Intel and VMware Launch Virtualize ASAP to Accelerate and Fuel Virtualization Into Data Centers
Program Designed to Speed Deployment of Applications in VMware Environments on Intel Xeon-based Servers and to Strengthen Collaboration between Intel and VMware on Optimizing Intel Platform Support for Virtualization
PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Intel Corporation and VMware, Inc. announced the launch of the Intel-VMware Virtualize ASAP, a global program to further accelerate IT customer deployment of applications in virtual environments using VMware Infrastructure on Intel® Xeon®processor-based platforms. The program also strengthens the collaboration between Intel and VMware around optimizing Intel platform support for virtualization.
Virtualize ASAP benefits customers by enabling software vendors to develop best practices for optimized application deployment for VMware Infrastructure on Intel-based server platforms. Through this engagement with leading software vendors, Intel and VMware will jointly drive tuning, feedback and technical optimization for VMware virtualization software on Intel processor technologies. Over the long-term, Virtualize ASAP will help direct continued improvements in support for VMware software on Intel's platforms and processors.
"We created Virtualize ASAP with VMware to accelerate and simplify the process of customer solutions deployment of VMware environments on Intel Xeon-based server platforms and to strengthen our joint technical collaboration," said Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. "Giving IT professionals well prescribed deployment guidelines for applications will serve as a strong catalyst for them to migrate their data centers to VMware Infrastructure on Intel Xeon- based server platforms. Working with VMware on the workloads will allow both companies to further optimize virtualization workload support on a longer term basis."
"Virtualize ASAP gives a broad set of ISV partners a set of technical resources to accelerate the creation of best practices and reference configurations of VMware Infrastructure for servers using Intel's dual-core Xeon processors," said Diane Greene, president of VMware. "This will be very helpful to customers for both planning and ongoing deployment in their virtual infrastructure. The program will also provide valuable input to the ongoing technical collaboration to optimize VMware Infrastructure on Intel architecture."
Virtualize ASAP provides multiple resources for engaged software vendors including a dedicated solution testing facility and resources. The program will deliver the hardware, software and technical expertise to help software vendors establish best practice reference configurations, and application- sizing guides for their software using VMware Infrastructure and Intel Xeon processor-based server platforms. The program will also provide education and support to software vendors who wish to take advantage of latest advances from Intel and VMware, including the forthcoming energy-efficient performance of Intel(R) Core(TM) Microarchitecture server processors and the newly released VMware Infrastructure 3 software suite, including availability, dynamic resource management and resiliency capabilities.
Leading original equipment manufacturers, including Dell, HP and IBM, are also driving Virtualize ASAP in support of software vendors with the contribution of new hardware platforms and technical resources. Software vendors who are initial participants in Virtualize ASAP include: Altiris, BEA, CA, Cassatt, Citrix, CommuniGate Systems, DataSynapse, Hyperion, Interwoven, LANDesk, McKesson, MySQL, NetIQ, Open Country, Platform Computing, SAP, SAS, SyAM, Sybase, Symantec, Tangosol and UGS.
Benefits offered to participating software vendors through Virtualize ASAP include:
o Education on VMware Virtual Infrastructure, Intel Platforms and Best Practice Development: Participants will have access to training, a repository of best practices, case studies, technical white papers and more. In addition, Virtualize ASAP participants gain access to ASAP tools that guide them through the development of their own best practices, reference configurations and benchmarks for their software running on Intel and VMware platforms.
o Virtual Appliances: VMware and Intel will assist software vendors with their pre-assembled virtual appliances, which deliver simplified customer evaluation and deployment of complex software environments, by providing leading server platforms and technical expertise. A virtual appliance is a fully pre-installed and pre-configured application and operating system environment that runs on a standard x86 desktop or server in a self-contained, isolated environment known as a virtual machine.
o 24x7 Online Access to Virtualize ASAP Center: The specialized online center jointly developed by Intel and VMware gives ISVs the ability to pre-schedule and utilize technical documentation, pre-configured system and software resources remotely 24 x 7. Located in Dupont, Wash., the center is now open and operational for participating ISVs. The center is equipped with the latest Intel Xeon processor-based server platforms provided by program sponsors Dell, HP and IBM running VMware Infrastructure software. The center provides web-based support with live technical assistance from technical and solution experts from/trained by Intel and VMware who are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PDT.
For more information: virtualizeASAP.com
About Intel Corporation
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom.
About VMware
VMware, an EMC company, is the global leader in virtual infrastructure software for industry-standard systems. The world's largest companies use VMware solutions to simplify their IT, fully leverage their existing computing investments and respond faster to changing business demands. VMware is based in Palo Alto, Calif. For more information, visit www.vmware.com or call 650-475-5000.
Software Vendor Support
The Virtualize ASAP has earned the support of independent software vendors across the virtualization ecosystem, from management and security solutions to enterprise applications. At today's launch, more than 20 software providers confirmed their participation in the program in order to advance their offerings and to promote broader adoption of virtualization solutions using VMware Infrastructure 3 on Intel Xeon platforms.
