VMworld 2018 Roundup: AWS Integration, SD-WAN, Endpoint Security Lead Agenda

Kurt Marko

By Kurt Marko

During the opening keynote of its annual VMworld conference, VMware unleashed a barrage of announcements that showed a company moving far beyond its origins in server virtualization. Its goal: Become a horizontal provider of virtual infrastructure and management software for endpoints, edge devices and multiple cloud services.

After some self-congratulatory comments commemorating the 20th anniversary of VMware’s founding, CEO Pat Gelsinger and CTO Ray O’Farrell plunged into a packed keynote highlighting formal announcements that preceded the show. Judging by the order and length of Gelsinger’s treatment, VMware has positioned itself as an enterprise-focused, multicloud management company that spans the functional gamut, from core virtual infrastructure that can run in private data centers or public clouds to infrastructure, workload, security and cost management software.

VMware’s Pat Gelsinger and Ray O’Farrell on stage at VMworld 2018.

Indeed, VMware’s embrace of public cloud infrastructure and the SaaS delivery model over the past two years has been stunning.

Key announcements fell into six broad categories:

• Public cloud integration, management and new service (VMware on AWS).
• Edge infrastructure and remote networking (SD-WAN).
• Application security (AppDefense, vSphere).
• Multicloud virtual networking (NSX).
• Container software (Kubernetes, PKS).
• Client application delivery and endpoint management (Workspace One).

Much like last year, VMware’s partnership with AWS headlined the event, with AWS CEO Andy Jassy making a brief return appearance on stage to tout progress made via new features, an expanded global footprint and growing customer adoption over the past year. The most significant announcements for customers with feet in both VMware and AWS:

• A significant price cut for VMware Cloud on AWS by reducing the minimum supported configuration from six hosts to three and offering a temporary three-node-for-the-price-of-two promotion.
• Support for customizing the instance core counts to reduce costs for running software, like enterprise databases, licensed per CPU core.
• An EBS-based, high-capacity storage option supporting volumes from 15 to 35 TB in 5 TB increments.
• Support for NSX over Direct Connect links to allow network microsegmentation and security policies that span private and public clouds.
• Better security with support for VSAN encryption that uses the AWS Key Management System (KMS)
• Service expansion to AsiaPac via the AWS Sydney region.

In a surprising development, the AWS-VMware partnership has also led to …