Tag: vmware

VMware launches simpler partner programme

Posted on March 3, 2020 by - News

VMware has launched VMware Partner Connect which it says is a simplified and flexible programme designed to enable partners to do business with VMware in a way that aligns to their business models.

VMware Partner Connect empower partners with flexibility to meet customers’ needs, making VMware technologies and services opportunities more accessible, the outfit claims.

The outfit claims its partners now have an enhanced experience that delivers simplicity, choice and innovation, and recognises and rewards partners based on the value they bring to customers.

Worldwide Channel Chief, VMware Jenni Flinders said that VMware Partner Connect reimagines the way it does business with and for our partners, helping them drive differentiated customer success and digital transformation.

“We designed Partner Connect with our customers in mind, and the idea that they should feel confident when choosing to go with a VMware partner. And this is just the beginning, as Partner Connect continues to evolve to deliver new and better ways for our partners to grow their business.”

Oracle hires former VMWare channel man as Cloud boss

Posted on January 22, 2020 by - News

Oracle has appointed former VMWare channel chief Ross Brown as vice president of its Cloud GTM division.

Brown’s LinkedIn profile has revealed his new position as Oracle’s Cloud chief, where he will be responsible for leading its go-to-market operations. According to the brief entry on his page, he will lead the segment from Seattle, Washington, where the firm has recently expanded its cloud infrastructure workforce.

Brown joins the business after 20 months off after leaving his role as senior vice president of VMWare’s WW Partners and Alliances division.

UK supply chain could be damaged by US/Iran tensions

Posted on January 8, 2020 by - News

The US assassination of Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani could have a knock-on effect on the UK IT supply chain.

Jake Olcott, VP of Government Affairs at BitSight and former lawyer at the House Homeland Security Committee, said there was an increasing cyber threat to the UK supply chain as tensions in the Persian Gulf escalate.

Olcott said: “With the current international climate surrounding Iran, the need for British agencies and critical infrastructure operators to remain vigilant is crucial. Organisations need to ensure their basic security hygiene is kept up-to-date through updated software and patching. Organisations need to ensure that risks in their supply chain, which are a huge concern for critical infrastructure are monitored against threat actors.”

VMWare completes Pivotal acquisition

Posted on December 31, 2019 by - News

VMware has completed its acquisition of Pivotal Software in a move that adds Pivotal’s cloud application platform and development tools to VMware’s technology portfolio.

VMware completed the acquisition, which carries a $2.7 billion price tag.

VMware CEO Pat (kicking) Gelsinger said in the statement that the combination of VMware and Pivotal is “poised to be the leading enabler of Kubernetes with a deep understanding of both operators and developers”.Gelsinger said that Ray O’Farrell, previously VMware’s CTO, would lead VMware’s new Modern Applications Platform business unit, which will include the Pivotal and VMware cloud-native applications teams. As announced at VMware’s VMworld conference in August, O’Farrell will serve as the business unit’s general manager and retain his executive vice president rank.

VMware prepares UK partners for Connect

Posted on May 7, 2019 by - News

VMware is sprucing up its  partner programme next year and efforts are already underway to make sure the channel is ready.

The outfit wants to see more specialisations as part of the master services programme, with partners able to gain skills in VMware Cloud on AWS Master Services Competency, network virtualisation, cloud management and automation, data centre virtualisation and desktop and mobility options.

VMware flags next year’s partner programme changes

Posted on April 8, 2019 by - News

VMWare said that it is making changes to its channel partner programme as flagged last year.

The outfit has been rebuilding its channel programme and said that the emphasis would be on gaining specialisations having started its master services programme, with four options partners, could go for, back in May.

Kicking Pat leans on the Channel

Posted on September 3, 2018 by - News

banner_220x220Kicking Pat Gelsinger claims his Cloud Provider Program has established a “meaningful” area of revenue for VMware.

The VMware Cloud Provider Programme attributed more than 30 percent to the vendor’s revenue stream, which rose 12.5 percent to US$2.17 billion.

Gelsinger, who is the CEO of VMware, said that there has been a consistency to that area of VMware’s that “shocked” everyone.