Altiris
"We are working closely with Intel and VMware to provide efficiently managed virtual and physical computing platforms. Virtualization at all levels of IT requires integrated manageability to help maximize the infrastructure utilization while decreasing operating costs," said Dwain Kinghorn, Altiris CTO. "As part of the Virtualize ASAP program, we will accelerate IT deployment of Altiris software virtualization, which when combined with operating system and hardware virtualization, provides a comprehensive virtual stack. Altiris delivers automated IT operations to help control and deploy each of these types of virtualization from a single management console."
BEA
"Virtualization offers enterprises the flexibility and reusability of a Service-oriented Architecture approach and is a key foundational element for a successful SOA deployment," said Guy Churchward, vice president of the Java Runtime Products Group at BEA Systems. "Virtualize ASAP provides BEA with technical resources and enablement to help drive customer adoption of BEA's unified SOA platform for business transformation and optimization combined with VMware Infrastructure. Intel and VMware's efforts will make a significant contribution to building greater momentum for the virtualization market."
CA
"By building support for VMware Infrastructure on Intel-based servers across our product line, CA will enable our customers to take full advantage of virtualization without disrupting their current IT operations," said Vince Re, senior vice president of Development at CA. "CA is working closely with Intel and VMware on the Virtualize ASAP initiative to help our customers benefit from low-pain/high-gain virtualization deployments."
Cassatt
"Implementing virtualization technologies is an important step toward creating and running a dynamic infrastructure to support a customer's data center operations. Cassatt extends the benefits of virtualization by providing automated management of physical and virtual data center resources to match policies that customers have set. The VMware ASAP program helps Cassatt work with the latest technology from VMware and Intel to provide our customers with proven best practices and guidelines for implementing joint Cassatt-Intel-VMware solutions," said Gamiel Gran, vice president of Worldwide Channels at Cassatt Corporation. "With the help of this program, Cassatt customers can be sure the virtualized portion of their application infrastructure is rock solid, and that Cassatt Collage is making best use of that environment as one way to help automatically deliver the service levels that customers require from their applications."
Citrix
"Our customers have told us that they will be leveraging all types of virtualization and need guidance in implementing and integrating Citrix Application virtualization with other virtualization solutions," said Nabeel Youakim, vice president and product line executive for the Virtualized Systems Group at Citrix. "With Virtualize ASAP, we look forward to working with Intel and VMware to provide our mutual customers with the information they require when considering a virtualized hardware environment for their Citrix application virtualization implementations."
DataSynapse
"Virtualize ASAP is certain to accelerate the adoption of virtualization among VMware Infrastructure and Intel Xeon-based platform users, helping achieve even greater scalability and performance gains through the use of existing resources. We applaud and support this effort," said Kelly Vizzini, DataSynapse CMO. "DataSynapse solutions combined with Virtualize ASAP will be an important component of customers' virtualization strategies."
LANDesk
"We are excited to participate in the VMware-Intel Virtualize ASAP program. The resources provided through this program will help LANDesk provide best-known methods for implementing LANDesk Management Solutions in a virtualized server environment," said Dave R Taylor, vice president of Worldwide Marketing at LANDesk "This helps customers by providing the knowledge and support needed to accelerate their deployment of applications in the enterprise."
McKesson
"McKesson's document management solutions deliver outstanding value to healthcare providers, and we see tremendous solution reliability, flexibility and infrastructure efficiency from deploying in a virtualized environment," said Bing Teng, group general manager at McKesson. "The Virtualize ASAP program using VMware Infrastructure on Intel Xeon-based Servers will further accelerate deployment of our industry leading solutions."
MySQL
"We look forward to building upon our partnerships by joining the Virtualize ASAP program and providing best practices and reference configurations of MySQL running in VMware Infrastructure on Intel's Woodcrest platform," said Zack Urlocker, executive vice president of products for MySQL AB. "For IT users interested in the benefits of an open source database, MySQL's price/performance on dual-core Woodcrest servers will be augmented by the cost-savings of increased server utilization with VMware Infrastructure."
NetIQ
"NetIQ looks forward to working with Intel and VMware on this ground- breaking initiative and partnership. Organizations today have significant challenges associated with scalability and managing the enterprise data center," said Rob Reiner, NetIQ CTO. "Virtualize ASAP will help NetIQ develop and deliver customer-focused best practices for using NetIQ's system and security management solutions along with VMware Infrastructure."
Open Country
"Open Country is pleased to participate in the Intel-VMware Virtualize ASAP program. Open Country's Universal Systems Management solution, OCM 3.0, enables organizations to manage their infrastructure and systems, virtual or otherwise with a single web-based console," said Michael Grove, Open Country CEO. "Open Country provides open source customers the necessary management solution to rapidly provision, deploy, monitor, discover and manage in virtual environments on VMware Infrastructure running on Intel Xeon-based servers, allowing organizations to leverage virtualization in a managed, scalable fashion."
