XenSource is hoping to make gains against virtualization giant VMware Inc. by making Xen more accessible to IT pros. Analysts have indicated Xen may be on the cusp of a big move through doors that could open as a result of recent and blistering upswings in Linux usage on servers.

"We're just at the tip of a $15 billion virtualization market and there are really only a couple of players, VMWare and a couple of other companies," Levine said in an interview. "And here we are, an independent company exploiting the strengths of open source and leading into a growing market -- and we're right there to take advantage of that."