Software is the foundation that is powering the next evolution of networks and data center
infrastructure in today’s digital age. The manifestation of this trend is the software-defined data center, which gains momentum in the market on a daily basis. VMware is committed to providing the knowledge required for the adoption of the new operating model for the network in the era of the software-defined data center. To help the industry take advantage of the opportunity to virtualize their infrastructure, and specifically the network, VMware is providing the programs, curriculum and blueprints to help you capture this transformational opportunity. At VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) in San Francisco this week, we outlined three ways we’re helping to make the software-defined data center real in 2014.

Setting the New Career Path for Customers and Partners

In a recent InformationWeek article about Bank of America’s cloud strategy, the writer noted “changing to private cloud architecture and a software-centric datacenter will require different skills.” He wrote that infrastructure pros today define themselves by the gear they run: “I run my company’s million-port Cisco network…” So how will IT pros define themselves in the future? Many will expand the scope of their skills to include network virtualization competency. In 2014, we will deliver the VMware Network Virtualization Certification Program and the requisite curriculum for networking and virtualization professionals who want to lead the network virtualization transformation.

Empowering Partners to Grow their Businesses

Today we announced the Elite Partner Initiative, which will provide a unique introductory market opportunity for qualified VMware partners capable of leading early adoption and investment in the newest VMware technologies and markets, including VMware NSX. Elite partners will possess deep technical skills, an established solution practice, and highly advanced resources to engage closely with VMware on new product strategy, customer wins and deployments. The new global partners for NSX are Accenture, AdvizeX, August Schell, Computacenter, Dimension Data, ePlus, Forsythe, Kelway, O2 Networks and WWT. These partners are investing significant technical and personnel resources to work with VMware in developing specific consulting practices and advanced competency for VMware NSX network virtualization. They are also aligned closely with VMware’s vision for helping customers implement a Software-Defined Data Center, and recognize the important role network virtualization will play. Partners interested in the Elite initiative can login to Partner Central and learn more at www.vmware.com/go/partner_elite.

Providing the Blueprints for NSX Success

To help our growing list of customers deploy NSX, VMware is creating a library of materials to serve as the recipes for success in deploying NSX.  We’re teaming with early adopter customers and network virtualization experts to codify the best approaches for technical implementation. We already published our initial design guide for VMware NSX. This week we delivered our latest design guide outlining NSX implementation over Cisco Nexus 7000 switches and UCS compute infrastructure. In the coming weeks, we will be rolling out design guides with NSX and a variety of our design partners. If you are attending PEX in San Francisco this year attend the workshop SDDC3360-WS (Reference Design for Network Virtualization with NSX).

VMware is committed to helping partners capture new market opportunities for the software-defined data center and guiding customers through this transformative period in IT.

Hatem