VMware to strike surprise cloud partnership with Amazon

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and VMware are set to join forces, despite being former rivals in the cloud computing arena.

Fortune has reported that the two companies are due to announce their partnership next week, in spite of VMware chief executive Patrick Gelsinger describing AWS as the “mortal enemy” of his company.

Few details of the proposed partnership have surfaced, but it is likely aimed at making it easier for VMware’s customers to run their software on both their internal servers and on the AWS public cloud infrastructure, in a form of hybrid cloud deployment.

While AWS may once have been the enemy of VMware, it is also the largest provider of public cloud infrastructure in the world. As such, AWS has a massive reach that has in turn helped it build up a healthy customer base. By partnering with AWS, VMware potentially has access to AWS’ users, as well as make its services more appealing due to increased flexibility.

The partnership would be similar to the one VMware struck with IBM to run its virtualisation software on Big Blue’s Softlayer cloud.

Essentially, through these partnerships, VMware extends the scope in how its software is deployed, and prevents locking-in its customers to using one cloud platform or choosing between on-premise or cloud deployments.

In return, the cloud partners get access to VMware’s significant enterprise customer base, and thus help them compete in what has become a very competitive market between some of the largest technology companies in the world.

For AWS, joining forces with VMware is yet another example of how the online retailer has become a technology behemoth that shows no sign of slowing down, thanks to similar tie-ups with Salesforce, as well as not letting Brexit cause it too many concerns with its expansion in the UK.

Its overall expansion probably comes as no surprise though, particularly when a re-branded Google Cloud has AWS in its sights.

VMware holds its annual VMworld Europe conference and exhibition in Barcelona the week after the expected AWS announcement. ChannelBiz will be providing coverage from this event.

@AntonySavvas