As VMware steps into the virtualization limelight in San Francisco at its VMworld conference Sept. 11, Microsoft is trying to steal some of that thunder by making a number of announcements of its own.

Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., is announcing that it plans to deliver the first release candidate of Windows Server 2008 later this month.

The first Community Technology Preview of Windows Server Virtualization, code-named Viridian, will be released at the same time, Larry Orecklin, Microsoft's general manager of marketing for System Center, said at a media event Sept. 10.

The company will also announce that partner Citrix Systems has committed to standardize on its VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) image format as a common run-time environment for both virtualized operating systems and applications, making it easier for mutual customers to deploy virtualization solutions, he said.

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Microsoft, Windows Server 2008, RC, Release Candidate, Windows Longhorn Server