VMware vCloud Blog

The demand for cloud has grown tremendously in the last few years, with an increasing number of enterprises expressing interest in and taking advantage of private, public and hybrid cloud models. Hybrid cloud models in particular have received much attention in the last year, and in a recent Forbes article, David Nichols, principal and Americas CIO services leader for Ernst & Young IT Advisory Services, noted that hybrid cloud strategies provide a “failsafe” model for enterprises and may be the best approach to cloud computing for the enterprise.

So where does VMware fit in all this? Well last week we featured a report by the Taneja Group that discussed how VMware stacks up against other cloud vendors and why the Taneja Group considers VMware the clear cloud leader. In addition to that, check out the handy infographic below that breaks VMware down by the numbers and illustrates where VMware’s growing ecosystem of Service Provider partners fits in the cloud revolution, providing hybrid cloud services to the enterprise. 

VMware values all of its Service Provider partners, and at VMware Partner Exchange next week, we look forward to highlighting all the reasons why VMware’s ecosystem of Service Providers and partners ranks among the best in the industry. Check out yesterday’s blog for a full rundown of what to expect at VMware Partner Exchange, and don’t forget to follow @VMwareSP for live coverage from the show! 

By: David Davis

The theme of VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) 2012 is “It Starts Here”. That ‘IT’ could mean “Information Technology” or, more likely, it’s that “it” (meaning all things virtualization and cloud computing) will start here in 2012. With only 1 week to go before PEX kickoff on February 13, 2012, I can’t wait to find out what VMware could announce, what I will learn, and who I might be able to network with at PEX this year. While competitors would beg to differ, in the VMware world, it is true that, in a new year, it ALL does start at Partner Exchange (as it does take place in the beginning of the year and is when VMware announces to partners what product pushes they will make together that year).

What Should You See at PEX?

This will be my third PEX and I have begun to think of it as “the mid-year VMworld”. However, it really isn’t VMworld because there are only VMware partners present, because a huge focus is on the sales side of VMware solutions, and because the show is around 3-4000 people (much smaller than VMworld at 15,000+). Still, it is the best mid-year VMware show for me, personally, because I get to talk to the same industry experts as VMworld, find out what VMware partners are up to, sit in VMworld-style labs, attend awesome sessions, and listen to an inspiring presentations by Paul Maritz & Dr Steven Herrod.

I always enjoy visiting the Solutions Exchange Theater to listen to VMware Partners present and showcase their solutions, services and unique capabilities. Everything from cloud architecture, networking, storage, security, management, and more is covered. VMware has one of the most impressive partner ecosystems I have ever seen.

Plus, TrainSignal (who I create vSphere video training for) will have our first ever booth at the PEX solutions exchange. Likely I’ll be there a lot so, if you attend PEX, make sure that you come by and see me!

And if you can attend, make sure you register and attend on of the awesome PEX Tweetups, parties, and gatherings. I will be at the HP Tweetup at Margaritaville so I hope to catch you there!

The Best Sessions of VMware Partner Exchange 2012

Speaking of those sessions I mentioned, what are the best sessions? I had a tough time making up my schedule because there are just so many great sessions spread across just a few days.

Here are the sessions I’m really going to try to attend:

• 2/11 at 1:30pm – #CIM1262: DR of the Cloud and to the Cloud with Chris Colotti and Duncan Epping
• 2/14 at 1:30pm – #CIM1291: Multi-tier vApp Solution Design for vCloud with John Arrasjid (VCDX #001) and Amanda Kammampati
• 2/14 at 4pm – #TEX1261: Building Apps on Top of the vCloud API with Mike DePetrillo
• 2/15 at 1:45pm – #PAR1571: Becoming a VMware Service Provider Using vCloud Powered Services with Luke Norris
• 2/15 at 4:15pm – #CIM1289: vCloud Architecture Toolkit Overview with John Arrasjid (VCDX #001)
• 2/16 at 10:15am – #CIM1269:  Upgrading the vCloud Solutions Stack in an End to End Environment with Chris Colotti and Dave Hill
• and more!

