Sun Microsystems and VMware Announce OEM Agreement to Add VMware Virtualization to Sun x64 Server and Storage Portfolio
CANNES, France, Feb. 27, 2008 – Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) and VMware Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced an OEM agreement to expand their virtualization offerings. Starting today, Sun is offering the VMware Infrastructure product suite on Sun hardware systems with full support from Sun. This helps enable customers to capitalize on the high performance, scalability and energy efficiency of Sun's x64 servers while leveraging VMware’s groundbreaking virtualization solutions to improve asset utilization, operational efficiency, and business agility. The agreement also benefits systems integrators and channel partners by providing a fully supported, seamlessly integrated solution from these two leading technology providers.
“When it comes to innovative design, performance and scalability, Sun is an x64 industry leader,” said John Fowler, executive vice president of Sun Microsystems. “With today's announcement we're expanding our virtualization portfolio and giving customers who want VMware virtualization software a great hardware platform for maximizing their utilization and their IT investment."
"The benefits of lower capital and operating expenses, business continuity, security and a greener datacenter are driving strong demand for VMware virtualization software on Sun x64 server and storage systems,” said Diane Greene, president and chief executive officer of VMware. “This new milestone in our ongoing relationship with Sun gives customers what they want: a combination of advanced technologies that deliver strong business value.”
Sun and VMware will continue their robust qualification program of VMware products on Sun systems. The companies will also work to ensure that the SolarisTM Operating System will continue to be a first-class guest operating system on VMware virtualization software, and VMware Infrastructure will be a first-class datacenter virtualization run-time and management stack on Sun x64 systems. The two companies plan to also collaborate on system management configuration, deployment and monitoring for each other's products.
Selected Sun x64 servers are available for a free 60-day trial as part of Sun's Try-and-Buy program, which includes a free 60-day evaluation of VMware Infrastructure. More information on the Try-and-Buy program and eligible systems is available at http://www.sun.com/tryandbuy/products.jsp. Sun also offers its own complete virtualization portfolio that includes unified software management tools and virtualization of operating systems, servers, storage, desktops and chips – both inside and outside the box. More information on Sun's desktop-to-datacenter virtualization portfolio is available at http://www.sun.com/virtualization.
In conjunction with today's announcement, Sun will showcase Sun Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software 2.0 during VMworld Europe 2008. This solution leverages VMware ESX Server and VMware VirtualCenter to allow customers to securely access centralized desktop environments over a variety of network connections. Today's agreement ensures frontline support and allows customers to purchase the complete solution directly from Sun, including Sun RayTM virtual display thin clients, Sun VDI Software 2.0 and VMware virtualization software. More information on Sun Virtual Desktop Solutions is available at http://www.sun.com/datacenter/consolidation/virtualization/desktop/index.jsp.
For more information on the VMware/Sun relationship, go to http://www.vmware.com/sun.
About VMware
VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.3 billion, more than 100,000 customers and more than 10,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies. VMware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and on the web at www.vmware.com.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Sun Microsystems develops the technologies that power the global marketplace. Guided by a singular vision -- "The Network is the Computer" -- Sun drives network participation through shared innovation, community development and open source leadership. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at http://sun.com.
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VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, Sun Ray and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.