VMware Turns to Google for Open App Development

Server virtualization is heating up, and not just because of the increasingly pivotal role cloud computing plays in todays IT business world. VMware, long seen as the leader in virtualization of computer resources, is starting to see significant competition from Microsoft, whose Hyper-V solution is making a mark both in the SMB and to a lesser degree, the large enterprise markets.

So its not surprising that VMware isnt sitting on its laurels, and is instead announcing an extensive collaboration with Google, aimed at designing solutions for all cloud environments (private, public, and hybrid). Specifically, the idea is to drive enterprise adoption giving developers an open and flexible platform for quickly creating, deploying and managing new applications for the cloud.

VMware and Google are aligning to reassure our mutual customers and the Java community that choice and portability are of utmost importance to both companies, said Paul Maritz, president and CEO of VMware. We will work to ensure that modern applications can run smoothly within the firewalls of a companys datacenter or out in the public cloud environment.

The vendor collaborative platform is designed for optimum productivity, portability, and flexibility for richer, especially Java-based, Web apps that support Google and VMware performance tools.

There are three main initiatives scheduled for quick release: First, Google is incorporating support for Spring Java apps on its Google App Engine to simplify development and management of cloud apps, and to extend the portability of that app across clouds. With the Eclipse-based SpringSource Tool Suite, developers can create Spring applications in a familiar environment and choose how they want to deploy the application in their existing private VMware vSphere environment, in VMware vCloud partner clouds, or directly to Google App Engine.

The two companies are also teaming up on a next-gen rapid application development tool based on Googles Web Toolkit, which allows rich apps to be supported over a variety of browsers, including more recent, cutting-edge browser formats for smart phones and computers, such as AJAX and HTML5.

And finally, the partners plan to integrate VMwares Spring Insight performance tracing technology with Googles Speed Tracer functionality, to enable higher-performance and greater visibility for those cloud apps built with the Spring and Google Web Toolkit.