PlateSpin Assists in Upgrading to VMware Infrastructure 3 with Near-Zero Downtime

Business Wire, August 2, 2006

TORONTO -- PlateSpin Releases PowerConvert 6.0 to Provide 100 Percent Automated Migrations from VMware 2.5 to VMware Infrastructure 3 with Minimal Downtime for Production Virtual Machines

PlateSpin Ltd. today announced the release of PowerConvert 6.0 with full support for VMware Infrastructure 3, VMware's next-generation virtual infrastructure product. PlateSpin PowerConvert's newest live conversion feature helps data centers make a seamless transition from VMware ESX Server 2.5 to the new VMware Infrastructure 3 with minimal interruption.

PlateSpin PowerConvert provides a completely automated software solution that enables customers to stream servers across physical, virtual, blade and image-based infrastructures in any direction. This additional feature helps IT Managers migrate virtual machines from VMware ESX Server 2.5 or VMware Server environments by streaming them to VMware Infrastructure 3 while the virtual machine is running. PlateSpin PowerConvert automates the entire process, eliminating all manual effort including VMware tools updates, virtual hardware upgrades and configuring virtual machine settings specific to VMware Infrastructure 3.

"For customers committed to upgrading to VMware Infrastructure 3, this newest release of PlateSpin PowerConvert can help them accelerate their deployment by automating the migration process," said Stephen Pollack, CEO of PlateSpin. "New and existing VMware customers are able to leverage the power of PlateSpin's OS Portability technology to extend their use of virtualization by seamlessly moving servers into enterprise-class VMware Infrastructure 3 environments."

PlateSpin PowerConvert 6.0 features the following:

--Drag-and-drop virtual machines from VMware ESX Server 2.5 and VMware Server into VMware Infrastructure 3

--For production virtual machines running Windows 2000, Windows 2003 and Windows XP operating systems, the virtual machine remains live as its OS, applications and data are migrated to new VMware Infrastructure 3 hosts with only a brief (one- to five-minute) interruption

--Completely automate the Discover, Configure and Convert functionality

--Optionally reconfigure CPU, disk, network and memory resources on the new target virtual machine

--Upgrade multiple virtual machines simultaneously onto new VMware Infrastructure 3 hosts

"Customers looking to benefit from virtualization have a rich set of options in VMware software, from the desktop to the data center," said Karthik Rau, senior director of infrastructure products and solutions at VMware. "PlateSpin's support in PowerConvert for VMware Infrastructure 3 gives our mutual customers a great set of options for accelerating their deployment of VMware Infrastructure 3, the third generation of the industry-leading infrastructure virtualization software suite."

"PlateSpin's OS Portability technology will allow customers to migrate quickly and easily to the new VMware Infrastructure 3," said Simon Gay, consultancy practice leader at Computacenter. "By providing an upgrade path from VMware ESX Server 2.5 to VMware Infrastructure 3 that requires minimal downtime of production virtual machines, PlateSpin is yet again adding value and providing advanced technology that puts data centers on the fast track of virtualization."

Pricing and Availability

PlateSpin PowerConvert 6.0 will be generally available August 4 to help users upgrade from VMware ESX Server 2.5 to VMware Infrastructure 3. PlateSpin PowerConvert allows users to move a virtual machine from VMware ESX 2.5 to VMware Infrastructure 3 with minimal downtime using PowerConvert's new live transfer feature. Pricing starts at $45 per conversion and includes the live transfer functionality. Other packages are available, for more information visit www.platespin.com or contact a sales representative at sales@platespin.com.

About PlateSpin

PlateSpin provides the most advanced data center automation software designed to optimize the use of server resources across the enterprise to improve business service levels and lower costs. PlateSpin OS Portability technology liberates software from hardware platforms allowing servers to be streamed over the enterprise network from any source to any destination, ensuring best fit between server resource supply and application workload demands.

Global 2000 companies use PlateSpin solutions to lower costs and solve today's most pressing data center initiatives such as server consolidation, disaster recovery, hardware migration and test lab automation. Winner of the 2006 International Business Award for Best Overall Company, PlateSpin was also named the fourth fastest growing IT company in Canada by Branham Group, and as one of the top five Movers and Shakers in the Canadian IT Sector for 2006. For more information please visit www.platespin.com.

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