VMware’s ESX hypervisor has become the first third-party hypervisor accredited under Microsoft’s months-old Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP).

The validation applies to VMware ESX 3.5 update 2 (ESX 3.5u2) and means VMware customers who run Windows Server and Microsoft applications such as Exchange, SQL Server and SharePoint can get support from both Microsoft and VMware.

When Microsoft lightened up on its virtual migration rules a couple of weeks ago it also changed its technical support policy for 31 of its server applications promising customers the same level of support on a validated third-party virtualization platform like ESX as on its own Hyper-V widgetry, an important move for users.

Cisco, Citrix, Sun, Novell and Virtual Iron are also going through the SVVP gauntlet.