Virtual machine platforms may be differentiated by certain factors in addition to functional depth. The industry has frequently shown that the best technology does not always win in the market place, and success or failure of a platform often depends on other factors in the marketplace.

To arrive at a complete profile for the suitability of a virtual machine platform in their environment, users should consider a number of parameters related to their practical deployment. These include the cost of acquiring and deploying the virtual machine platform; the maturity of the technology on which the virtual machine platform is based; its compatibility with exising infrastructure, in terms of operating systems, device drivers, and applications; and the ability for developers to extend the platform for their own needs.

Click on one of the links below to see how the studied virtual machine platforms compare in terms of these deployment factors:

	Acquisition Cost (4 ratings)
	Maturity (4 ratings)
	Compatibility (28 ratings)
	Developer Support (8 ratings)