VMware unveils Amazon-like cloud offering

VMware announced its entry into the cloud arena proper with its vCloud Express virtualization software at VMworld this week. VMware vCloud Express essentially allows companies or individuals to set up VMware's virtual servers in the clouds.

According to VMware CEO Paul Maritz, this will allow the creation of self-provisioning, pay-as-you-go cloud services. With vCloud Express, it is clear that the company is targeting the broader, lower-end market rather than the enterprise that now forms the bulk of its paying customers. In addition, Maritz was quoted as saying that vCloud Express is "aimed at the end of the market where you want very rapid provisioning."

VMware has traditionally played within the enterprise arena with its high-end offerings. This release of vCloud Express will in effect pit it against entrenched Cloud offerings in the market such as Amazon Web Services.

The service will not be offered by VMware directly, but by managed service providers such as Terremark and Verizon Business. The idea is that organizations can move their virtual machines from within the enterprise into the Cloud should they need additional computing capacity--and move them back when they are done. Manuel Medina, CEO of Terremark summed up the benefits. "Developers can deploy their own servers without having to wait for IT.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek
- check out this article at Computerworld

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