VMware: Sure, You Might Run Our Stuff On Bare-Metal Azure, But We Don't Have to Like It

VMware is making it clear that it is not on board with Microsoft's plan to offer its software on hardware Azure servers.

A blog post smoothed from Ajay Patel, senior VP of product development for VMware cloud services, serves as the virtualization specialist's announcement to customers that he would prefer to opt for another service.

The thunderous blog post was published late last month, criticizing the Windows giant. Interestingly, the article was quietly revised this week "to provide an updated market context," also known as hardware details that Microsoft is using.

"Recently, Microsoft announced a preview of VMware virtualization in Azure, a basic solution that is set to run a stack of VMware on Azure hardware, located along with other Azure services in partnership with certified VMware partners," said Patel. .

"This offer is developed independently of VMware, however, it is offered as a dedicated solution, hosted on the server, similar in its approach to other VMware Cloud (VCPP) vendor partners."

Patel goes on to explain how Microsoft is running the VMware service, stating that Redmond is using the Cisco-NetApp Flexpod system to power the cloud service. Microsoft confirmed this in its own blog post on the subject, noting that the bare metal configuration will be similar to the one used for its SAP HANA cloud.

Microsoft announced the VMware-on-Azure service in November. Redmond freely admitted that the service is an effort to take the companies away from the vSphere installations and take them to the Azure stable. VMware says it is working with NetApp to "ensure compliance and that the appropriate support model is in place."

VMware's long-time defense of Flexpod for the use of virtual servers will make it very difficult to claim that it can not support the Azure service.

Still, Patel makes it clear that VMware would prefer its customers to opt for AWS, noting that VMware works with Amazon to have its AWS service fully tested and supported; something that Microsoft still can not claim.

"With this offer, we are providing customers with a cloud service with joint architecture, fully tested and validated that integrates the leading private and public clouds in the world," said Patel.

VMware also supported the cloud service it runs with IBM and noted that CenturyLink, Rackspace and Virtustream also provide cloud services that have obtained their seal of approval.

"VMware is focused on delivering value to customers and leveraging the reach and capacity of over 4100 VMware Cloud Provider partners," said Patel. "We are committed to designing, testing and validating cloud solutions that meet the needs of our customers."