VMware Launches Cloud Federation

It’s no secret that VMware hopes to create vehicle through which cloud computing services based on it VMware virtual machine technology can be federated across multiple service providers.

Today at the VMworld 2011 conference the EMC subsidiary took a major step towards making that vision a reality with the launch of Global Connect, a service that customers can use to access geographically distributed providers of VMware cloud computing services, and the release of version 1.5 of vCloud Connector, which customers can use to connect multiple VMware clusters. Version 1.5 makes that process simpler by making available a Web-based plug-in that integrated vCloud Connector with the company’s vCenter Console.

In addition, VMware today launched a service through which customers can locate a vCloud service, announced that Dell has joined the program and promoted that fact that four service providers are now offering disaster recovery services based on VMware technologies.

According to Joe Andrews, VMware director of cloud services, these latest offerings are signs that the VMware ecosystem in the cloud continues to get more robust. Ultimately, VMware expects to be able to deliver the equivalent of an online storefront for acquiring VMware-based services delivered by its partners.

As the role of the channel in the cloud becomes clearer, it’s apparent that solution providers will be looking to partner with the vendors that do the most to promote their services. It’s too early to say which vendors are going to be the best at doing that, but it’s fair to say that VMware is certainly on the right track when it comes to promoting the best interest of its partners.