Virtual Iron Software (www.virtualiron.com), a provider of enterprise-class software solutions for server virtualization and virtual infrastructure management, today announced it has joined the HP ProLiant Partner Program and BladeSystem Solution Builder Program. Virtual Iron is one of just two charter members of the new invitation-only ProLiant Partner Program. By optimizing its solutions on HP BladeSystem and ProLiant servers, Virtual Iron is expanding its ability to deliver advanced virtualization capabilities to the mainstream market and enable customers to increase data center efficiency, reduce server sprawl and increase business service levels.

Virtual Iron and HP are actively working together at multiple customer sites including PGA TOUR Superstores (PGATSS) and Priceline.com. Both companies are taking advantage of Virtual Iron’s enterprise-class solution running on HP servers. Priceline.com is the leading travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers. No other travel service gives customers more ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises.

"Priceline.com has hundreds of HP ProLiant servers in its data center and we've selected Virtual Iron to virtualize both our Windows and Linux environments," said Ron Rose, CIO of Priceline.com. "By working together, HP and Virtual Iron minimize configuration complexity and increase the efficiency of both their solutions. That's good for Priceline.com and good for the industry as a whole."

“After evaluating the features, functionality and pricing of virtualization products from other major virtualization vendors, Virtual Iron running on the HP ProLiant platform was an easy choice,” said Gentry Ganote, CIO of Golf and Tennis Pro Shop, Inc. and PGA TOUR Superstores. “I can strongly recommend Virtual Iron on HP c-class blades as the platform of choice for delivering advanced capabilities for virtualizing large server environments.”

Virtual Iron’s virtualization and management software is helping PGATSS reduce data center complexity and cost. The company, which currently has eight, 70,000 square foot retail stores, selected Virtual Iron as part of a larger data center restructuring which also includes HP's BladeSystem c-Class server blades. As a result of both initiatives, PGATSS will significantly improve data center performance and improve service levels for its in-store and online customers.

“Structured Technologies and its customers are excited to see Virtual Iron and HP formalize this strong relationship,” said Trey Layton, chief technology officer at Structured Technologies. “Virtual Iron’s innovative leadership and agility have produced strong industry momentum, and we have multiple customers running Virtual Iron’s enterprise-class capabilities on the HP ProLiant server platform.”

Virtual Iron provides enterprise-class capabilities for unmodified Windows and Linux at just $499 per socket – one-fifth the cost of comparable alternatives. Virtual Iron combines an open source hypervisor with advanced virtualization services and policy-based management. It also leverages new hardware–assist capabilities (AMD-V and Intel VT) now available on HP ProLiant servers to deliver near native performance and simultaneous support for 32 and 64-bit operating systems. Virtual Iron also includes advanced capabilities such as large memory support (up to 96 GB), large SMP capabilities (up to 8 simultaneous CPUs per virtual server) and the ability to virtualize server platforms with up to 32 physical CPUs. Additionally, Virtual Iron requires no installation or management of virtualization services on physical servers, further streamlining data center operations and costs. The software delivers all the capabilities and benefits of primary virtualization use cases including: server consolidation; development and test; rapid provisioning; high availability and disaster recovery; and capacity management.

HP has produced a new white paper validating the Virtual Iron solution on the HP ProLiant server platform. This document provides a public lab-validated proof point and a solution proof-of-concept. Several HP ProLiant rack mount and blade servers were tested including the ProLiant BL460c, BL465c, BL480c, DL380 G5, DL385 G2, DL580 G3 and DL585 G2 servers. The white paper is available online here. The Virtual Iron software has also been validated in the HP Test Lab on the HP ProLiant DL140, DL320, DL360 and DL365 servers.

Virtual Iron is also a member of HP’s BladeSystem Solution Builder Program. The program is a global community of technology and service delivery providers who collaborate with HP and one another to define, develop, deliver and deploy customer solutions built for HP BladeSystems. The Solution Builder Program members include independent hardware vendors (IHVs), independent software vendors (ISVs), system integrators (SIs) and service-oriented resellers with a substantial SI practice and expertise in the rapidly growing blade market. The BladeSystem Solution Builder Program connects partners with HP resources to design, deliver and deploy components and solution stacks on blades that solve real business and IT challenges. This includes a broad set of technology and application solution offerings that are less costly, more energy efficient, easier to change and take less time to manage.

“Priceline.com and PGA Tour Superstores’ implementations of Virtual Iron on HP Blades and ProLiant servers are indicative of IT departments’ relentless drive to leverage the most comprehensive virtualization and management capabilities available to improve their operational efficiency and business agility,” said Mike Grandinetti, chief marketing officer at Virtual Iron Software. “These companies are able to take advantage of enterprise-class virtualization and management at just one-fifth the cost of comparable alternatives. We are pleased to work with HP to enhance our value proposition as we rapidly expand our family of small, medium and large enterprise customers.”

“Virtualization is a key focus for our customers today as they look to maximize their IT investments and reduce data center complexity while keeping capital and operating costs in check,” said Paul Miller, vice president of marketing, Industry Standard Servers and BladeSystem Division, HP. “HP is pleased to work with Virtual Iron and optimize its enterprise-class virtual infrastructure and management solutions with our HP ProLiant portfolio of Windows and Linux platforms.“