Spiceworks Adds Virtualization Features to Management LineSpiceworks Adds Virtualization Features to Management Line

Virtualization was once a way for large companies to reduce their data center costs. The technology has made its way into the small and medium business sector, a trend that network management supplier Spiceworks acknowledged in its latest product enhancement.The network management vendor announced version 4.6 of Spiceworks IT Desktop. With its new virtualized server features, businesses can remotely discover and monitor VMWare ESX/ESXi and Sphere virtualized servers. The Spiceworks product examines whether or not a VM is running and provides inventory information, such as the amount of RAM and hard drive space the VM is using. Another enhancement was a remote process management feature that allows administrators to view and delete desktop and server processes if needed.

The product includes a few other enhancements. The Spiceworks system now builds maps for .Cisco wireless access points, so technicians can more easily determine how those devices are functioning. The new release also supports Intels Power Manager plug-in, which is designed to automatically adjust a devices power so it uses only the energy required by the workload.

Spiceworks estimates that about half of small and medium businesses now take advantage of virtualization technology, so it was imperative that the company add that feature to its product line. The vendor has been on an upward path during the recent economic downturn. Spiceworks claims that 35% of all businesses with more than 100 employees use its management system. The new enhancements are designed to try and maintain that momentum.