“There was a prevailing view in the industry that the big cloud guys – AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform will eat up everybody. The result has been an area of consistent and steady growth for us, and increasingly, we’re being seen as the technology source for all other clouds. Clearly the mega guys are building much of their own technology, but all of the other cloud providers are increasingly relying on VMware’s technologies as the base for building off their cloud”.

Most of that revenue in the past has been driven from vSphere, Gelsinger said and the offering was now gaining more traction for NSX, vSAN and vCloud Director.

“We’re also working to make that program, a great channel for other services. CloudHealth and VMC on AWS will be resold through those channels as well. We’ll be putting more of our products focus through that business relationship. That I believe will be the biggest aspect of our long term growth.”

Gelsinger highlighted many areas of growth opportunities within network with NSX and storage with vSAN, saying VMware was just getting started.

VMware acquires Dell EMC’s Service Assurance Suite

Posted on August 14, 2018 by - News

banner_220x220VMware has written a cheque for Dell EMC’s Service Assurance Suite as part of a cunning plan to boost its  comms provider offerings.

The business offers services across network health and performance monitoring, VMware said, and will be integrated with VMware’s Telco NFV portfolio.

Shekar Ayyar, general manager of VMware’s Telco NFV group, said: “As carriers are readying for 5G, they are increasingly virtualising edge and core networks with network functions virtualisation, or NFV.

“Service assurance is a critical need for any network.”

At VMworld 2017, VMware CEO Kicking Pat Gelsinger said that the vendor would be making a push to work with more telcos, claiming that the firm is “transforming” the telecoms infrastructure space.

VMware said this latest acquisition will enable comms providers to “maintain operational reliability in their core network, cloud and IT domains”.

It also stated that service assurance “becomes critical” as customers look to bridge the gap between 4G and 5G’s imminent arrival.

VMware claims that 50 communications service providers globally, including “many tier-one operators” are currently using the Dell EMC Service Assurance Suite.

Dell mulls what to do with VMWare

Posted on May 22, 2018 by - News

vmware-partner-link-bg-w-logoDell is still in a tizzy over what to do about VMWare.

The outfit has ruled out flogging the outfit off and has set up a special committee has been set up to analyse the possible options on the table is a float on the New York Stock Exchange or to fold it into the greater Dell EMC empire.

In a filing made to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the company explained it might merge with VMware or IPO, depending on what a “special committee” formed to help it analyse all options comes up with after looking into all avenues.

“Dell continues to evaluate potential business opportunities, including a potential public offering of shares of DHI Common Stock of Dell, a potential business combination between Dell and VMware, and a potential conversion of shares of Class V Common Stock of Dell into shares of DHI Common Stock of Dell”, the company said.

“Dell is also considering maintaining the status quo. The potential business opportunities currently being evaluated by Dell do not include the sale to a third party of Dell or VMware.”

The committee has the power to represent shareholders, although if a business opportunity offers the possibility of shares being modified, converted or exchanged, permission from shareholders must be obtained.

“Dell has not determined which, if any, potential business opportunity to pursue and there can be no assurance that any potential business opportunity will be pursued, the terms thereof, or whether, if pursued, any such business opportunity would be consummated”, the filing said.

Gelsinger keeps stumm about Dell takeover

Posted on March 6, 2018 by - News

Pat-Gelsinger-300x199For a bloke who might be set to take over Dell, VMware boss “Kicking” Pat Gelsinger is in no mood to talk about it.

When chatting on an earnings call, Gelsinger said he would not comment on “rumours” that VMware could acquire Dell in a reverse merger, after Dell confirmed in February that it was exploring various options.

However, analysts think the reverse merger idea is rather a good one, and the rumours are somewhat more than that.  Gelsinger is not exactly forthcoming and no one wants to get on the wrong side of his mighty boot.

VMware is doing quite well. For the three months ending 2 February, VMware saw revenue jump 14 percent year on year to $2.31 billion. GAAP losses were $440 million (compared with a GAAP profit of $441 million in 2016) as a result of a one-off $970 million tax bill.

Hybrid cloud and software-as-a-service accounted for eight per cent of VMware’s total revenue.

