Security vendors on board with VMsafe

Twenty security vendors plan to build products interoperable with virtualization vendor VMware Inc.'s newly announced security technology, VMsafe.

VMsafe technology integrates with the VMware hypervisor, which runs directly on processors independent of the operating system. VMsafe APIs allow security vendors build tools that will have direct visibility into the memory, CPU, disk and I/O systems of each virtual machine, the company said.

Analysts have noted in the past that virtualized environments can increase security problems, as there are few firewalling products designed for a virtual environment.

Among vendors who have committed to building products on the VMsafe platform are Symantec, CheckPoint and McAfee, the company said.

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