However, since I haven’t figured out how to clone myself yet and don’t have the ability to attend every PEX session that I want to, here is a list of other PEX sessions that the VMwareSP team will fortunately be live-tweeting from:

• 2/14  at 4pm – #CIM1432: How to Win with vCloud Services with Theresa Vu
• 2/15 at 2:30pm – #CIM1453: Creating Public Clouds for Regulated Verticals with Melody Hazi
• 2/15 at 4:15pm – #CIM1345: Real World Experiences: Service Providers Share Best Practices for Delivering Public and Hybrid Cloud Services with Mathew Lodge
• 2/15 at 4:15pm – #CIM1307: Automating Deployment and Operations of a vCloud Infrastructure with Amit Gupta
• 2/16 at 9am – #CIM1398: VMware Service Provider Momentum and Expansion with Kedra Simm
• 2/16 at 9am – #CIM1260: Multi-Site Cloud Deployment with Mike DiPetrillo
• 2/16 at 10:15am – #SMP1540: Selling Hybrid and Public Clouds: Solution Providers and Service Providers in Harmony with Kedra Simm
• 2/16 at 11:30am – #CIM1343: How to Sell and Deliver IaaS Clouds Powered by vCloud Service Providers with Kirti Dewan
• 2/16 at 11:30am – #CIM1311: Cloud Infrastructure Product Opportunities for Service Providers with David Baldwin

So whether you can attend, or not, make sure you are following @VMwareSP and @vCloud to catch highlights from these PEX vCloud/SP sessions.

For more great PEX sessions, make sure you checkout:

• PEX 2012 Content Catalog
• Chris Colotti's blog that highlights his vCloud session & others 

Also checkout this post: What to Expect at VMware Partner Exchange 2012

Top Reasons to Attend VMware Partner Exchange 2012

If you are unfamiliar with PEX, make sure you checkout this video on the top reasons to attend:

If you haven’t already registered for PEX or haven’t built your schedule yet, make sure that you try to checkout these sessions! Register at VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) 2012.

David Davis is a VMware Evangelist and vSphere Video Training Author for TrainSignal. He has achieved CCIE, VCP, VCAP-DCA, and vExpert level status over his 18+ years in the IT industry. David has authored hundreds of articles on the Internet and over 10 video training courses for TrainSignal.com including the popular vSphere video training package. Learn more about David at his blog or on Twitter and check out a sample of his new vSphere 5 video training course over at TrainSignal.com.

With all the great sessions and events taking place at VMware Partner Exchange, we thought it would be helpful to give a rundown of what attendees can expect at PEX 2012. We’ll be on-site at the show, providing photos, videos, and live-tweets straight from Las Vegas, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Activities at the VMware Booth

At the VMware Booth (#1300), PEX attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about VMware Partner Programs, Products and Solutions through 16 demo stations, including live demos of the new vCloud Integration Manager (vCIM) and vCloud Connector 1.5.

Service Provider Pavilion 

Be sure to drop by the Service Provider Pavilion, an area created exclusively for VSPP partners to exhibit their offerings. Inside the Pavilion attendees will have the opportunity to speak with experts and learn more about virtualization and cloud solutions from VMware Service Providers such as Bluelock, Hosting.com, iLand and more.

The Solutions Exchange

This year at PEX the Solutions Exchange will feature over 80 of the leading virtualization and cloud infrastructure companies.

The Solutions Exchange hours are:
Tuesday, Feb. 14: 11am – 6pm
(with Happy Hour taking place from 4:30-6pm)
Wednesday, Feb. 15: 11am – 6pm

There will also be a Welcome Reception in the Solutions Exchange on Monday, Feb. 13 from 5:30-7:30pm. PEX attendees won’t want to miss this opportunity to explore the Solutions Exchange and interact with peers, partners and the VMware team. 

While you’re at the Solutions Exchange, also be sure to drop by the Solutions Exchange Theater where Key VMware Partners will be presenting and showcasing their solutions, services and unique capabilities. 

From cloud architecture to security to storage and management, these live presentations highlight the power of VMware’s Partner Ecosystem. Check out the schedule below: 

Other Events 

VMware PEX Tweetup
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 4:30-6pm
Drinks are on the house Tuesday night in the VMware Community Lounge! We encourage our regular #cloudtalk participants to grab a “tweetini” and come mingle with the global VMware partner social media community, where you can get your VMware questions answered by VCDXs, the VMware Certification Team, the VMware Partner Readiness Team and more.

We’ll be covering the tweetup with live photos and videos, so be sure to follow us @VMwareSP to join the event virtually, and don’t forget to RSVP here.

VMware Partner Exchange Awards
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 6:30-10pm 
Congratulations to our regional 2011 Service Provider Partner of the Year winners, iland (Americas), OVH (EMEA) and Fujitsu Australia (APJ)! VMware Partner Network Awards are awarded to partners that offer the most innovative and comprehensive cloud solutions to their customers, and our global Service Provider Partner of the Year winner will be announced during the Partner Exchange Awards on Tuesday night.

