Advanced Micro Devices will disclose further details about its virtualization technology code-named Pacifica on the 30^th of March, 2005, according to various reports over the Internet. The processor company is expected to reveal technical details and name software supporters of the technology.

Intel Corp. said its Vanderpool Technology (VT) – a set of hardware enhancements to Intel server and client platforms that can improve virtualization solutions – will be commercially available already this year. AMD’s Pacifica is expected to be ready for implementation in 2006. Both techs are to be supported by Microsoft’s operating systems and EMC’s VMware virtual machine monitor.

It is unclear whether any of AMD’s chipsets partners, such as NVIDIA Corp. or VIA Technologies, will present any details concerning their support of virtualization and whether such support is required on the core-logic level for AMD64 platforms.

Virtualization allows a platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions or “containers.” One physical compute system can function as multiple “virtual” systems. Vanderpool Technology can help improve future virtualization solutions.

Within the digital office and enterprise, businesses for example will be able to isolate a portion of a managed PC to perform system upgrades and maintenance without interrupting the end-user. IT managers could also create one desktop PC build that can function independently as both a business and personal system, keeping software loads and virus attacks separate, or one that runs different operating systems and software for different or legacy tasks. Multiple servers can be combined into one system, running different applications and operating systems, providing advantages for IT tasks such as server consolidation, legacy migration and security.

Home users could create virtual “partitions” isolating multiple user environments such as dedicating resources to a PC game, productivity, and personal video recorder-type environments, as well as improve defenses against viruses or spyware.