0 1 ▁ ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁A MD ▁and ▁V irt ute ch ▁release ▁Sim ics / x 8 6 - 6 4 ▁(" V irt u ham mer ") ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁new ▁ 6 4 - bit ▁architecture ▁for ▁x 8 6 . ▁ ▁V irt u ham mer ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁port ▁Linux ▁distributions ▁and ▁the ▁Windows ▁kernel ▁to ▁x 8 6 - 6 4 ▁well ▁before ▁the ▁first ▁x 8 6 - 6 4 ▁processor ▁( Op ter on ) ▁was ▁available ▁in ▁April , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁June , ▁Connect ix ▁launch es ▁its ▁first ▁version ▁of ▁Virtual ▁PC ▁for ▁Windows . ▁ ▁July , ▁VM ware ▁created ▁the ▁first ▁x 8 6 ▁server ▁virtual ization ▁product . ▁ ▁E gener a , ▁Inc . ▁launch es ▁their ▁Process or ▁Area ▁Network ▁( P AN ▁Manager ) ▁software ▁and ▁Bla de Frame ▁ch ass is ▁which ▁provide ▁hardware ▁virtual ization ▁of ▁processing ▁bla de ' s ▁( p B lade ) ▁internal ▁disk , ▁network ▁interface ▁cards , ▁and ▁serial ▁console . ▁▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁ ▁First ▁release ▁of ▁first ▁open - source ▁x 8 6 ▁hyper visor , ▁X en ▁▁ ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Microsoft ▁acquired ▁virtual ization ▁techn ologies ▁( Virtual ▁PC ▁and ▁un re leased ▁product ▁called ▁" Virtual ▁Server ") ▁from ▁Connect ix ▁Corporation . ▁▁ ▁Late ▁ 2 0 0 3