VMware has unveiled a
roadmap
and strategy called Virtual Datacenter Operating System to
support virtual IT infrastructure.
The company aims to provide businesses with products and
services to help IT directors manage servers, storage and networks
as IT resources that can be accessed from the internet.
VMWare is repositioning its technology to distance itself from
Microsoft, which unveiled its Hyper-V product last week.
Although Hyper-V is not as sophisticated as VMWare's flagship ESX
Server, some believe Microsoft will convince users to try the
low-cost alternative. VMWare appears to be combating this threat
with its Virtual Datacenter Operating System product and strategy,
which uses cloud computing to free IT departments from being tied
to data centre operating system like Windows Server 2008, Linux or
Unix.
Paul Maritz, president and chief executive officer at VMware,
said: "The next generation of innovative technologies in the
Virtual Datacenter OS will enable companies to realise the promise
of enterprise cloud computing - where applications are
automatically guaranteed the right quality of service at the lowest
TCO by harnessing internal and external computing capacity."
The strategy focuses on three areas. First, VMWare plans to
deliver infrastructure services (called Infrastructure vServices)
to aggregate servers, storage and network infrastructure as a pool
of IT resources. These can be accessed as they are needed.
Second, VMWare intends to provide application services (called
Application vServices) which guarantee applications on its virtual
data center operating system achieve the right levels of
availability, security and scalability.
Third, VMWare is providing a set of cloud services (called Cloud
vServices) to enable IT departments to move applications between
virtual IT infrastructure hosted both in-house and running the
applications externally on an outsourced or hosted VMWare
system.
VMWare hosting is growing in popularity.
For instance, Knowledge Solutions, which specialises in
knowledge management at companies including HSBC, Argos, Daimler
Chrysler, Pizza Hut and the RAF, has used the VMWare service from
hosting company Rackspace to support its IT requirements. The
service enables Knowledge Solutions to scale its IT requirements up
or down, based on demand from its customers.