Welcome to VMware. It's your monopolist speaking.

Renai LeMay
Thursday, 14 July 2011 18:31

IT Industry - Strategy

blog Writes Sydney-based IT manager Matt Marlor at AuTechHeads:

'VMware, I know you like money. I know you've made a lot of it over the years. I'm sure your parent company, EMC, is thrilled at your financial performance and market capitalisation. I know if I owned your company, I'd be pretty happy. Virtualisation is a hot topic, and seems set to continue that way.'¦

But VMware, we need to talk. You've made a really bad misstep, and I want to talk you through it.

You see, your announcement of vRAM licensing in vSphere 5 has really aggravated a lot of people - myself included. We don't feel that your definition of 'fair' actually includes customers anymore. Like I said, I don't mind giving you money - and plenty of others feel that way too. But we do object to being gouged beyond all semblance of what's reasonable.'

To be honest, the changes VMware have been making remind me a great deal of the way we used to think about Oracle, before a great deal of competition arrived throughout the past decade. Almost a monopoly over its market? Check. Software licensing per core? Check. Intense vendor lock-in with proprietary technologies that makes it impossible to switch to another vendor? Check.

Let's face it, people: Everyone knew the day would come where VMware's control of the virtualisation software market grew a little too strong and the company grew a little too greedy. Let's hope the development pace picks up quickly enough so that some decent alternatives start nipping at its heels. And no, Microsoft Hyper-V '” you're not there yet. Come back when you're off your training wheels ;)

Image credit: VMware