VMware has announced the VMware vCloud Air Network to provide greater choice and flexibility to businesses looking to capitalise on the advantages of hybrid cloud. As the world’s largest network of validated cloud services based on VMware technologies with more than 3 800 VMware Service Provider partners in more than 100 countries, the VMware vCloud Air Network represents an evolution and expansion of the company’s VMware Service Provider Program (VSPP).
The company also announced the rebranding of VMware vCloud Hybrid Service to VMware vCloud Air. The name change underscores VMware’s commitment to deliver value added as-a-service solutions (e.g. Infrastructure as a Service, Desktop as a Service, Disaster Recover as a Service, etc.) to customers on its hybrid cloud platform. Future as a service offerings from VMware will carry the “Air” brand suffix to align with this strategy.
Since its launch in 2013, VMware vCloud Air (previously, VMware vCloud Hybrid Service) has rapidly expanded its global footprint to provide U.S., European and Asia-Pacific businesses with the fastest path to hybrid cloud.
Now with eight data centres in the US, UK and Japan, VMware recently announced its hybrid cloud expansion in the Asia-Pacific region via a joint venture with SoftBank Telecom and SoftBank Commerce & Service Corp. (SoftBank C&S) that brought vCloud Air to Japan. VMware also announced a strategic partnership with China Telecom to build a world-class hybrid cloud service in Beijing.
“We continue to see tremendous momentum for VMware vCloud Air as more and more businesses look to capitalise on the undeniable operational and economic benefits of hybrid cloud,” says Bill Fathers, executive vice-president and GM, Hybrid Cloud Services Business Unit.
“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. Our customers can focus their resources on growing their business, knowing that by using VMware vCloud Air or one of our vCloud Air Network partners, their IT team can seamlessly and securely extend their data centres and applications to the cloud.”
The VMware vCloud Air Network supports customers with increased service flexibility, greater options for global cloud services and the choice of local cloud service providers from either VMware vCloud Air or from our ecosystem of VMware vCloud Air Network Service Provider partners.
In the VMware vCloud Air Network, customers can use a new partner badging system to identify and select from VMware vCloud Air or VMware vCloud Air Network service providers. Service providers designated as “IaaS Powered” have clouds based on VMware vSphere as their foundational technology.
Partners that are “Hybrid Cloud Powered” have validated their service using VMware vCloud Director to enable bi-directional workflow between the customer environment and the partner cloud. “Horizon DaaS Powered” partners have validated clouds to support desktop as a service deployments. VMware will also offer future badge validations to promote additional partner cloud services based future VCloud Air services.
“Fujitsu welcomes the announcement of the VMware vCloud Air Network,” says Akihiro Okada, corporate vice-president, Fujitsu.
“As a leading global cloud service provider, we have been working closely with VMware to provide our customers with best-in-class solutions. By participating in the VMware vCloud Air Network, Fujitsu will increase the number of cloud service options we offer to our customers, and provide optimal solutions, from streamlining customers’ business operations to solving their management issues.
“As a Service Provider participating in the VMware vCloud Air Network, NTT Com can provide greater visibility to hybrid solution with our Enterprise Cloud for our multinational enterprise clients,” says Akira Arima, president and CEO, NTT Communications. “This enables us to promote our deeper integration with VMware by providing globally consistent cloud service offerings to customers as they move to hybrid cloud environments.”
“Based on managing VMware environments at scale for over eight years, Rackspace has become one of the largest VMware service providers globally managing over 45,000 virtual machines,” says Arrian Mehis, GM, VMware Cloud Practice at Rackspace.
“The vCloud Air Network presents an incredible opportunity for Rackspace to enhance its ability to deliver hybrid cloud solutions and Fanatical Support to our customers. The new partner network gives us increased access to expert resources that will enable businesses to take the optimal steps in their Managed Cloud journey.
“We look forward to progressing our relationship with VMware to offer vCloud Air Network services and support to new and existing customers.”
Additional VMware vCloud Air Network customer benefits include:
* Multiple compliance certifications, infrastructure and application services in managed and self-service environments as well as vertical market specialisations;
* Data sovereignty provided through local VMware vCloud Air datacentres and VMware vCloud Air Network service providers;
* A seamless transition from on-premises to the cloud for VMware customers.
