OVF 3.0 due by Christmas

Work has commenced on version 3.0 of the Open Virtualization Format (OVF).

OVF is an open format for virtual machines. Commercial virtualisation vendors have proprietary VM formats. An open format makes it easier to migrate virtual machines between hypervisors.

The Distributed Management Task Force's OVF Working Group page lists “Open Virtualization Format Specification 3.0” as due in the fourth quarter of 2016, the same timeframe from release of version 1.0 of something called “Profile to Enhance Portability of OVF Package.”

We've asked the Working Group what it plans for OVF 3.0 but have not received a reply.

The Register's virtualisation desk doesn't expect to, if only because the working group is probably busy seeing as it's blown the Q1 2016 deadline for OVF 2.2. ®