Because of its slow growth - a factor of the freebie open source business model - Red Hat has become fodder for Wall Street acquisition speculation, BusinessWeek says, and offers VMware as a possible suitor. Such an acquisition would give VMware the operating system it's lacking, make its products cheaper and make it a more viable competitor against Microsoft - or so the theory goes.

BusinessWeek claims to have heard from "some industry executives" that VMware is looking for an operating system and says ousted VMware CEO Diane Greene "had set up meetings with Red Hat in part to position VMware as friendly to open source and possibly as a prelude to a buyout discussion."

Red Hat also needs the virtualization halo for growth.

Otherwise, the magazine says, Red Hat is trying to maximize revenues by refusing to discount, chasing sales in Asia, pulling resources out of consumer desktop Linux, closing down an online store that sold other people's open source software and generally focusing on business that pays.

Both VMware CTO and Red Hat CTO Keynoted SYS-CON's Virtualization Conference & Expo.

Brian Stevens, the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Engineering of Red Hat, delivered his Virtualization Keynote entitled "The Future of the Virtual Enterprise" at SYS-CON's  Virtualization Conference & Expo West in San Francisco.

"Virtualization is the hottest subject today," said Stevens, an industry luminary, who is credited with having pioneered new technologies that contributed to the rise of Linux as an industry-standard operating platform.

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Red Hat CTO Brian Stevens during his keynote at SYS-CON's Virtualization Conference & Expo

The CTO of VMware, the 10-year old Virtualization giant, gave a highly informative Morning Keynote today in New York City at the 3rd International Virtualization Conference & Expo, in the stately setting of the Grand Ballroom at New York's historic Roosevelt Hotel.

"Traditionally people have tied their software to their hardware. Virtualization changes all that," said Herrod, who is responsible for VMware's new technologies and technology collaborations with customers partners and standards groups.

VMware's goal was always, said Herrod, to simplify computing. In a wide-ranging keynote he covered how server consolidation remains the most typical use case for virtualization, especially in view of the environmental aspects -"Server consolidation is a "killer app" from a carbon footprint standpoint," said Herrod.

VMware CTO Stephen Harrod during his keynote at SYS-CON's Virtualization Conference & Expo

