VMware Expands Interoperability with Support from the Industry's Leading SAN Storage Platforms

VMware ESX Server Qualified for EMC, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, IBM and Network Appliance Storage Systems

PALO ALTO, Calif., December 8, 2003 - VMware, Inc., the global leader in virtual infrastructure software for industry-standard systems, today announced that VMware ESX Server has successfully completed comprehensive interoperability testing with the industry's leading storage area network (SAN) vendors. ESX Server has been qualified for EMC, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, IBM and Network Appliance storage systems.

These qualifications, along with new high availability SAN capabilities in VMware ESX Server 2, ensure that customers can seamlessly deploy ESX Server in the most demanding production environments. Server and storage virtualization are cornerstones of the VMware virtual infrastructure, enabling customers to realize the full benefit of VMware's groundbreaking new product VirtualCenter with VMotion technology.

"Virtualization technologies have emerged as a critical component of the enterprise data center stack that drive utilization, higher availability and lower management costs," said Michael Mullany, vice president of marketing at VMware. "Comprehensive SAN support from VMware and its storage partners is yet another step in ensuring that customers can reap the benefits of server and storage virtualization while preserving and leveraging theiexisting IT investments."

Storage Vendors Demonstrate Broad Support for VMware

"EMC and VMware are meeting customers' demands for more consolidation of their server and storage environments," said Chuck Hollis, vice president of platforms marketing at EMC. "The power of VMware, combined with EMC's proven leadership in storage networking, will further facilitate the deployment of reliable, cost-effective heterogeneous storage networks."

"Fujitsu Siemens Computers is committed to providing comprehensive VMware solutions to its customers. We are pleased to add VMware ESX Server support on our FibreCAT S80, CX200, CX400 and CX600 storage systems to our VMware solution offering," said Dr. Helmut Beck, vice president of storage at Fujitsu Siemens Computers. "SAN storage support is an important part of server consolidation projects and allows our customers to take advantage of VMware's groundbreaking VirtualCenter with VMotion technology."

"Hitachi Data Systems's ongoing focus on customer satisfaction and strong support for storage consolidation has led us to ensure full interoperability with VMware ESX Server," said Steve TenBarge, vice president of storage infrastructure product management at Hitachi Data Systems. "Our open and collaborative approach to solution delivery through best-practice partners has always placed great importance on interoperability testing and validation. We've thoroughly evaluated VMware ESX Server and are pleased to offer it to our customers."

"HP is pleased to be working with VMware and their innovative products to bring the benefits of virtualization and the adaptive enterprise to our mutual customers for HP ProLiant servers and StorageWorks systems," said Frank Harbist, vice president and general manager of Storage Software Division at HP. "HP understands the value of network storage and virtualization technologies that provide customers with the ability to consolidate and optimize server and storage resources to increase utilization, simplify manageability and drive down costs."

"IBM prides itself on being able to allow our customers to implement the widest possible range of interoperable solutions, and the addition of VMware to our list of TotalStorage Proven partners will give IBM storage customers the ability to integrate their Linux and Windows operating environments for ease of management," said Cindy Grossman, director of storage marketing at IBM Systems Group. "Customers running VMware ESX Server alongside IBM's Enterprise and FAStT storage servers now have the even greater confidence in the solution knowing the level of testing required to be accepted as a TotalStorage Proven Solution."

"We are pleased to begin our VMware partnership with support foVMware VirtualCenter," said Patrick Rogers, vice president of partners and alliances at Network Appliance. "Today's IT customers are looking for solutions that reduce costs, maximize asset utilization and keep data highly available. VMware's server consolidation solutions combined with NetApp's highly effective storage consolidation offerings provide the simplicity, functionality and value that customers demand. Looking to the future, VMware's utility computing model and NetApp's Storage Grid architecture are well aligned, enabling customers to scale their server and storage infrastructures to match dynamic changes in their business."

Detailed information on qualified storage models is available from VMware.

About VMware, Inc.

VMware, Inc. is the global leader in virtual infrastructure software for industry-standard systems. The world's largest companies use VMware solutions to simplify their IT, fully leverage their existing computing investments and respond faster to changing business demands. VMware is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit www.vmware.com or call 650-475-5000.

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