Infor, VMware Team on Open Source Virtualized ERP

infor

The collaboration has produced a reference architecture for Infor10 ION and Infor LN platforms that customers and partners can use to create an enterprise-class ERP system deployable as a virtual appliance with built-in security, performance management and monitoring. The virtual appliances can be used in either on-premise or cloud infrastructures to help customers lower deployment costs and operational expenses, according to Infor. The developer uses the same code base to provide identical functionality for cloud and on-premise infrastructures.

"Collaborating with VMware enables us to provide customers with a robust ecosystem with market-leading virtualization tools coupled with the intrinsic expertise of Infor and VMware right out-of-the-box," said Ali Shadman, Infor Business Cloud senior vice president.

According to a published report, Shadman said Infor customers are keenly interested in virtualization and virtual appliances with many already using VMware technology. Thus, it makes sense for Infor to team with VMware to expand its reach. By making its applications compatible with VMware infrastructure, Infor enables customers to take advantage of virtualization and the cloud to consolidate IT infrastructures, gain efficiency and cost reduction, and attain a higher degree of deployment portability, Infor said.

"Infor's customers can use their products to control operations and drive efficiencies," said Parag Patel, VMware vice president, Global Strategic Alliances. "By collaborating with VMware, Infor customers looking to reduce costs and speed time to market can leverage the efficiencies of a robust virtualized infrastructure."

According to the report, Infor will produce a whitepaper on the reference architecture in the next few weeks. The vendor intends to work with customers on the virtual appliances and plans to offer packaged products in the next six months, the report said.