“We are very pleased with customer enthusiasm for our cloud strategy. We believe we have the world’s most complete and capable hybrid cloud architecture, uniquely offering customers freedom and control in their infrastructure decisions.

“We are also pleased with the traction the VMware Cloud Provider Programme continues to gain. The VMware Cloud Provider Programme achieved an annual revenue growth rate of over 30 per cent in the fiscal year 2018.

“We are also experiencing great global customer momentum with our VMware Cloud for IBM with customers such as Amdocs, Ricoh and Vodafone.”

Gelsinger also highlighted the future importance of VMware’s partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which recently launched in the US. The CEO said the service is set to launch in Europe next week.

“The VMware Cloud on AWS continues to get great resonance from our customers, and customers see this idea of the best of public and the best of private coming together as a very powerful force”, he said.

“In many cases, it’s this unique way for them to accelerate their move to the cloud without disrupting their applications – being able to do this in a seamless hybrid way to move into the public and back to the private cloud.

“From the business, as we said, it’s not material this year, and it’s starting to build up. We also see that, given it’s a subscription business, that will also delay the direct fiscal impact.”

AWS, VMware, Microsoft and Symantec are pants vendors

Posted on February 27, 2018 by - News

hqdefaultAWS, APC, Citrix, Huawei, McAfee, Microsoft, Symantec, Veritas and VMware are lowest-scoring vendors in a channel management survey according to research outfit Canalys.

The Canalys Leadership Matrix was based on more than 2,700 responses from EMEA channel partners who were asked to rate their vendor partners across ten areas of channel management.

Canalys divided the results into four: “Champions”, “Growers”, “Contenders” and “Stragglers”, the survey also judges vendors on how their standing in the Leadership Matrix has changed.

Nine companies were placed in Canalys’ “Stragglers” quadrant, reserved for vendors that “have shown significant weakness in areas of channel management” or “have seen a deterioration in partner relationships, either by choice or mistake”.

AWS, APC, Citrix, Huawei, McAfee, Microsoft, Symantec, Veritas and VMware were all named as channel Stragglers in the survey.

Vole and VMware, two firms which have “highly successful businesses built on sales via partners,” were named and shamed in the report with Canalys saying that there was “a growing wave of channel dissatisfaction with both brands”.

Dell EMC’s appointment as an “official distributor” of VMware licences last year dealt a blow to its resellers and distributors and likely prompted a fall from grace among partners.

Canalys claimed that Microsoft, meanwhile, has been “accused of squeezing channel margins” through its Cloud Solution Provider partner programme.

The top-scoring vendors in the survey included Fujitsu, Cisco, Lenovo, Palo Alto Networks and Veeam. Canalys said that  Cisco’s quality of technical support for partners remains unparalleled when compared with its competitors, while Lenovo’s “Channel 2.0” initiative, which sought to simplify partner incentives, was well received by the channel.

Apple’s  overall rating was still relatively low compared with its peers, and its resellers still suffer from “low margin potential” and “rigid terms and conditions” from the vendor.

 

Dell reverse merger should be a last resort

Posted on February 14, 2018 by - News

Michael DellBeancounters at Morgan Stanley are not that happy with Michael Dell’s plan to reverse merge his company into VMWare.

While the prospect of VMware merging with Dell Technologies has intrigued the broader market, Morgan Stanley analysts insist the “reverse merger” would be the worst option for VMware shareholders.

It is only one of the plans which have been mooted for Dell Technologies, including a Dell IPO or it acquiring the rest of VMware.

The VMware performing a reverse merger on its controlling firm idea has been questioned by Morgan Stanley analysts Keith Weiss and Sanjit Singh in a note issued to the market.

Weiss and Singh warned investors about the plan and stated that a merger is the “worst-case scenario” for VMware shareholders.

VMware is traded publicly, and a merger would take Dell public without putting the company through an initial public offering.

According to the report, the reverse merger would have tax benefits for Dell and give the company access to VMware’s cash, but it would have a negative impact on VMware’s shareholders.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley project that a combined company would devalue VMware by $28 billion — considerably more than the $500 million to $600 million annual taxes Dell will face if it continues to operate under its existing structure.

