It looks like the official, final name of the server technology previously known as Viridian and Windows Server Virtualization (WSv) has been announced.  See Microsoft Outlines Pricing, Packaging and Licensing for Windows Server 2008… for details.  As few techies like to read Press Releases, I’ll give you the short version.  The name of the technology/feature that will be available in 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2008 is Hyper-V.  In addition, Microsoft is providing a Hyper-V Server version of the product for use by OEMs.  The technical requirements seem to remain the same.  I’ll soon be writing some articles about the architecture of Hyper-V and will post the details here.

Personally, I like the new name somewhat more than the WSv title.  Hyper-V has fewer syllables, which is always a plus.  It’s a departure from Microsoft’s usually long-winded product names that can rarely be completed in a single breath. 

On that note: In keeping with descriptive product names, SoftGrid has also been renamed.  It is now called Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5.  A list of new features is listed in Brian Madden’s blog entry, Microsoft announces Application Virtualization 4.5.  While I have mixed feelings on long, descriptive product names, I really do think this will help clear up some confusion over virtualization approaches.  I’ll post more information as it becomes available.