SWsoft teams with Acronis to boost virtual servers

SWsoft, whose software lets a single server look like several, has signed a joint development and marketing deal with storage specialist Acronis, the companies said Tuesday. Acronis' software for backing up data and quickly loading hard drives with prebuilt software configurations will be integrated with SWsoft's Virtuozzo package for setting up several partially independent partitions.

The integrated product will be available in 2005 as a separate offering from the regular Virtuozzo product, SWsoft said. With it, customers will be able to quickly create new virtual server partitions or recover them from backup files, the companies said.