Forrester

Why Read This Report

VMware's ambition is to expand up the stack from its franchise in systems virtualization software into application platforms. The company's decision to buy Java frameworks specialist SpringSource is a first step toward realizing this larger ambition as well as toward diversifying its Windows-dominated business. With SpringSource's development platforms and tools, VMware can now create a Java platform on top of its virtualization software. That product will be a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) for internal and external clouds rather than a conventional middleware stack. VMware's challenge will be to create a whole company that is greater than the sum of its parts and to drive significant revenue from cloud-based and open source opportunities. Development shops seeking alternatives to Java platforms from IBM and Oracle should understand VMware's potential to address their delivery and cost issues.