VMware, a maker of software that gives Intel servers some characteristics of higher-end machines, has dramatically expanded the power of its product through an upgrade that lets the program handle much more memory.
VMware's software lets workstations and servers run several copies of Windows or Linux simultaneously on the same computer--a capability that mammoth mainframe computers have had for years and that Unix servers are beginning to feature. In servers, this ability to run "virtual machines" is useful when a company wants to consolidate several computer tasks handled by separate servers onto a single machine.
For example, large Web sites often use dozens of low-end servers to send Web pages to browsers as quickly as possible. With virtual-machine technology, several such Web servers could be running independently on the same hardware--potentially saving money, reducing clutter and streamlining system-management chores.
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