ServerPark: Another Approach to Server Virtualization?

You know the big names in the virtualization market. But smaller names often pop into our inbox as well. One recent example: ServerPark, based in Malaysia, focuses on distributed desktop virtualization. How is this different from the rest of the virtualization world? Read on…

It works like this: The ServerPark platform, called @Works, takes a single image and pushes it out to the endpoint box over LAN. The endpoint, however, gets utilized as a fully functional PC meaning that the beefier the machine, the more intensive apps it can run, even though it’s virtualized. The processing load is offloaded from the distribution server to the local machine, ServerPark says.

The proposed advantage is that ServerPark can help you run a server with low requirements, provide a decent user experience, while also helping manage and organize your VMs and users in a central location. ServerPark also touts the fact that this puts a near-zero demand on having to buy new zero-clients or new endpoint hardware. All existing hardware can be used when deploying @Works, the company claims.

ServerPark says they’re making moves in Asia with educational and governmental areas using this technology, especially because of the low system requirements. Specs for the endpoint are as low as a Pentium 3, and the server simply requires dual gigabit LAN ports, 4GB of RAM, at least two 500GB RAID drives, and a new Intel or AMD CPU. The server should be running Windows Server 2003, 2008 or CentOS. The endpoints can run nearly  anything, from, DOS, Windows 2000 or XP and Linux.

The site doesn’t specifically detail any price points, but we’re watching to see how ServerPark brings this method of virtualization into Europe and North America. And frankly, we wonder if there’s room for more competition when giants like VMware, Citrix Systems, Microsoft and Red Hat all are making next-generation virtualization moves.

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