VKernel makes Capacity Modeler a free alternative to VMware CapacityIQ
The virtualization management company makes a bold move to counter VMware's new capacity management software
Follow @infoworldVKernel is ready to announce that they are making their Capacity Modeler software for VMware completely free until Dec. 31, 2009.
So what does that mean for you? Anyone who downloads VKernel Capacity Modeler between now and the end of the year will receive a free perpetual license for an unlimited number of CPU sockets. The company said it would not charge any additional costs, making sure the tool was absolutely free to consumers. And in doing so, VKernal is taking on VMware in a David-and-Goliath-type throwdown right in the middle of the virtual squared circle.
[ VMware released CapacityIQ 1.0 for VMware ESX 3.x to rid waste and right-size environments | Lanamark looks beyond server virtualization analysis and capacity planning by extending its software to reach out to the desktop | Keep up with the latest virtualization news with InfoWorld's virtualization newsletter. ]
"We're going right at VMware on this one," said Kevin Conklin, VP of product management and marketing at VKernel. "VMware chose to enter this space to compete with us and others like Veeam, Vizioncore, Hyper9, etc. They could have chosen to partner with us and build a nice management ecosystem, but instead they want to do it themselves and charge a premium."
Conklin said that after taking a look at VMware's new software, their position on VMware CapacityIQ is that it is a "rudimentary capacity planning and modeling tool" that starts at $1,200 per processor. He added, "while VMware claims it is an optimization, right-sizing, and waste finding tool, we can't figure out how an IT admin would be able to easily use CapacityIQ to do those tasks."
On the other hand, the company said its free VKernel Capacity Modeler software provides VMware customers with the ability to quickly plan, simulate, and validate hundreds of real-world "what if" VM deployment and resource allocation scenarios in an interactive sandbox before going live in the production environment. They want to get the product into people's hands in order to show them what VKernel can do.
