VMware’s Project Monterey

There’s no doubt VMware’s massive software portfolio can help make Broadcom become a more significant software player on a global landscape, in addition to gaining access VMware’s big enterprise accounts.

However, there is one notable technology innovation strategy for VMware that particularly fits with Broadcom’s growing semiconductor business: Project Monterey.

First unveiled in 2020, Project Monterey looks to take server CPUs to the next level via Data Processing Units (DPUs). The solution will be integrated into VMware’s flagship and highly popular vSphere server virtualization portfolio.

VMware says modern applications are driving new hardware requirements into data center infrastructure, with DPU accelerators often resulting in creating application-specific silos and overall operational and scaling complexity.

Project Monterey looks to reimagine virtual infrastructure as a distributed control fabric through tight integrations with DPUs. The DPU can offload and accelerate crucial infrastructure services like networking and security from the CPU. The DPU can also be made an infrastructure fabric control point, on par with the x86 CPU, to scale storage, security, networking and manageability functions across the entire IT infrastructure environment.

Last year VMware kicked off the Project Monterey Early Access program to give customers an opportunity to collaborate with VMware to test and validate their use cases.

The Takeaway: Not only will VMware’s broad IT portfolio boost Broadcom, but its upcoming Project Monterey innovation would be a great fit for Broadcom’s semiconductor business.