VMware Partner Appreciation Party
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7-10pm
This is the night you don’t want to miss, when we pull out all the stops to show our partners how much you mean to VMware. At the Partner Appreciation Party, attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, meet colleagues and hear the Barenaked Ladies perform. This event promises to be one of the biggest highlights of an amazing week, so block out your busy schedules now! 

Trivia and Giveaways
If you followed @vCloud and @VMwareSP during VMworld 2011, then you’ll remember our #vTrivia prize contest. In addition to our #vTrivia gift card giveaway, we’ll also be hosting a Photo Scavenger Contest for our grand prize, an iPad 2!

#vTrivia - how to play:

• During the show, follow the @VMwareSP handle on Twitter, and look out for trivia questions posted with the #vTrivia hashtag.
• #vTrivia questions will cover big announcements at PEX, as well as highlights from key PEX sessions and events.
• If you think you know the answer to a #vTrivia question, @reply to @VMwareSP with your guess, making sure to tag your tweets with #vTrivia.

Our Photo Scavenger Contest will be held throughout the week, and one lucky winner will get to take home a new iPad 2 on Wednesday night. Here’s how to play:

• In order to win, take three pictures of yourself at the booths of any three of the following Service Providers in the Service Provider Pavillion (AirVM, Bluelock Corporation, CSC, RackForce Networks, Inc, SunGard Availability Services, Terremark North America, Verio, Xtium, iland, PhoenixNAP, Hosting.com, NTT Communications).
• Tweet all three pictures to the @VMwareSP Twitter handle any time during the conference, but all entries must be received before Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 4pm.
• You MUST be in the picture in order to win – and we’ll give you extra bonus points for including a booth staff member in the picture with you!
• We’ll go through all eligible entries by Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 4pm, and one lucky winner will be chosen at random to win our grand prize, an iPad 2!

Partner Exchange is building up to be an exciting event, so be sure to follow us @VMwareSP for live updates from the show! 

In a recent evaluation of ten of the leading cloud solution vendors (including Microsoft, Red Hat, Amazon, Rackspace and others), the Taneja Group determined that VMware stands out as the clear cloud leader due to its broad portfolio of virtualization and cloud management solutions, service provider ecosystem, and cross-cloud enabling tools and interfaces.

According to the Taneja Group, only VMware offers the combination of industry-leading virtualization and management solutions required for an on-premise, private cloud, as well as the enterprise-class tools needed to bridge the private cloud with one or more off-premise, public clouds – making the successful deployment of hybrid clouds a reality for the enterprise. Check out the following charts to see how VMware’s IaaS and PaaS stacks up against other cloud vendors: 

The Taneja Group also determined that the offerings of VMware’s ecosystem of vCloud service providers surpass the service capabilities of public cloud providers such as Amazon and Rackspace/OpenStack. Using the VMware-CSC service provider partnership as an example, the Taneja Group highlights what sets VMware’s hybrid cloud service provider program apart:

• A true enterprise hybrid cloud offering. In CSC’s case, BizCloud offers the dedicated infrastructure and security of a public cloud with the pay-as-you-go economics and convenience of a public cloud.
• Fast time to deployment.
• Transparent and auditable security – made possible with VMware’s vShield security framework, which is fully virtualization aware.
• Dedicated infrastructure.
• Multi-tiered enterprise SLAs.
• Global consistency and reach. CSC, for example, offers a consistent set of public CloudCompute services from seven CSC Trusted Data Centers on three continents, with plans to expand to 28 data centers in the future.
• Enterprise hybrid cloud expertise. Because the vCloud Datacenter Services program provides rigorous training and certification services and requires service providers to meet enterprise-level standards for security, agility and application portability, certified vCloud Datacenter Service Providers can provide customers with the benefit of their considerable expertise. 

For a breakdown of how VMware’s Service Provider Ecosystem stacks up against Amazon and Rackspace/OpenStack, check out the following chart: 

In sum, if your enterprise is considering a hybrid cloud model, VMware can help make this transition a reality with industry-leading virtualization and cloud solutions and a robust ecosystem of compatible cloud providers. 

For more on the Taneja Group’s findings, download the full report. If your enterprise is interested in the public cloud, you can also apply to test drive a public cloud from a vCloud Provider via vcloud.vmware.com. For future updates, be sure to follow @vCloud and @VMwareSP on Twitter!

