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VMware Announces VMware Ready™ Program for Partners Building Solutions for the Virtual Datacenter Operating System (VDC-OS) from VMware

VMware Announces VMware Ready™ Program for Partners Building Solutions for the Virtual Datacenter Operating System (VDC-OS) from VMware

VMware Ready Assures Interoperable and Optimized Server, Storage, Networking, Management, Appliance and Cloud Offerings for the VMware platform

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, September 15, 2008 — Today at VMworld 2008, VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter, announced an expanded and unified VMware Ready™ umbrella program for partner solutions that are interoperable and optimized for VMware products.  VMware Ready incorporates existing hardware certification programs and will expand to cover new areas of server, storage, networking, security, management, virtual appliances, and cloud computing solutions that complement VMware’s Virtual Datacenter Operating System (VDC-OS) and vCloud initiatives. The program is designed to assure customers that VMware Ready-labeled products and solutions offered by VMware partners – the largest ecosystem of virtualization technology vendors and service providers – are optimized for VMware products. Customers who use VMware Ready offerings benefit from the safest, broadest choice of solutions, reduced risk, and lower integration costs.

“VMware Ready partner offerings will help customers make the transition to a virtual datacenter and ultimately to a cloud-capable enterprise faster, easier, and with less disruption and risk,” said Brian Byun, vice president, global partners and solutions, VMware. “The fully virtualized datacenter that enables automated flexing between on-premise environments and off-premise clouds requires solutions and systems beyond the capability of any single vendor. Partners building solutions that are VMware Ready ensure baseline interoperability and higher levels of integration with VMware products. With the VMware Ready logo, we are assuring our customers that our partners’ solutions have passed VMware-specified criteria and are optimized for our Virtual Datacenter OS.”

This new expanded VMware Ready strategy, combined with VMware’s established market leadership offers partners the largest market opportunity across enterprise internal clouds or emerging off-premise cloud infrastructure. In addition to the more than 2,000 server, storage, I/O, and thin client devices from more than 150 companies that have already achieved VMware Ready Certified status, VMware partners have lined up in support of new or expanded VMware Ready programs across many areas that include:

  • VMware Ready storage: Dell/Equalogic, EMC, FalconStor, HP, IBM and NetApp are among the many partners supporting VMware’s vStorage initiative and roadmap. (See related press release, “VMware Unveils New vStorage Technologies to Deliver Leading Efficiency and Manageability for the Virtual Datacenter.”)

  • VMware Ready networking: Brocade, Broadcom, Cisco, Emulex, Intel, QLogic and others are integrating with VMware vNetwork technologies to provide customers integrated management of physical and virtual network infrastructure as well as optimized network and storage I/O.

  • VMware Ready management: Key management vendors including BMC Software, CA, EMC, HP Software, IBM Tivoli, NetIQ, nworks, Quest Software, Symantec, and Tripwire are building solutions that integrate under VMware-recommended best practices with VMware vCenter products (formerly VMwareVirtualCenter products). These partner solutions span multiple administrative domains (e.g., security and virtualization) and heterogeneous virtualized and physical datacenter resources. (See related press release, “VMware Announces VMware Ready Program for Management Solutions.”)

  • VMware Ready security: VMware VMsafe provides fine-grained visibility into virtual machines in order to detect and stop previously undetectable viruses, rootkits and malware before they can infect a system. Checkpoint, IBM, McAfee, Radware, Symantec, and TrendMicro are announcing their plans to deliver VMsafe–integrated products in 2009 that provide superior protection to virtual machines than possible with physical machines or other virtualization solutions.

  • VMware Ready virtual appliances: Building on the 300+ partners in the VMware Technology Alliance Program, VMware Ready for virtual appliances includes Operating Systems Vendors (OSVs) and virtual appliance authoring toolkit vendors such as Novell and rPath.

  • VMware Ready cloud providers: Building on the 100+ service providers in the VMware Service Provider Program, VMware Ready cloud providers leverage the benefits the VMware platform to deliver flexible enterprise-class cloud, hosting, and managed services. These solutions integrate with VMware Virtual Appliances and vApps.  vApps turn new or existing applications into self-describing and self-managing entities. Just as the UPC bar code contains all information about a product, vApps give application owners a standard way to describe operational policies for an application which the VDC-OS can automatically interpret and execute. (See related press release, “VMware Announces vCloud Initiative for Enterprise-Class Cloud Computing with Support from Industry Leaders BT, Rackspace, SAVVIS, Sungard, T-Systems, Verizon Business and Others.”)

In addition to the VMware Ready brand, additional designations are available for partner solutions that are specifically optimized for VMware environments (VMware Ready Optimized), and for certified hardware (VMware Ready Certified).

For more information on the VMware Ready program, participating partners, and updates to the initiative, please visit www.vmware.com/go/vmwareready.

About VMworld 2008
VMworld 2008, now in its fifth year, with more than 14,000 attendees and 206 sponsors and exhibitors, is the must-attend event for IT professionals looking for actionable ideas, innovative products and best practices for virtualizing the enterprise – from the desktop to the datacenter.  Under the theme, "Virtually Anything is Possible," VMworld celebrates what is happening today and what the future of virtualization holds.  Keynotes are being given by Platinum Sponsors Cisco, Dell, EMC, HP, IBM, Intel, NEC, NetApp, Symantec and VMware.  VMworld features more than 285 breakout sessions and hands-on labs, led by VMware and industry professionals, and is being held September 15-18 at the Venetian in Las Vegas. 

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 120,000 customers and nearly 18,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is majority-owned by EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) and on the web at www.vmware.com. 

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VMware and VMware Ready are trademarks and/or registered trademarks 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.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate, but are not limited, to new product and technology initiatives, introduction of new virtualization products, market adoption and deployment of VMware products and architecture, levels of demand for VMware products including market size and leadership, ongoing development and delivery of innovative new products and applications and capabilities of VMware products and technologies. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in consumer or information technology spending; (iii) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, industry consolidation, entry of new competitors into the virtualization market, and new product and marketing initiatives by our competitors; (iv) our customers’ ability to develop, and to transition to, new products, (v) the uncertainty of customer acceptance of emerging technology; (vi) rapid technological and market changes in virtualization software; (vii) uncertainties in product development timelines; (viii) our ability to resolve technical challenges; (ix) VMware’s relationship with EMC Corporation, and EMC’s ability to control matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of VMware’s board members; (x) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (xi) our ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; and (xii) the impact of fluctuating currency exchange rates. These forward looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. VMware disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

The information on this press release is intended to outline our general product direction and should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision.  The information on this press release is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion.