Microsoft plans to take a hard-charge at the burgeoning market for computer virtualization, including offering greater Linux compatibility. Regarding cooperation with rivals such as Sun Microsystems, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company would make serious investments in, and open up, its Virtual Server 2005 product to run on non-Windows machines.

This includes Linux, he said and added that Virtual Server 2005 Service Pack 1 (SP1), which is now in beta, offers developers the ability to put the company's new 64-bit compatibility and improved performance to the test on editions of Windows Server 2003 x64.

The SP1 also features a new MOM 2005 management pack to help administrators manage the performance of both physical and virtual machines through a single console. Virtual Server 2005 SP1 beta is available now and the final version will arrive by the end of 2005.