By Karl Robinson, Sales Director at StratoGen

Despite the economic gloom on both sides of the Atlantic, 2012 is shaping up to be a bumper year for those involved in the VMware hosting business. Whilst it’s true that most IT managers are under budgetary constraints, the majority have realized that increased use of the cloud will deliver cost savings and bring about an increase in agility and performance. The entire IT industry is moving to delivery ‘as a service’ and the timing of these financial difficulties only serves to focus people’s minds on the benefits of the cloud.

The Rise Of VMware Based Clouds

So where does VMware fit in to this picture? VMware has gained real traction with its service provider program (VSPP) by offering a simple licensing model and a software suite that really delivers. vSphere 5 offers outstanding performance and vCloud Director (which has been updated to v1.5) continues to lead the way as the most powerful tool to manage your virtual infrastructure. But one of the biggest factors driving growth to VMware based platforms is the move away from commodity clouds to enterprise class clouds with defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

At StratoGen we’ve experienced this change first hand. In the first half of 2011 a significant percentage of our inquiries were from organizations that wanted to move away from a commodity cloud such as Amazon. But then things changed. Widespread reporting of cloud outages and the increased exposure of IT managers to cloud technologies led clients to realize the importance of VMware based clouds and their associated benefits. This trend has continued and today the majority of our enquiries are from organizations that are already bought-in to the VMware ‘Journey to the Cloud’. Commodity clouds are out of favor, above all because businesses need guaranteed availability. The icing on the cake for clients is vCloud Connector, which offers the unique ability to seamlessly integrate their on-site infrastructure with a VMware based public cloud.

StratoGen Launches US Cloud

Looking forward to 2012 and it’s certainly exciting times here at StratoGen, as we recently announced the launch of our cloud platform in the US. Based out of Denver, our US cloud is built on NetApp, HP and Cisco components and offers the same mix of performance and stability as our award winning European operation.

Feel free to take it for a test drive by signing up for a free 7 day trial here.

About StratoGen          

Karl Robinson is Sales Director of StratoGen, a leading cloud hosting provider with a worldwide client base. You can follow StratoGen on twitter, or read more on the StratoGen blog.

To close the year out we asked our Twitter followers to weigh in on what they thought was next for the cloud in 2012.

The majority of respondents believed that security controls will be moved closer to critical resources being protected (ie. data center cluster-based or hypervisor-based security). Some felt the trend of open PaaS will continue to expand in the enterprise. 

How do you think cloud computing will evolve this year? In a recent Fortune article, Mathew Lodge predicted the hybrid cloud will continue to grow and that Platform-as-a-Service will win the hearts of developers. Do you agree or disagree? We want to hear your thoughts during our first #cloudtalk of 2012 on January 31^st at 11am PT.

We’re also excited to have our very own VMware Knowledge Experts Chris Colotti and Massimo Re Ferre’ co-hosting this #cloudtalk. As our resident vCloud experts, Chris and Massimo are keen to share their own cloud predictions and stories based on their experiences from the field, deploying vCloud with customers. Be sure to follow them on Twitter prior to the chat.

It’s been a while since our last chat (2011 was a busy year for the vCloud team!) so as just a reminder, here’s how to participate:

• Follow the #cloudtalk hashtag (via TweetChat, TweetGrid, TweetDeck or another Twitter client) and watch the real-time stream.
• At 11am PT @vCloud will pose a few questions using the #cloudtalk hashtag to get the conversation rolling.
• Tag your tweets with the #cloudtalk hashtag. @reply other participants and react to their questions, comments, thoughts via #cloudtalk. Engage!
• #cloudtalk should last about an hour. 

In the meantime, feel free to tweet at us (@vCloud) with any questions. Look forward to seeing you next Tuesday in the stream!

As companies search for more creative ways to increase brand awareness and acquire leads, more and more are turning to social media to integrate into their marketing efforts. However, building an effective social media strategy is not always a straightforward process. Join VMware and LEWIS Pulse for our webinar on Thursday, January 19^th at 10am PT, where we will be discussing best practices and tips for VMware Service Providers looking to leverage social media in their marketing strategies. 

LEWIS Pulse has worked with VMware for over two years, planning and executing social media strategies for the cloud marketing and service provider groups. During this webinar, some of the topics we’ll be covering include:

• Why you should consider Social Media Marketing
• Tips to gain traction on Twitter
• Tips to improve your company’s Facebook presence
• How to optimize your blog content
• …and more

This webinar will show you how to gain the best results if you devote dedicated resources to social media, whether in-house or working with an agency. Register and don’t forget to take our survey, so we can tailor the session to best address your organization’s needs.

