VMware Eyes SMB Cloud Management With Shavlik Buy

VMware is looking to add SMB cloud management to its portfolio of cloud computing and virtualization plays with the acquisition of Shavlik Technologies.

VMware Monday said it plans to acquire Shavlik for an undisclosed sum. The buy will give Palo Alto, Calif.-based VMware access to Shavlik's portfolio of on-premise and SaaS-based management solutions that let SMBs manage, monitor and secure their IT environments when making the jump into virtualization and the cloud. Shavlik makes several cloud-based and on-premise offerings that help users manage virtual and physical machines, deploy software, discover assets, ease configuration, control power usage and secure endpoints.

The acquisition of New Brighton, Minn.-based Shavlik is also expected to give MSPs and solution providers a boost in the SaaS and cloud games by giving VMware and Shavlik partners the ability offer automated remote management capabilities to SMB customers.

The two companies said the acquisition is expected to close later this quarter.

VMware and Shavlik already have a history together, as the pair partnered for VMware Go, a joint SaaS offering that gives SMBs rapid deployment and management of VMware vSphere. VMware Go, which the companies launched in 2009, enables SMBs to quickly deploy and onboard VMware vSphere with simplified installation and management as they move to virtualized environments and the cloud. So far VMware Go has brought aboard 200,000 registered users creating more than 20,000 VMware Hypervisors and 120,000 virtual machines, VMware said. VMware Go offers wizard-based installation of free vSphere Hypervisor and basic IT management capabilities such as patching and asset management; automated asset management, patch and security capabilities; and help-desk and trouble ticketing for small businesses.

"With the Shavlik acquisition, VMware will be able to provide simple-to-use and affordable management services developed to address the specific demands of SMBs," VMware Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cloud Infrastructure and Management, Raghu Raghuram said in a statement, adding that VMware will continue to invest heavily in the SMB cloud space.

VMware and Shavlik plan to build on their prior successes in the SMB cloud management space with a portfolio of services to manage, monitor and secure virtual and cloud environments. VMware said the combination of the two companies will give SMBs centralized IT management services that let them manage core IT functions through a single pane of glass, which puts asset management, security, business continuity and data protection capabilities in one place.

The pair can also give SMBs simplified deployment and automation, VMware said, which will let small businesses evolve existing systems to virtual and cloud models without significant in-house skills or resources. SMBs will also get automated IT management for core IT functions, such as patch management, compliance, configuration and other functions, VMware said.

VMware's acquisition of Shavlik is the next step in VMware's push to the cloud. The Shavlik buy follows VMware's purchase last month of SlideRocket, maker of a SaaS application for building business presentations that are stored online.