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VMware is on the hunt for independent software vendors (ISVs) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers to become part of the virtualisation vendor’s hosted cloud-based applications service, Project Horizon.
VMware showcased Project Horizon at VMworld 2010 in San Francisco. A hosted subscription service, Project Horizon is set to deliver cloud-based desktop applications to any user device anywhere in the world.
Dubbed as an “enterprise App Store”, the service promises to grant secure application access to users through safe login processes. This includes providing a policy or rules-based engine to access applications and fortified security through token key identification to unify access control of disparate applications.
Project Horizon aligns with VMware’s view the Windows operating system domination has curtailed the virtualisation vendor is all too happy to accommodate for Google Android and Apple OS devices.
SaaS application providers such as Google and Salesforce.com have already signed up for the hosted service.
Initial worldwide launch is set in April and VMware product manager, Vijay Pawar, said the vendor is eager to sign on more ISVs.
He was speaking at a breakout session at VMware Partner Exchange 2011.
He cited access to VMware’s enterprise customer base as a prime advantage for SaaS providers and ISVs to join the Project Horizon program.
“This is a great way for them to focus just on their core business logic,” Pawar said. “The people that talk to many of the SaaS providers, all or the smaller ones, they have no idea how to integrate with enterprises.
“They have no idea what strong security authentications and so on are.”
Partners can track licences for their applications and have the option of recycling unused licences.
VMware has launched two partner programs for Horizon.
The Horizon 2011 partner pilot program includes early sales and technical enablement, joint customer outreach process, early access to the service’s private beta and joint marketing opportunities. This program will target only 5-7 partners this year.
The SaaS ISV program provides the Horizon certification program for catalogue listing and technical guides for federation – or standardisation – implementation which is an important part of Project Horizon.
Only partners with an annual revenue stream of $US40 million and or an excess of 4000 customers are qualified to join the programs.
Project Horizon is part of the end-user computing division which make up the three pillars of VMware’s ‘IT-as-a-service’ strategy.
The vendor recently announced plans to tackle virtualisation of mission-critical business applications through a new competency program.
Spandas Lui attended VMware Partner Exchange in Orlando, Florida, as a guest of VMware.