For future updates, be sure to also follow us on Twitter at @vCloud and @VMwareSP.  

Thanks for following our series on the Public Cloud Diaries – an ongoing project that showcases the various business situations and challenges that companies have experienced when moving to the public cloud. In our fourth installment, we’ll be sharing the stories of five companies in the Software Industry and their journey to the public cloud. 

Also, be sure to check out Part I, where we detailed the experiences of companies in the Business Services Industry and the ROI they achieved in moving to the public cloud, Part II, featuring the stories of organizations in the Communications and Healthcare industries, and Part III, where we covered the experiences of the companies in the Insurance, Non-Profit and Retail Industries.

Company 1: IT Management Software Provider for Small to Medium-Sized Companies
The Needs: For this company, customers traditionally purchased software for on-premise deployment, but as more customers began looking to move to the cloud, the company had to adjust their offerings to meet customer demand. They created a SaaS version of their software, but needed hosting in the Cloud with sophisticated load balancing, scalability, dynamic resource provisioning and access control, since they would be performing monthly SaaS updates.
The Solution: They chose a vCloud Service Provider with a load balancing schema, dedicated VLANS and redundant SQL database for resiliency.
The ROI: The company did not have to incur the high costs to create their own servers and enjoyed resiliency, proper IT operational maintenance and security.

Company 2: Spinoff Company from Large Corporation Intended to Provide SaaS for the Construction Industry
The Needs: Because the construction industry is a start-stop operation with peak and valley usage levels, this firm had to manage high bandwidth requirements and substantial hardware allocation for short periods of time. They needed a reliable cloud vendor that could deliver a solid disaster recovery solution and unmetered bandwidth at a good value.
The Solution: They decided on a vCloud Service Provider that offered unmetered bandwidth up to 10MB and deployed the technology in several locations in order to have minimal service interruption in case one site had a problem.
The ROI: According to the company, if they had built their own cloud solution, the hardware and operational costs would have been greater than $300k in the first year. However, through a hosted vCloud solution, they were able to reduce their spend to just $40k a year, achieving tremendous cost savings.  

Company 3: Firm that Develops and Deploys Custom Enterprise Software for Multinational Organizations
The Needs: This firm wished to move to the Cloud for economic purposes and to keep operating costs low for its customers. Because they had Service Level Agreements for uptime, they needed a Cloud vendor with high uptime. They also required strong security and remote access to the cloud and applications.
The Solution: The vCloud Service provider they chose enabled the company to deploy clients’ software on a dedicated infrastructure as well as in a multi-tenant scenario, while managing costs.
The ROI: The firm enjoyed a 50% cost savings by deploying into the Cloud versus doing it on site and having to acquire and maintain hardware. 

Company 4: Well-Known Consumer and Enterprise Software Company
The Needs: This company offered cloud versions of their software. After hosting their solution for two years on Amazon Web Services, they found it too be too pricy.  The firm was looking for a new solution and had an extensive list of required abilities:

1. Easily manage and scale to 1000’s of virtual machines with Terabytes of storage
2. Back up and restore services and technology
3. Compliance with ISO 2701, SAS 70 type 2
4. Multiple locations in US and ability to have a federated solution for Europe and Asia
5. 99.99% uptime SLA

The Solution: The company chose a vCloud Service Provider and achieved the capability to run thousands of VMs in various configurations of public or private clouds as well as single or multi-tenancy. They held full control of the public cloud and could create and deploy templates worldwide.
The ROI: The firm enjoyed a 50% cost reduction compared with their previous cloud  commodity vendor, faster time to market, and the ability to deploy in mere hours, not months.

Company 5:  Young Gaming Company that Creates Social and Gambling Games
The Needs: The company required a scalable solution since gaming events and tournaments can cause spikes in bandwidth demand. Also, it had to adhere to the strict gambling regulations in security and needed a solution that allowed the company to change software and algorithms on a regular basis.
The Solution: They chose a vCloud Service Provider that provided a cloud solution that could instantly scale for surges in gaming. They ran a SQL server in the backend and a combination of virtual and physical security devices and software to protect the system.
The ROI: With the vCloud Service Provider’s solution, they achieved a high level of security, freedom from hardware burdens and control of the infrastructure and operations.

Interested in public cloud for your organization? Visit vcloud.vmware.com and apply to test drive a public cloud from a vCloud Service Provider today.  

For more info on these diary entries, download the complete Public Cloud Diaries, and be sure to follow @vCloud and @VMwareSP.

