Industries3 min read

VMware Blockchain is Bringing Ethereum to the Enterprise

Eloy Ontiveros

The Ethereum technology stack — from EVM, smart contracts, APIs, developer tools, and its overall ecosystem — is the broadest and most mature stack on which to build blockchain networks. Yet, there are several critical gaps Ethereum platforms have that make them difficult to use for enterprise use cases, such as lack of robust privacy and scalability for complex workloads, governance mechanisms, and enterprise-class operational support characteristics. To address these gaps, VMware is launching VMware Blockchain for Ethereum, available now in beta.

Blockchain technology provides a revolutionary business transformation opportunity for enterprises by allowing them to build distributed network ecosystems, multi-party applications, and digital asset experiences. The beta release of VMware Blockchain for Ethereum builds upon VMware’s enterprise blockchain platform for businesses to easily build, efficiently operate, and quickly scale Ethereum-based blockchain networks. It also gives customers flexibility and choice by adding Ethereum support in addition to its existing support for the Daml smart contract language.

“Over the last several years, we have seen application architectures evolve from being monolithic to being distributed,” said Kit Colbert, VMware CTO. “We are on the cusp of a new evolution in application architecture: decentralized applications running on blockchains that will power new multi-party workflows. To enable our enterprise customers to capitalize on this evolution, we are building VMware Blockchain for Ethereum, the first enterprise-focused Ethereum stack with integrated privacy-preserving functionality. We are proud to have the Bank of Israel and Infosys as early adopters of the technology.”

Built for enterprise use cases, VMware Blockchain for Ethereum is an EVM compatible platform that will provide high throughput performance, unique ZKP-based programmable privacy capabilities, enterprise-grade operations, and governance features. The beta will support standard Ethereum APIs, commonly used development tools such as Truffle, Hardhat and Remix, and wallets like MetaMask to enable a seamless developer experience. To get started quickly, Solidity developers can deploy the new VMware Blockchain for Ethereum Developer Kit on their local machine in addition to vSphere and AWS cloud environments.

Customer Co-Innovation

Since its launch in 2020, VMware Blockchain has provided a digital foundation customers like ASX and Broadbridge trust to power multi-party ecosystems that generate new revenue, increase efficiency and maintain a competitive edge.

The Bank of Israel is among the first customers to co-innovate with VMware Blockchain’s privacy-preserving functionality in a recent assessment of technologies for its Digital Shekel Project or CBDC.

“One of the six motivations the Bank of Israel has identified for a possible issuance of a Digital Shekel or CBDC is to enable the public to pay digitally while maintaining a limited level of privacy,” said Yoav Soffer, Advisor to the Deputy Governor, Bank of Israel. “The bank tested an innovative technology developed by VMware, which makes it possible for policy makers to define a periodic amount of digital payments that can be made anonymously. VMware was an excellent partner in exploring how technology could support policy goals in the future monetary system. Our joint journey in the exploration of VMware Blockchain and its privacy preserving technology was fascinating.”

Partner Solutions

VMware partnered with Infosys, a leading Global Systems Integrator and an industry leader in developing enterprise Blockchains. Infosys was one of the early adopters of VMware Blockchain for DAML and is now the first partner to develop a solution on VMware Blockchain for Ethereum. Expanding on their immense expertise in developing enterprise blockchain solutions, Infosys developed a Vital Records Management Solution on VMware Blockchain for Ethereum. This offering will help government clients modernize records management and provide a superior digital experience for their citizens. The offering is available to customers as a free 60-day trial to try before use.

“Infosys is very happy to be the first partner to develop an important application for verification of vital records on VMware Blockchain. This offering will enable government agencies around the world to reduce their reliance on manual paper record processes, reduce fraud and lower operating costs while simultaneously offering superior citizen-centered experiences," said Gopikrishnan Konnanath, Senior Vice President, Global Head – Engineering Services and Blockchain, Infosys.

Customers interested in joining the VMware Blockchain for Ethereum beta program, click here to apply. For more information on VMware Blockchain for Ethereum, please click here. Click here to know more about Vital Records Management Solution.