F5 Networks has announced a new F5 Management Pack for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager that allows joint F5 and Microsoft customers to manage application delivery in virtual environments. It has also updated its portfolio to support Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2.
The company claims that the new offerings deliver optimisation and increased availability for virtual environments, enabling IT staff to make better decisions regarding applications running in the virtual environment, and automating virtual machine management.
The company has added Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO) capabilities to the F5 Management Pack. Reportedly, the PRO-enabled Management Pack, in combination with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2, is expected to provide customers with enhanced visibility into both application delivery network and the server environment, enabling IT teams to monitor and manage application delivery as network or user conditions change.
The announcement comes as part of a series of updates for the existing suite of F5 Application Ready offerings for Microsoft Windows Server, including offerings for IIS, Remote Desktop Services (RDS), Hyper-V, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2.
Rowland, VP of application partner programs at F5, said: “The benefits offered by Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs) apply to all applications, whether they’re deployed on physical or virtual servers. One of the primary challenges faced by companies who deploy applications on virtual servers is the management of those virtual machines. F5’s solution for System Center Virtual Machine Manager is designed with virtual environments in mind, enabling customers to realise significant business value through faster rollout times, cost savings, and flexibility.”