Welcome to our third installment of the Public Cloud Diaries – an ongoing project that showcases the various business situations and challenges that companies have experienced when moving to the public cloud. In this blog, we’ll discuss the public cloud experiences of three companies in the Insurance, Non-Profit and Retail industries.

In case you missed them, be sure to check out Part I, where we detailed the experiences of companies in the Business Services Industry and the ROI they achieved in moving to the public cloud, and Part II, featuring the stories of organizations in the Communications and Healthcare industries. 

Insurance

Company: Provider of Business Process Outsourcing Services Between Primary Insurance and Reinsurance Companies
The Needs: This firm needed a scalable cloud solution for rapid changes in demand, fast response times and the ability to comply with rapidly changing insurance security requirements.
The Solution: They chose a vCloud Service Provider that offered multiple virtual servers to scale with fluctuating business. The company hosted 3 applications in the cloud on secure servers with access keys.
The ROI: By working with a vCloud Service Provider, this company could focus on the business and not IT. They also enjoyed savings from not having to invest in hardware for a traditional datacenter and could bill IT costs directly to each client. 

Non-Profit

Company: A Non-Profit Website that Offered Info, Services and Social Media to the Art Community
The Needs: Before choosing VMware, this non-profit’s site was hosted on a small-hosting provider and was severely hacked and infested with Trojan spam. The non-profit needed utmost security, the ability to grow over time and remote management capabilities.
The Solution: The site was rebuilt with a vCloud Service Provider. With VMware vCloud Director, they were able to create and upload server images whenever they needed to, enabling them to react to new art information and make both structure and content changes to the website.
The ROI: The non-profit gained peace of mind with no major expenses. They also enjoyed a higher level of security, increased flexibility and painless growth options.

Retail

Company: National Retailer with a Franchise Model
The Needs: This large retailer utilized an intricate IT system that tracked over 475,000 SKUS and supported every franchise store. They needed an infrastructure solution for their software that could scale during the influx of business during the holiday season, geographic redundancy to prevent outages from a cloud provider site failure and the ease of building and managing technology.
The Solution: Their ecommerce system was hosted by a VMware Service Provider on customer facing VMs and load balanced with a backend server on a dedicated SQL database.
The ROI: The retailer enjoyed geographic redundancy, the ability to scale to handle seasonal increases in business and SAS70 and SSAE15 security certifications.

Interested in public cloud for your organization? Visit vcloud.vmware.com and apply to test drive a public cloud from a vCloud Service Provider today. Stay tuned for our fourth installment in this series, where we’ll explore the experience of four companies in the Software Industry who moved to the cloud with VMware!

For more info on these diary entries, download the complete Public Cloud Diaries, and be sure to follow @vCloud and @VMwareSP to catch our next installment in this series.

When it comes to choosing a cloud vendor, enterprises must consider a variety of different variables in order to ensure that the cloud solution they deploy will best meet the organization’s needs. Among the factors that IT and business leaders must consider when selecting a cloud vendor include the vendor’s virtualization platform, their resource and performance management tools, hybrid cloud capabilities, and data management support, just to name a few.

In a recent report, the Taneja Group evaluated ten of the leading cloud solution vendors, reviewing their products, solutions and overall cloud strategy. Here are seven key takeaways that the Taneja Group recommends to IT and business leaders when evaluating cloud vendors:

1. When evaluating cloud solutions, be sure to check out whether the various offerings perform as advertised. The Taneja Group recommends that buyers participate in hands-on, proof-of-concept engagement activities that test and exercise the offerings’ key advertised capabilities.
2. Focus on vendors who can provide the best of both worlds – enterprise-class security, cross-cloud management and interoperability to bridge on- and off-premise deployments.
3. Before you can deploy a successful enterprise hybrid cloud, organizations should first lay the foundation with an enterprise-class private cloud.
4. Look for cloud solutions that offer virtual security and work with the vendor to ensure that their security framework addresses each layer of the cloud IaaS stack.
5. Cloud environments are dynamic and therefore require management that is equally as agile and flexible. Prioritize solutions that have management tools that are optimized for virtualization and cloud. 
6. Look for vendors that have an ecosystem of compatible cloud providers – this gives you the freedom to move from one off-premise provider to another.
7. Make sure your Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) options are wide open – your PaaS choice should allow you to switch providers or run the platform behind your firewall.

For more on the Taneja Group’s findings and to see how VMware stacked up against other cloud vendors, you can download the full report. Be sure to follow @vCloud and @VMwareSP on Twitter for future updates!