Ravello Systems Enters General Availability with Enterprise Application Virtualization
By leveraging the groundbreaking work of its founders, who previously developed KVM virtualization technology, Ravello Systems today announced its general availability release. This new platform introduces a unique approach to running enterprise applications in cloud environments specifically for development and testing (DevTest) purposes.
The Capsule Concept: A Paradigm Shift in Cloud Deployment
Following an $8 million seed funding round reported earlier, Ravello Systems introduced the innovative concept of the ‘capsule.’ This capsule metaphor represents its core technology’s ability to encapsulate all necessary components for a fully functional application within a single deployment unit. Here’s how it works:
Application Packaging: The entire stack required for an enterprise app is packaged into a capsule.
Streamlined Deployment: Instead of provisioning multiple individual virtual machines (VMs) in the cloud, these resources can now be delivered as part of one or more VMs within a single capsule. This dramatically simplifies deployment and reduces overhead.
For instance, what might require deploying 10 separate VMs on AWS could potentially be packaged into just two VMs inside a Ravello capsule — resulting in significant cost savings compared to traditional manual cloud provisioning methods.
Addressing Complex DevTest Needs in the Cloud
The platform allows developers to upload their applications and instantly have them run correctly within various public cloud environments (AWS, Azure, etc.). This seamless integration means that once testing is complete on Ravello’s platform:
- The application can be decommissioned from the cloud.
- It remains ready for deployment back onto its original on-premise infrastructure.
This eliminates redundant setup and configuration work when moving between environments. As noted previously, this ‘capsule’ approach effectively solves problems associated with deploying complex applications to dynamic public clouds while still adhering to established virtualization principles similar to KVM or VMware hypervisors.
Unique Differentiation from Traditional Hypervisors
Ravello’s application hypervisor stands distinct:
- It’s not a conventional on-premise solution like the original KVM or VMware technology.
- It’s purpose-built for the unique challenges and opportunities presented by running enterprise applications in cloud test environments.
According to Ravello, their core hypervisor technology is designed specifically for this context — handling complex application dependencies automatically that developers previously had to manage manually when deploying on public clouds.
The Competitive Landscape: Navigating Cloud DevTest Options
While offering a novel approach, Ravello operates within the broader competitive cloud development and testing space. Major compe*****s include established providers like:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Eucalyptus Systems
- Skytap (IBM’s offering)
These traditional platforms also provide core DevTest services but often require more manual setup to handle application dependencies effectively across different cloud environments or hybrid scenarios.
Conclusion: A Promising Solution for Modern Application Testing in the Cloud
Ravello Systems positions itself as a specialized solution optimizing the use of public cloud resources for enterprise application testing and development. Its unique packaging model offers potential advantages over both traditional on-premise virtualization solutions (like KVM) and generic DevTest services from large hyperscalers.
The technology represents an interesting evolution in how enterprises can utilize cloud environments without sacrificing their established deployment pipelines, further blurring the lines between private data centers and public clouds.
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