VMware working on mobile virtualisation admin tool

Developers at VMware are working on a new tool which will allow administrators to manage virtualised systems through a mobile handset.

The vCenter Mobile Access tool, as it is currently being called, will facilitate remote access and management of virtual machines, performing tasks such as migration and recovery.

"Imagine any scenario where you need to actively manage your datacentre but you are nowhere close to a PC," said Srinivas Krishnamurti, director of product management and market development at VMware, in a blog post.

"Wouldn't it be nice to act on the notification from your mobile phone? After all, we are now a generation that doesn't leave home without a mobile phone."

Krishnamurti said that the first test versions of the new software will be publically available for download next month.

Administrators will need to set up a virtual server to manage the mobile access components. The server will in turn be connected to the virtualisation servers.

Among the features which will be available to administrators are the ability to search virtual machines, migrate virtual machines between host systems and run recovery operations remotely.

The new tool will be part of VMware's ongoing work with mobile phones. The company announced in November that it would begin a large-scale project known as the Mobile Virtualization Platform to bring virtualisation to smartphones.