The Software-Defined Data Center has been, and continues to be, a big focus here at VMware. As noted in other venues, the SDDC is an approach – a framework – and not a prescriptive set of products. That said, how can a Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) align with our SDDC strategy.
How about looking at vRealize
In a vRealize blog post at VMworld US 2014, Ramin Sayar, senior vice president and general manager, Cloud Management Business Unit, indicated that vRealize will offer customers:
• Speed and agility required to rapidly deliver applications and infrastructure; and,
• Cost transparency and control needed by IT to safeguard application uptime, performance, security and compliance.
vRealize is a suite of products that the TAP can create joint solutions with VMware and provide the operations and automation capabilities for the SDDC.
For example, 4 interesting products within the vRealize suite are:
• vRealize Operations
• vRealize Operations Insight
• vRealize Orchestrator
• vRealize Automation
An SDDC “Operations” alignment with VMware would include creating a vRealize Operations Management Pack and a vRealize Operations Content Pack. These packs would allow the TAP / 3rd parties to directly transfer statistics and analytics into the vRealize suite – hence we have an SDDC “Operations” solution.
An SDDC “Automation” alignment with VMware would include creating a vRealize Orchestrator plug-in that enables vRealize Orchestration and workflow integrations with the TAP / 3rd party partners. Note that the vRealize Automation product cannot directly communicate workflow processes to TAP / 3rd parties, but, good news, the vRealize Orchestrator plug-in can be an object that is consumed by vRealize Automation and you can then automate workflow tasks to TAP / 3rd parties by creating the plug-in and, for advanced automation, using the plug-in as an object in vRealize Automation.
A great TAP example is Brocade. During 2014, Brocade focused on SDDC Operations and created and posted packs to support vRealize Operations and vRealize Operations Insight, clearly placing Brocade as a TAP that has a significant level of integration with VMware – ultimately leading to efficient customer SDDC “Operations” when using Brocade infrastructure. Brocade didn’t stop at IP/Ethernet networks, they also created a vRealize Operations SAN pack and a vRealize Operations Insight SAN pack to provide the SDDC Operations look and feel across both the IP Network and the Storage Network for the Software-Defined Data Center.
If you’re a customer, these integrations packs provide true integration with our partners and streamline your SDDC Operations and Automation. If you’re a partner, we’re looking forward in continuing to build these joint solutions with your on the Software-Defined Data Center journey.