The analysts concluded that the reverse merger is the least likely of the strategic options Dell is pursuing, with an IPO or staying private considered better options.

Dell confirms VMWare cunning plan

Posted on February 6, 2018 by - News

michael-dell-2Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell has confirmed that the vendor is considering floating on the New York Stock Exchange or engineering a deal that will see it acquired by VMware.

The move will mean a shake-up of its channel which is still recovering from its integration with EMC.

A filing made by VMware to the US Securities and Exchange Commission said Dell Technologies is: “evaluating potential business opportunities, including a potential public offering of Dell Technologies common stock or a potential business combination between Dell Technologies and the issuer (VMware).”

Accompanying the filing was an internal memo sent by Michael Dell to Dell Technologies employees.

In the memo, the CEO moved to assure employees that the potential restructuring of the group’s ownership was coming from a position of strength, rather than necessity.

He said: “Today, Dell Technologies has made a 13D filing that makes public that our Board of Directors is evaluating potential business opportunities, including business as usual – continue with the existing ownership structure; [a] public offering (IPO) of Dell Technologies Common Stock; [and a] business combination with VMware.”

VMware CEO (Kicking) Pat Gelsinger also released a statement, distancing the vendor from discussions occurring at its parent company.

“We are not in a position to speculate on the outcome of Dell’s evaluation of potential business opportunities. Dell has been a tremendous partner since it became our majority owner and as we’ve accelerated our growth,” he said.

“We look forward to Dell’s continued support as we work to execute our growth plans in the years ahead.”

Dell is obliged to make a statement regarding the discussions because it owns around 82 percent of VMware.

VMware’s share price has plummeted over 20 percent and is yet to recover.

Dell, his outfit’s channel partner revenue, was “up to double digits in [the] first half of FY18”.

 

VMware lets staff go

Posted on January 12, 2018 by - News

vmware-partner-link-bg-w-logoVMware has confirmed it is laying off “a small percentage” of its employees.

VMware CEO “kicking” Pat Gelsinger is refusing to say who is being let go, but we don’t think it will be him. A VMware spokesperson said the cuts were made this week but did not offer any further details as to which areas of the business will be affected.

“Workforce rebalancing is a continual activity across VMware’s businesses and geographies to ensure that resources are aligned with business objectives and customer needs. We continue to recruit in areas of strategic importance for the company.”

After completing its acquisition of EMC, Dell was rumoured to be axing up to 3,000 jobs in 2016. VMware contributed $2 billion to Dell’s bottom line in Q3, after seeing its own revenue jump 52 percent. We guess the reward for those figures is getting rid of the winning team.

However the dark satanic rumour mill suggests that it is all part of VMWare’s war on Veeam. Product releases expected from Dell in early 2018 will have a stronger connection between VMware and Dell EMC’s data protection suite that will close the gap between Dell and Veeam.

VMware was built so it becomes an industry standard and, therefore, it has to be able to work with everybody. Veeam CEO Peter McKay came from VMware, so he knows where all the bodies are buried. A leaner and meaning VMWare might help KickingPat kick some bottom lines.

 

VMware customers will move to subscriptions

Posted on September 14, 2017 by - News

Pat-Gelsinger-300x199VMWare CEO, Kicking Pat Gelsinger, expects some customers to buy all of their VMware products on a subscription model

Kicking Pat said that VMware is set to make more of its products available as a service and says it is anticipating some customers wanting their entire VMware purchasing done through a subscription model within three years.

Subscription models are not new at VMware – AirWatch, AppDefense and Wavefront all use it, but most revenues come from  traditional licensing.

“We’re primarily a perpetual licence business, but today about nine percent of our business is as-a-service, in the subscription business, and that portion of our business is growing about three-times faster than our overall business”, Gelsinger said.

“We expect that piece of our business to grow much more rapidly moving forward and, frankly, I expect in a year or two some of you as customers are going to tip over and say ‘that’s how I want to buy all of my products’. Today the vast majority is perpetual but clearly we expect that to become more important and we’ll have a broader set of options.

“In the next three years I expect some of you to say ‘that’s how I want to buy all of my VMware’ and we plan on having offerings in place to be able to enable that.”