Sun Microsystems and VMware have forged an OEM agreement in an effort to ramp up their virtualisation offerings with an integrated solution.

Starting today, Sun will offer the VMware Infrastructure product suite on Sun hardware systems effectively combining the scalability and energy efficiency of Sun's x64 servers while leveraging VMware’s virtualisation solutions to improve asset utilisation, operational efficiency, and business agility. Full support from Sun will also be included.



The agreement will benefit systems integrators and channel partners by providing a fully supported, integrated solution from Sun and VMware.



“With today's announcement we're expanding our virtualisation portfolio and giving customers who want VMware virtualisation software a great hardware platform for maximising their utilisation and their IT investment," said John Fowler, executive vice president, Sun Microsystems.



Diane Greene, president and chief executive officer of VMware, said the benefits of lower capital and operating expenses as well as the need for a greener data centre have driven strong demand for VMware virtualisation software on Sun x64 server and storage systems.



“This new milestone in our ongoing relationship with Sun gives customers what they want: a combination of advanced technologies that deliver strong business value,” she said.



Sun and VMware will continue their qualification program of VMware products on Sun systems. The companies will also work to ensure that the Solaris Operating System will continue to be a guest operating system on VMware virtualisation software, and VMware Infrastructure will be a datacenter virtualisation run-time and management stack on Sun x64 systems.



The two companies plan to also collaborate on system management configuration, deployment and monitoring for each other's products.