Microsoft virtualisation software renamed Hyper-V

Viridian, the server virtualisation technology that Microsoft is planning to launch as part of its next server operating system, has a new name.

In-keeping with the company’s policy of replacing codenames with more formal product monikers in the final months before launch, what was known as Viridian will now be known as Hyper-V, in reference to the Hypervisor virtualisation technology that underpins it.

“Today we are announcing the product name for what was Viridian, to mark the fact that we are also announcing the various products and packages that the technology will be available within,” says Zane Adam, senior director for Windows Server product marketing at Microsoft, speaking at the company’s IT Forum conference in Barcelona.

Hyper-V is an integrated server virtualisation software technology that will form a major part of the company’s next server release – Windows Server 2008 – and enable it to compete in the lucrative virtualisation market currently dominated by the likes of VMware.

The technology has had a painful inception, having been subject to delays and the removal of features in order to help Microsoft meet its revised timeline for launch.

However, both Hyper-V, and Windows Server 2008 are scheduled for launch on 27 February.