In a significant move aimed at enhancing the efficiency of IT infrastructure management, VMware has announced the integration of its cloud instance management console with VMware Cloud Foundation. This integration is designed to streamline the deployment of VMware software within on-premises IT environments, providing organizations with a unified platform for managing multi-cloud computing environments. The announcement was made at the VMware Explore 2023 conference.
The latest version of VMware Cloud is set to simplify the management of complex multi-cloud computing setups, by merging the capabilities of VMware Cloud Foundation Software and VMware Cloud Services into a single comprehensive platform. This integration promises to reduce the complexities associated with managing disparate cloud instances and facilitate the seamless deployment of workloads across various cloud computing services.
List of key services added by VMware
1. ESXi
A notable addition unveiled at the conference is the early access availability of an ESXi life cycle management cloud service for VMware vSphere+. This service empowers IT teams to centrally manage upgrades across distributed vCenter environments, thereby enhancing the efficiency of maintenance processes. Further enhancements in the upcoming vSphere release include a doubling of GPU capacity per virtual machine, catering to the increasing demands of graphics-intensive workloads.
Krish Prasad, the Senior Vice President and General Manager for Cloud Infrastructure at VMware, emphasized that this initiative is aligned with the company’s goal of accelerating innovation. Recognizing that organizations are deploying workloads across both on-premises IT environments and multiple cloud computing services, VMware aims to provide a more cohesive and streamlined IT environment.
2. Ransomware recovery services
VMware Cloud will be available in five editions, offering flexibility for management by internal IT teams, external service providers, or VMware itself. Additionally, a VMware Ransomware Recovery service based on VMware Cloud has been made generally available. This service enables organizations to continue running production workloads in the cloud following a breach of an on-premises IT environment, ensuring business continuity while forensics are conducted.
3. vSAN
The conference also introduced a technology preview of cybersecure storage, which will seamlessly integrate recovery workflows with native vSAN snapshots and offer support for Google Cloud VMware Engine.
4. NSX+
Furthermore, VMware unveiled the NSX+, the managed NSX service that will be delivered via the cloud. This feature will help manage instances of virtual networking software running on VMware’s virtual machine software. This includes an option for NSX+ virtual private clouds (VPCs) that isolate instances of the virtual networking platform, enhancing security and segmentation capabilities.
5. vSAN Max
A key highlight of the announcements is the introduction of VMware Cloud with VMware vSAN Max, set to launch later this year. This offering will provide 8.6 petabytes of disaggregated capacity and an impressive 3.6 million IOPS per cluster on demand, catering to the evolving demands of data-intensive applications.
As organizations seek ways to navigate economic challenges, VMware’s initiative aims to simplify the array of platforms required to manage IT infrastructure. With its strong presence in on-premises IT environments, VMware is betting that the convergence of its software in both on-premises and cloud environments will reduce complexity and enhance operational efficiency. However, the willingness of organizations to bear additional costs for these capabilities remains uncertain. As the industry anticipates the outcome of Broadcom’s potential acquisition of VMware, decisions on multi-cloud environment management strategies may await this development.
In a rapidly evolving IT landscape, VMware’s integration efforts are poised to shape how organizations streamline and optimize their IT operations, especially as the demand for efficient multi-cloud management continues to grow.
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