[OT] Virtualization (WAS: UNIX V7)

[Pontus Pihlgren]

(Sorry for keeping this OT discussion continue, but one of my questions 
are vaguely on topic)

> 
> These people think it's efficient to run a copy of Windows 2003 on a
> server (which needs a couple of gig of RAM to work well) and then run
> multiple VMs on that containing copies of Windows 2003 or other
> flavours of Windows. They think virtualisation is new and clever and
> it doesn't occur to them that not only is this wasteful of resources,
> but it's a nightmare to keep all those copies patched and current.
> 

I'm curious, what OS:es and software did virtualisation before 
VMware/XEN/Virtualbox and the like ?

Also, why is it wasteful of resources?

And finaly, why would keeping virtual installations up to date be any 
harder than non-virtual?

/P