XenServer 6.2 is now Open Source!
It is an amazing news to me. I really love XenServer. I think that Citrix were able to make a good use of Linux mechanisms for the purposes of virtualization, without abusing the OS layer (like some of the other virtualization solutions did). The file locations are decent (for example – most parts are located in /opt, which is the right place for it to be at), and in general, it always felt to me as if Citrix developers (and the original XenSource developers) had respect for the OS. I liked it, and still do.
The product was not perfect. There were ups and downs, there were times when I cursed it, and times when I was full of joy by its behavior – which can happen from time to time, if you really like and care about a software product.
So, today Citrix announced that XenServer 6.2, the shiny new release, will become fully open-sourced. That the entire feature-set of XenServer previous versions can be yours for free. However, for support and some minor administrative tasks, you will want to purchase the licensed version. As far as I understood, these are the differences. Almost nothing more. Wow. Kudos!
Grab it while it’s hot here!