Likewise Open and Citrix XenServer Bring Security and Openness to Virtual Servers
by Kristin Shoemaker - May. 13, 2009Comments (0)- Related Blog Posts
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I've written about Likewise Software a few times previously. Like many open source companies, Likewise offers a completely open, free (both libre, and gratis) version of its security and authentication software that's designed to simplify managing mixed networks. Up to this point, however, it's only been available for physical environments, not virtual servers.
Come June, this will no longer be the case. Citrix has integrated Likewise's Open software with its XenServer virtualization software, so that virtual servers running in mixed network environments can be secured just as easily as physical machines.
With all signs pointing to virtualization being a significant player in future server trends, and mixed-platform networks being commonplace, incorporating an application such as Likewise Open with a virtualization platform will likely soon be less "great additional feature" and more "necessity."
The trick, as always, is recognizing a necessity before it becomes one. That's not always easy in an industry that changes as quickly as technology does -- but fast, stable adaptability has always been a hallmark of open source development.
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