Platform Computing
"We're pleased to be an early member in the Virtualize ASAP program," said Chris Purpura, vice president of New Ventures and Strategic Alliances at Platform Computing. "As one of the providers in enterprise grid computing, the ability to orchestrate a wider range of applications across clusters and grids by using virtual containers will yield tremendous efficiencies to our customers. The widespread availability of VMware Infrastructure and multi-core Intel Xeon processors will radically accelerate the adoption of virtualization and grid technologies in the market."
SAP
"SAP is excited about virtualization opportunities for enterprise customers," said Horst-Udo Schulte, vice president of Global Technology Partners at SAP AG. "Rapid provisioning of resources as loads get more resource hungry and increased consistency on test and deployment systems using the same infrastructure provide greater agility for businesses and reduced operational costs. VMware on Xeon servers is an SAP supported infrastructure and customers benefit from this solution today."
SAS
"The VMware-Intel Virtualize ASAP program offers today's dynamic, competitive corporation the ability and confidence to accelerate server virtualization deployment in the enterprise," said Keith Collins, SAS Senior Vice President and CTO. "Combining this program and SAS Business Intelligence empowers customers to get Better Answers Faster with data integration, predictive analytics and information delivery to leap ahead of the competition."
SyAM
"SyAM Software is pleased to support the Virtualize ASAP initiative as there are excellent synergies between the VMware platform, Intel's architectures and SyAM Software's Central Management capabilities," said Nick Thickins, SyAM Software CEO. "SyAM Software is uniquely qualified to support this initiative because of the feature set of our product line. Organizations who choose to adopt SyAM Software's products for managing virtualized machines will find their cost of operations will go down, the performance of their machines will go up, and the risk of unforeseen catastrophic failures will be heavily reduced."
Sybase
"The technical expertise that Intel and VMware have put behind Virtualize ASAP will make a significant contribution to building greater momentum for the virtualization market," said Mark Westover, vice president of Corporate Development and Marketing at Sybase. "Combined with Sybase' expertise in information management and mobility, it will make a compelling proposition for our existing and potential customer base."
Symantec
"This concerted effort of applying virtualization technology to applications in the data center will help drive down costs while increasing application flexibility," said Matt Fairbanks, senior director of Product Management in the Data Center Management Group at Symantec Corp. "Symantec has worked closely with both Intel and VMware on recent virtualization initiatives, and by bringing its security and availability solutions to virtual environments and participating in Virtualize ASAP, Symantec hopes to further ease customer transition."
Tangosol
"As our customers extend their initial grid implementations, virtualization is a critical implementation model," said Cameron Purdy, Tangosol President and CEO. "Our support and use of this Intel and VMware program will help provide customers with technical solutions and best practices for the combination of virtualization and data grids."
Original Equipment Manufacturer Support
Dell, HP and IBM are the original equipment manufacturers that have committed to participate in Virtualize ASAP upon its launch today. The companies will contribute hardware platforms and technical resources as part of their commitment to Virtualize ASAP and promoting broader adoption of virtualization solutions on the Intel and VMware platform.
Dell
"Virtualization is an integral part of Dell's Scalable Enterprise Architecture, a framework for a highly efficient data center infrastructure," said Neil Hand, vice president of Worldwide Enterprise Marketing Dell Product Group. "By teaming up with Intel, VMware and leading software vendors in the Virtualize ASAP program, we will be able to easily introduce our customers to compelling virtualization solutions and simplify the integration of virtualization into their IT infrastructure."
HP
"As a leading provider in offering customers virtualization innovations through our ProLiant Essentials Virtualization Management Software to virtualizing I/O with our new Virtual Connect technology in our BladeSystem c- Class, HP is helping customers drive down costs and improve service levels while building toward an automated and virtualized, 24x7, lights-out computing environment," said Rick Becker, vice president and general manager of the BladeSystem Division and Volume Software at HP. "Today's Virtualize ASAP program from Intel and VMware moves the virtualization needle even further providing customers greater speed, confidence and best practices to deploy virtualized ISV and server environments throughout their IT infrastructure."
IBM
"IBM is pleased to join the Virtualize ASAP program to ensure broader software exploitation of IBM System X servers with Xeon-processors running VMware Infrastructure," said Kevin Leahy, director of Strategy of IBM Virtualization. "This program with Intel and VMware complements IBM's Ready for Virtualization initiative that helps customers identify and deploy virtualized partner solutions across our servers and storage systems."
Source: VMware, Inc.
CONTACT: Nick Knupffer of Intel Corporation, +1-408-250-7265, or
nick.knupffer@intel.com; or Amber Rowland of VMware, Inc., +1-650-842-9519, or
arowland@vmware.com
Web site: www.vmware.com/
