SoftGrid Application Virtualization

Finally, another upcoming virtualization technology you should know about is SoftGrid Application Virtualization, which Microsoft took ownership of when it acquired Softricity in July 2006. SoftGrid provides a different kind of virtualization than we’ve been discussing here-instead of virtualizing an entire operating system, it virtualizes only an application. This functionality makes SoftGrid a more fine-grained virtualization technology than Windows Server virtualization. Also, it’s designed not for the server end but for deploying applications to desktops easily and updating them as necessary.

Essentially, what SoftGrid can do using its streaming delivery mechanism is to transform any Windows program into a dynamic service that then follows users wherever they might go. These services can then be integrated into Microsoft’s management infrastructure so that they can be configured and managed using standard policy-based methods. At this point, SoftGrid isn’t directly associated with Windows 2008 Server or Windows Server virtualization, but it’s a new Microsoft technology you should be aware of as the virtualization landscape continues to evolve.