The emergence of multi-cloud has transformed the modern data center, and forced many enterprises to alter the way that applications are distributed. Seeing the need to simplify data centers and to aid developers, VMware has taken a big step to facilitate that process.

What Did VMware Announce This Week?

On June 13, VMware publicly announced that it is acquiring multi-cloud services application platform Avi Networks. Although the price was not disclosed yet, the deal itself will officially be finalized during the second fiscal quarter of 2020.

With the acquisition, VMware will be able modernize data centers with public cloud capabilities. According to the press release, it’s the only complete software-defined networking stack from L2-7 for multi-cloud.

“VMware is committed to making the data center operate as simply and easily as it does in the public cloud, and the addition of Avi Networks to the growing VMware networking and security portfolio will bring us one step closer to this goal after the acquisition closes,” said Tom Gillis, senior vice president and general manager, networking and security business unit, VMware. “This acquisition will further advance our Virtual Cloud Network vision, where a software-defined distributed network architecture spans all infrastructure and ties all pieces together with the automation and programmability found in the public cloud.”

Avi Networks, which services large enterprises such as Deutsche Bank and Hulu, had previously raised $115 million from investors.

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What Does This Mean For The Enterprise?

The acquisition addresses the growing trend of automating data centers with the public cloud, while also serving as a reminder about the current complications of deploying applications.

Application delivery controllers (ADCs) that run on legacy hardware typically fall short of enabling organizations to easily distribute cloud-based applications. Obstacles such as higher costs and slower application delivery could be prevalent. Outdated platforms might also prohibit insights to performance and security issues.

The platform from Avi Networks is said to help automate this process. In turn, it is said to enhance security and increase flexibility in a more scalable way.

“Unlike existing ADC solutions, Avi Networks’ distributed ADC is designed for modern data center and public cloud deployments, with an architecture that mirrors cloud principles,” said Amit Pandey, chief executive officer, Avi Networks, in the press release.

Whether or not an organization decides to use this particular platform, it does represent a larger shift away from the old way of deploying applications on prem. Today, more organizations are relying on public clouds for application deployments. This requires a whole new way of thinking.

Organization need to consistently manage all process, in a public cloud or on prem, while simultaneously simplifying the experience for application developers. VMware is hoping that Avi Networks serves as a solution to that, and helps with load-balancing as well.

Data centers in the enterprise are rapidly changing, but the concept of ensuring a smooth application deployment must remain the same. This is why integrating the public cloud into this process is so important.