervisor has more market share. Here is another look into that whole situation: http://www.virtualization.info/2008/10/microsoft-already-took-23-of.html.
So who is right?
- Is everyone using VMware? I am sure they are not.
- Is everyone using Citrix? Same answer.
- Is everyone using HyperV? Same answer.
Do I want one to “win” over another? Not really. Competition is what makes the industry grow. Yes it makes it hard on the vendors… And it makes it hard on the consumers, while giving them better options, features, and price points. Many things have to go into deciding which Hypervisor to use.
At this point, the most important thing for a consumer to do is,
- Get all the facts
- Evaluate each of the platforms on performance, manageability, price point, and overall TCO
- Pick the one that best suits their environment
Now back to the originally referenced article… And the winner is… Well, I can’t tell from the data provided.
