VMware Brings vCloud Air Network Online

VMware (VMW) launched the VMware vCloud Air Network, an ecosystem of hybrid cloud services aimed at providing more choice and flexibility to its business partners, and rebranded its vCloud Hybrid Service to VMware vCloud Air to reflect the new direction of its as-a-service offerings.

The new network, currently 3,800 partners strong, is the virtualization giant’s latest addition to its growing VMware Service Provider Program. The introduction of the vCloud Air Network and the rebranding of its vCloud Hybrid Service presents a unified front for the company as it seeks to simplify its product portfolio and give customers an easier way to recognize its services.

The name change emphasizes VMware’s commitment to delivering value added as-a-service solutions to customers on its hybrid cloud platform, according to the company. All future as-a-service offerings from VMware will bear the “Air” brand suffix as part of the new initiative.

“We continue to see tremendous momentum for VMware vCloud Air as more and more businesses look to capitalize on the undeniable operational and economic benefits of hybrid cloud,” said Bill Fathers, executive vice president and general manager, Hybrid Cloud Services Business Unit, in a statement. “The VMware vCloud Air Network represents another key element of our cloud strategy—enabling customer choice and flexibility to find the ideal, local cloud service based on industry leading VMware technology."

VMware also introduced a new partner badge system to help customers identify and select from among the growing number of vCloud Air or vCloud Air Network service providers. Partners will receive badges based on their vSphere specifications, including “IaaS Powered” and “Hybrid Cloud Powered,” among others. VMware plans to add badge validations as necessary to promote additional partner cloud services based on vCloud Air.

VMware vCloud Air (formerly vCloud Hybrid Service) launched in 2013 as VMware’s solution to hybrid cloud services. Since its launch, VMware has installed eight data centers in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan, and recently announced a new hybrid cloud expansion in the Asia-Pacific region via a joint venture with SoftBank Telecom and SoftBank Commerce & Services, according to the company. VMware also announced several new executive roles within the company this week, including Father’s new role as executive vice president and general manager of the Hybrid Cloud Services Business Unit.

The introduction of the vCloud Air Network and the new badge system is an interesting development for VMware, which is gearing up for its annual VMworld event next week. It remains to be seen how the rest of the virtualization world will react to the news, but there will most certainly be more details soon as the big conference looms.