Microsoft is inviting its nearest and dearest – (and probably VMware’s nearest and dearest too) to a great one-day virtualization launch event on Monday September 8 in Bellevue, Washington. It’s the beginning of a six-month drumbeat.

What exactly Microsoft’s launching that isn’t already out in some form or another is unclear but it is getting a jump on VMware’s three-day soiree the following week in Las Vegas.

According to Microsoft’s agenda it’ll be touting its Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V and System Center, including what will be a newly standalone priced-per-device Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2008. That’s stuff that manages VMware ESX via VirtualCenter – maybe VMM beta will RTM early.

Microsoft will also be touting Application Virtualization (SoftGrid), which dynamically streams applications as a centrally managed service – maybe it’ll become generally available and maybe it’ll be Google Gears-like and make Office usable online and offline. (Take that Google Docs!)

And then there’s Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V, the old Kidaro), which decouples virtual PC images from the local desktop configuration and operating system, streamlining application-to-OS compatibility and OS migrations. It’s supposed to give laptop users uninterrupted access to their virtual desktops. It’s reportedly not due until next year.

Microsoft will be handing out complete eval kits.

See http://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/default.mspx to register.