A VMware Cloud on Microsoft Azure-type partnership could be coming soon, according to The Information. If true, it would mark VMware's continued expansion of its multi-cloud management strategy -- which extends across Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM Cloud and other service providers.
According to the report:
"The two companies are jointly developing software that will let their customers more easily run computing jobs, which rely on VMware software, inside Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service, according to a person with direct knowledge of the project and six others who have been briefed on it. The effort, which could be announced as part of a broader partnership in the coming weeks, would provide a bridge for businesses to more easily move computing chores from their own private data centers, where VMware’s software is a critical ingredient, to Microsoft’s “public” cloud service."
VMware and Microsoft both declined to comment for The Information article.
VMware and Microsoft Azure: The Work So Far
ChannelE2E speculated in June 2018 that VMware Cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and IBM would likely lead to similar VMware offerings on Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure.
At the time, VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger described a range of cross-platform work -- including:
- Azure: NSX and VDI with more VMware management products for Azure are on the way.
- Google Cloud Platform: VMware has partnered with Google and Kubernetes. Also, Android- and Chromebook-related offerings involve the virtualization company.
Still, the big question really involves the VMware-AWS relationship. Generally speaking, AWS seems to enjoy "most favorite nation" status in VMware's public cloud partner push, ChannelE2E believes. Perhaps the alleged work with Microsoft Azure will change that status...
