Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF)

With VMworld 2007 nearing it's end, the virtualization world seems to be buzzing with all kinds of analysis and comments regarding VMware ESX Server 3i, VMware Site Recovery Manager and Open Sourcing VMware Tools as well as many other virtualization related topics that has been covered on VMworld this year.


I do feel that one thing has received a little bit less attention that it probably deserves: Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF). While technically not announced on VMworld, I would think most of the attendants would find this very interesting.

A new proposed format, which basically is a XML wrapper for the three existing virtual machine types (VMware, Citrix/XenSource and Microsoft) that will allow full interoptability for virtual machines between the different vendors. The format also includes integrity checks that should twart any tampering attempts.

The new specification is created by DMTF, and supported by Dell, HP, IBM, Microsoft, VMware and Citrix/XenSource sounds like a pipe dream, but apparently it looks like it could possibly end a lot of the current problems with moving virtual machines between different virtualization vendors.


September 13, 2007 at 11:38pm | 4 Comments
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4 Comments so far

  1. Scott Lowe, on September 14, 2007 at 2:30am, said:

    It's good to see someone else picking up on OVF...there's been several mentions of it, but no one really paying any attention to it. I wish there had been a bit more attention spent on OVF, but instead all I've heard is a brief mention in one of the keynotes, and that's it.

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  2. John Troyer, on September 14, 2007 at 8:31am, said:

    Have I posted these links yet? It's a bit of a blur at the moment:
    http://dcsblog.burtongroup.com/data_center_strategies/2007/09/ovf---the-new-p.html
    http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/1003
    http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/1004

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  3. Christian Mohn, on September 14, 2007 at 9:02am, said:

    OVF seems like a pretty good idea to me, and I'm sure there will be more buzz surrounding it when vendors start supporting it. VMware has some specs and whitepapers on it available. I'm sure the "rest" will follow too.

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  4. Christian Mohn, on September 14, 2007 at 9:07am, said:

    Thanks John!

    I've turned your links into real ones for easy clicking goodness:

    http://dcsblog.burtongroup.com/data_center_strategies/2007/09/ovf---the-new-p.html
    http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/1003
    http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/1004

    Edit Comment

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