SOFTBANK TELECOM Joins the VMware vCloud(R) Datacenter Services Program

Organizations in Japan Will Enjoy the Business Transformation Benefits of True Enterprise Hybrid Cloud Computing


SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - February 21, 2011) - VMware (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, today announced that major Japan-based telecommunications operator, SOFTBANK TELECOM Corp., has joined the VMware vCloud® Datacenter Services Program, which delivers globally consistent enterprise-class hybrid cloud computing infrastructure services.

Through the partnership, SOFTBANK TELECOM's private and public sector customers will be able to move workloads seamlessly between their private clouds and SOFTBANK TELECOM's public cloud. By offering a common infrastructure, VMware vCloud Datacenter Services place full and rapid control in the hands of IT departments, enabling them to monitor, manage and secure their applications across environments.

The end result for enterprises will be business agility and cost effectiveness offered by a flexible hybrid cloud, combined with peace-of-mind security, on-demand computing capacity, flexibility and genuine freedom of choice.

In contrast to the IT industry's widely-held belief in a "one-cloud-fits-all" approach, VMware's customer-centric philosophy is that a cloud environment must be tailored to the unique business needs of each enterprise, while enabling organizations to leverage investment in existing IT resources. In addition, migration to cloud should represent incremental and not wholesale change, while offering the flexibility to use on- and off-premise resources in a totally secure fashion.

Today's news brings the number of service providers in the VMware vCloud Datacenter Services Program to seven, as SOFTBANK TELECOM joins Singapore-based telecoms operator SingTel and Australian subsidiary Optus, plus Verizon and Colt, as well as Terremark, BlueLock and CSC. More service providers around the world are expected to join the VMware vCloud Datacenter Services Program during the course of 2011.

"Joining our growing community of service provider partners, SOFTBANK TELECOM will deliver the full benefits of enterprise hybrid cloud computing with its new service based on VMware vCloud® Datacenter Services," said Paul Maritz, CEO of VMware. "Our new partnership will enable enterprises to improve efficiency and agility by leveraging internal and external resources in a compatible, compliant and flexible manner, based on a common architecture developed and certified together by VMware and SOFTBANK TELECOM."

Designed and certified to be secure, compliant and offer up to 99.999% availability, SOFTBANK TELECOM's VMware vCloud Datacenter Services capability is based on VMware virtualization and cloud infrastructure comprising VMware vSphere®, VMware vCloud Director and VMware vShield™. This relationship empowers SOFTBANK TELECOM to help customers accelerate their journey to the new era of cloud computing in seamless fashion and enjoy the full cost and business-agility benefits of IT-as-a-Service.

Andrew Dutton, senior vice president and general manager, VMware Asia Pacific and Japan, said: "SOFTBANK TELECOM is our first VMware vCloud® Datacenter Services Program partner in Japan. Being one of the fastest-growing service providers in this market positions the company extremely well to deliver VMware vCloud Datacenter Services. Our two companies are well aligned strategically and have the right technical and business relationships to make this partnership successful. Over time, SOFTBANK TELECOM will be able to leverage our global network of VMware vCloud Datacenter Services partners in order to extend reach to geographies the company is currently unable to serve."

To help ensure cloud security, SOFTBANK TELECOM's cloud infrastructure will be built on the secure VMware stack with VMware vShield, Layer 2 isolation, role-based access control and LDAP integration. In addition, the service will add its own auditable security for enterprises through the ISO 27001 security management framework and SAS 70 Type II security compliance.

Ken Miyauchi, senior executive vice president and COO of SOFTBANK TELECOM, said: "We believe no other vendor is better qualified than VMware to deliver the full range of benefits offered by true enterprise hybrid cloud computing. By working with VMware, we will enable our customers to move computing workloads from their private clouds, and internal virtualized infrastructure, to VMware vCloud® Datacenter Services and back again -- as and when their needs dictate. Our new service is ideally positioned to help enterprises develop secure and scalable clouds based on proven virtualization and management technology."

Dutton added: "The freedom of choice opened up to SOFTBANK TELECOM's enterprise customers will eventually give rise to applications that can be 'dragged and dropped' between clouds and delivered securely to any device -- handheld or desktop -- anywhere and on-demand."

About VMware
VMware delivers virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable IT organizations to energize businesses of all sizes. With the industry-leading virtualization platform -- VMware vSphere® -- customers rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, improve agility, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2010 revenues of $2.9 billion, more than 250,000 customers and 25,000 partners, VMware is the leader in virtualization, which consistently ranks as a top priority among CIOs. VMware is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.

VMware, VMware vCloud, VMware vShield and VMware vSphere are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. The use of the word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, expectations for new products and services to be offered by VMware with its partners and planned features and benefits to customers. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in healthcare or information technology spending and government subsidies; (iii) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, industry consolidation, entry of new competitors into the virtualization market, and new product and marketing initiatives by our competitors; (iv) our customers' ability to develop, and to transition to, new products and computing strategies, (v) the uncertainty of customer acceptance of emerging technology; (vi) rapid technological and market changes in virtualization software and platforms for cloud and desktop computing; (vii) changes to product development timelines; (viii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (ix) our ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; and (x) the successful integration of acquired companies and assets into VMware. These forward looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K that we may file from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. VMware assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

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