Dell and Microsoft today announced Azure VMware Solutions -- which combines software defined compute, storage, networking and management deployed in Azure. It's somewhat akin to VMware Cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS), ChannelE2E believes. Key partners CloudSimple and Virtustream (a Dell company) helped to shape the offerings, Dell says.
Additional announcements today at Dell Technologies World in Las Vegas include:
- Joint Microsoft 365 and VMware Workspace ONE customers can manage Office 365 across devices via cloud-based integration with Microsoft Intune and Azure Active Directory.
- VMware will extend the capabilities of Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop leveraging VMware Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure.
VMware Strengthens Multi-Cloud Migration Story
Over the past year or two, AWS was perceived as VMware's favorite public cloud partner. But today's announcements, clearly influenced by VMware parent Dell, appear to level the playing field between AWS and Azure -- at least in terms of VMware's public cloud services (CSP) partner priorities.
Driving home the high-stakes relationship, Michael Dell is being joined by VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at Dell's major customer and partner conference today in Las Vegas.
Moreover, Walmart EVP and Enterprise CIO Clay Johnson strongly endorsed the partnership as part of the retail giant's overall digital transformation strategy. Though a prepared statement from Johnson didn't mention how Walmart would potentially leverage the newly announced Dell-VMware-Microsoft solutions.
Today's announcements apparently were just the starting point for multiple cloud and on-premises initiatives. Microsoft and VMware indicated that they are also exploring:
- Initiatives to drive further integration between VMware infrastructure and Azure such as integration of VMware NSX with Azure Networking and integration of specific Azure services with VMware management solutions.
- They will also be exploring bringing specific Azure services to the VMware on-premises customers.
And What About Google Cloud Platform?
Today's announcements come a few hours before Google is expected to announce quarterly results, and one week after Microsoft and Amazon each announced very strong cloud services revenue growth. VMware offers some integrations with Google Cloud Platform, though the work to date isn't as extensive as the Microsoft and AWS relationships.