Virtualization Technology Providers and Contributors in 2008-2009
The following companies are among the providers and contributors of Virtualization technology: 3 Leaf Systems, 3PAR, 3tera, Accellion, Acronis, Actional, Active Endpoints, ActiveGrid, activePDF, ActiveServers, ActiveState, Actuate, Adaptec, Agile Software, AGiLiENCE, Agilysys, Akamai Technologies, Akorri, AlachiSoft, Alter Logic, Altor Networks, Altova, AMD, AMDAHL, Amentra, Amyuni, anacubis, Apani, APC, Appcelerator, Appistry, AppSense, AppStream, Array Networks, Ascential, Astaro, Attune Systems, Autodesk, AutoVirt, Availl, Avanade, Azul Systems, Barracuda Networks, BEA Systems, B-hive, Black Duck Software, Blackbaud, Blade Network Technologies, Blue Coat, Blue Lane, BlueArc, BlueNote Networks, BluePheonix Solutions, BMC Software, Borland, Bristol Technology, Brix Networks, BroadVision, Brocade, Burton Group, Business Objects, CA, CalAmp, Cassatt, Cast Iron Systems, Catbird, Cayenne Technologies, Ceedo Technologies, Cenzic, Certeon, CiRBA, Cisco Systems, Cision, Citrix Systems, ClearApp, ClearCube Technology, CollabNet, Compass America, Composite Software, Compugen, Compuware, Configuresoft, Continuity Software, Coraid, Courion, Coyote Point Systems, Crescendo Networks, CSC, DataCore, DataDirect, DataSynapse, Dell, Desktone, Digipede Technologies, Double-Take Software, Ecora Software, EDS, eG Innovations, Egenera, Elastra Corporation, Electric Cloud, Embotics, EMC Corporation, Emulex, Endeavors Technology, Enigmatic Corporation, Enomaly Open Source, Enterprise Management Associates, Entuity, EqualLogic, Ericom Software, ESRI, EVault, eXludus Technologies, F5 Networks, FalconStor, FastScale Technology, Foedus, Force10 Networks, Fortisphere, Forum Systems, Fujitsu, GemStone Systems, Getronics, GigaSpaces, GlassHouse, GoGrid, Green Hills Software, Grid Dynamics, GridGain Systems, GT Software, Hitachi, HP, Hyper9, Hyperic, IBM, ICEsoft, IGEL Technology, Illumita, ILOG, IMEX Research, Information Builders, Ingres, InstallFree, Integrien, Intel, Intellium, International Computerware, iTKO LISA, JBoss, JumpBox, Juniper, KACE, Kidaro, Layeredtech, LeftHand Networks, Leostream, Lifeboat Distribution, Liquid Computing Corporation, Liquid Technology, Lynux Works, Mainline, ManageIQ, Managed Methods, ManageSoft, Marathon Technologies, McAfee, Mellanox Technologies, Microsoft, Mid-Atlantic Computers, Mindbridge Software, Mindreef, MKS, Moka5, MonoSphere, Motorola, MQSoftware, mySoftIT, NASTEL, Ncomputing, NEC, Neocleus, NeoPath Networks, Neoware, NetApp, Netegrity, Neterion, Netuitive, Neverfail, Nexaweb, NextAxiom, Nimbus, Nimsoft, Nirvanix, Niyuta, NoMachine, Novell, ONStor, Opalis Software, Open Kernel Labs, OpenSpan, OPNET Technologies, Optaros, OpTier, Oracle, Pano Logic, Parallels, Parasoft, Perforce Software, PHD Technologies, Phoenix Technologies, Phurnace Software, Pillar Data Systems, PlateSpin/Novell, PLX Technology, Progress Software, Prolifics, ProSync Technology, Provision Networks, QLogic, Quest Software, Racemi, Rackspace, Raritan, Raxco Software, Red Hat, Reflex Security, Resolution Enterprises, RightScale, RingCube Technologies, Riverbed Technology, Rogue Wave Software, rPath, RSA Security, Sagnet Solutions, SanDisk Corporation, SAP, Saugatuck Technology, SAVVIS, ScaleMP, Scalent Systems, Seanodes, Secure Command, Secure Computing, Sentillion, Shavlik Technologies, ServInt Internet Services, Silpion IT Solutions, SIMtone, Skytap, Skyway Software, Software AG, Sonasoft, SourceGear, Splunk, StackSafe, SteelEye Technology, StillSecure, StoneFly, Stonesoft, Stoneware, StoreVault, StrikeIron, STT WebOS, Sun Microsystems, SunGard, Supermicro Computer, Surgient, SWsoft, Sybase, Symantec, Systar, TBD Networks, Teneros, Tenfold, TheInfoPro, Thinstall, Third Brigade, TIBCO Software, Tidal Software, Tideway Systems, TOA Solutions, TRANGO Virtual Processors, Transitive, Trend Micro, Tresys Technology, Trigence, Tripwire, Ulteo, Unisys, United Devices, Univa UD, VaST Systems, VDIworks, VeeAm Software, Verari Systems, Verio, VeriSign, Vicom Computer Services, VirtenSys, Virtera, Virtual Iron, VirtualLogix, Virtugo Software, Virtutech, VisionCore, Vizioncore, VKernel, VMLogix, vmSight, VMware, Vordel, vThere-Sentillion, Vyatta, WaveMaker, Web Age Solutions, WSO2, Wyse Technology, XDS, XenoCode, Xiotech, xkoto, Xsigo Systems, Zenith Optemedia, Zeus Technology.

• Remaining VMware Co-Founder Bails