VMware Cloud on AWS now available in Europe

VMware Cloud on AWS, previously only available in the US, is now available in Europe, in the AWS London region. 

As the name suggests, VMware Cloud on AWS is the result of a “strategic alliance” between virtualisation company VMware and infrastructure provider Amazon Web Services. The two tech giants claim VMware Cloud on AWS provides customers with “the software-defined data centre experience”, meaning they don’t have to build or even use an actual data centre. The VMware Cloud on AWS will enable the running of vSphere-based private, public, and hybrid cloud environments. vSphere is the umbrella term to mean VMware’s suite of virtualisation tools, with which virtual servers and other machines can be created. VMware Cloud on AWS is being offered as a software-as-a-service and is supported by the two companies. The companies say it will allow VMware customers to use their existing VMware software and tools to leverage AWS’s global footprint and breadth of services, including storage, databases, analytics, and more. Jointly architected by Amazon and VMware, the solution is said to enable the integration of “the world’s leading private cloud and the world’s leading public cloud”. Commenting at the time of launch, Pat Gelsinger, CEO, VMware, said: “VMware Cloud on AWS offers our customers the best of both worlds. “This new service will make it easier for customers to preserve their investment in existing applications and processes while taking advantage of the global footprint, advanced capabilities, and scale of the AWS public cloud.” Andy Jassy, CEO, AWS, said: “Our customers continue to ask us to make it easier for them to run their existing data centre investments alongside AWS. “Most enterprises are already virtualized using VMware, and now with VMware Cloud on AWS, for the first time, it will be easy for customers to operate a consistent and seamless hybrid IT environment using their existing VMware tools on AWS, and without having to purchase custom hardware, rewrite their applications, or modify their operating model.”