I must admit…I didn’t see this coming!

One of my more recent posts a couple weeks ago was related to how VMware would engage with it’s Service Provider Partners with the continuing push of, what was then vCHS. Though I did not want to admit it personally I felt that VMware could take a more “Microsoft” like approach towards partners and that smaller Service Providers could be facing uncertain futures when it comes to vCloud Powered and VSPP Service offerings.

http://blogs.vmware.com/vcloud/2014/08/calling-customers-vcloud-air-network-arrived.html

With the announcement around the full rebranding of vCHS to vCloud Air and Transforming the VSPP and vCloud Powered programs to the vCloud Air Network it would appear that VMware has in fact gone the other way and recommitted their support to all vCloud Server Providers and has even sort out to make the partner relationship stronger. The premise being that together, there is a ready made network (Including vCloud Air) of providers around the world ready to take on the greater uptake of Hybrid Cloud that’s expected over the next couple of years.

I can’t hide my pleasure at this announcement…three years ago VMware was all about Partners (remember the Our Cloud is Your Cloud message) …two years ago there where rumblings of a Public Cloud offering that made partners uneasy… one year ago vCHS was released and now we seem to have come full circle and there is a combined commitment to VMware backed IaaS and services.

Certainly there is a challenge from AWS, Google and Azure…but if there is one thing about the VMware community is that they recognise the strength of the underlying platform and if that there is a viable option that makes migration and management of existing workloads easier making the path a little less hazy…And while I’m not doubting the need for solid PaaS those Public Clouds can offer the market that vCloud Air Network is targeting in my opinion sits at a different workload level.

Again, the vCloud Powered and VSPP Partner Community would be delighted with this new focus and direction and I am looking forward to helping continue to build and support services based on vSphere, ESXi, vCloud and the newer product sets like NSX while being able to leverage platforms like Openstack…

There is no stronger platform! There is no stronger ecosystem!