VMware Updates vCloud Suite for Software-Defined Data Centers

Amid VMworld Barcelona, VMware (NYSE: VMW) has updated its cloud management portfolio while aggressively promoting the software-defined datacenter vision to channel partners. The updates include vCloud Suite enhancements, and a focus on vCloud Automation Center 5.1 and the IT Business Management Suite. Here are the implications for channel partners.

October 9, 2012

Amid VMworld Barcelona, VMware (NYSE: VMW) has updated its cloud management portfolio while aggressively promoting the software-defined datacenter vision to channel partners. The updates include vCloud Suite enhancements, and a focus on vCloud Automation Center 5.1 and the IT Business Management Suite. Here are the implications for channel partners.

While VMware's product portfolio continues to expand, the company's pitch to channel partners, service provides and datacenter managers is pretty simple. The company claims VMware Cloud Management solutions "help deliver the software-defined datacenter, allowing customers to achieve the efficiency and agility of cloud computing. Joe Tucci, CEO of EMC — parent of VMware — explained the software-defined datacenter vision during a recent keynote at Oracle OpenWorld (see FastChat video, below right).

VMware's cloud management strategy covers three areas, the company asserts:

Cloud Service Provisioning: Automate the provisioning and governance of infrastructure, applications and desktops as a service according to business and IT policies.
Cloud Operations Management: Leverage analytics and intelligence to help ensure the performance, compliance and efficiency of cloud infrastructure.
Cloud Business Management: Govern and manage cloud services as a critical element of running IT like a business.

So how can channel partners deliver the three services above? VMware says the vCloud Suite now offers:

vCloud Automation Center 5.1 for multi-cloud infrastructure and desktop provisioning. Plus, it's now integrated with VMware vCloud Director — allowing customers to leverage virtual datacenters comprised of VMware vCloud Suite’s software-defined services. vCloud Automation Center 5.1 will also integrate with vCenter Orchestrator to automate IT process workflows.
vFabric Application Director 5.0 allows partners and customers to provision applications on any cloud
vCenter Operations Management Suite 5.6 now supports embedded, integrated cloud operations management
vCloud Connector 2.0 enhancements allow partners and customers to transfer VMs and applications across vSphere and vCloud Director private cloud environments as well as public clouds from VMware vCloud Service Providers.
VMware IT Business Management Suite 7.5 allows IT managers to measure the performance and cost across all cloud services – infrastructure, application and end-user computing, the company asserts.

The updated solutions are expected to be available in Q4 2012, starting at $4,995 per processor.

Keeping Track of it All

As VMware continues to expand and enhance its cloud management software portfolio, channel partners will need to carefully assess which components (A) they should leverage internally and (B) which components they should resell into corporate IT and cloud provider settings.

VMware has been very active with software launches since VMworld San Francisco in August 2012. And the activity continues this week during VMworld Barcelona.

The VAR Guy will strive to stay ahead of the news curve, properly positioning VMware's moves for readers in the days ahead.

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