Layered Tech announced the availability of Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V-based virtual private machines. The announcement marks one of the first offerings of a hypervisor-based virtual private machine, allowing customers to take advantage of the control, efficiency and overall cost-effectiveness of server consolidation and virtualization. The release follows on the heels of Layered Tech’s recent launch of dedicated servers running Microsoft Windows 2008 and Hyper-V.

“The Microsoft Hyper-V platform allows Layered Tech to deliver a category-leading product that outperforms traditional VPS offerings generally available in the marketplace,” said Jack Finlayson, Chief Executive Officer, Layered Tech. “These are full virtual machines with complete control over everything, right down to the operating system. Customers now have a greater range of control than ever before, combined with a much higher degree of security and reliability.”

As a key feature of Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V allows virtualization of multiple operating systems, including Windows and Linux, all on the same server. The technology provides a scalable, reliable and highly available virtualization platform along with a single set of integrated management tools to manage both physical and virtual resources. Windows Hyper-V also offers large memory support and provides backup/restore, snapshotting and easy transition of virtual servers from one physical server to another.

The Hyper-V-based virtual private machines are delegated virtual instances from top-of-the-line servers, which are either IntelVT (IVT) or AMD-V-enabled processors for true virtualization. Windows Hyper-V allows both 32-bit and 64-bit Linux or Windows virtual machines to be created independent of the underlying operating system. Standalone applications such as Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint, for example, will now be able to run on one physical server, allowing users to consolidate multiple systems into a single environment without compromising control, security features or performance.

“We are excited that Layered Tech is among the first hosting providers to bring dedicated Hyper-V-based virtual private servers to market,” said John Zanni, General Manager of Worldwide Hosting, Microsoft Corp. “Their offering, combined with the tremendous advantages of a hypervisor-based virtualization tool, will help extend the savings realized through server consolidation and deliver on the vision of true virtualization. In addition, Hyper-V will enable Layered Tech to continue to run a heterogeneous environment by running both Windows and Linux on the same server using a single management interface.”