IBM, VMware Extend Strategic Alliance

VMware offers virtual-infrastructure software for x86-based systems. IBM will offer a wide range of VMware products, including VirtualCenter, Vmotion, ESX Server and Virtual SMP software on IBM eServer xSeries and BladeCenter systems. "IBM will offer the BladeCenter license pack with VMware integrated solutions designed specifically for eServer BladeCenter systems," VMware said Wednesday in a statement.

VMware noted that customers can deploy Microsoft Windows, Linux, and NetWare applications with the IBM eServer xSeries and BladeCenter systems running VMware virtual-infrastructure software. The alliance is also likely to appeal to IBM BladeCenter customers running VMware virtual-infrastructure software. VMware observed that its ESX Server and IBM BladeCenter solutions can host more than 100 virtual machines in a single BladeCenter chassis of 28 central-processing units.

In a statement, Leo Suarez, IBM vice president of eServer xSeries products, said: "Being able to virtualize computing and manage systems remotely is a critical aspect of on-demand computing. Our partnership with VMware complements the IBM on-demand strategy by bringing partitioning to the xSeries and Intel-based BladeCenter product lines. Combined with IBM Virtualization Engine, Vmware extends IBM's virtualization capability across the entire xSeries and Intel-based BladeCenter servers."

*This story courtesy of Techweb.com.