IBM steps up cloud deals with VMware, SugarCRM
IBM is expanding its cloud footprint with new deals from enterprise clients VMware and SugarCRM.
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Virtualization giant VMware will now offer its cloud-hosted Horizon Air desktop and apps via the IBM Cloud. Meanwhile, Salesforce competitor SugarCRM will give its clients the option to deploy its entire platform on IBM's cloud.
For IBM, the deals support the company's assertion that it's cloud is gaining momentum among enterprise service hosts such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft's Azure. IBM says its cloud also hosts services from Box, SAP, Github, Fleetcor, and Chubb. Both VMware and SugarCRM were already working with IBM before announcing the expanded cloud deals.
Earlier in 2016, IBM and VMware inked a deal designed to help enterprises move existing workloads from on-premises software-defined data center to the cloud. Before that, VMware was a reseller partner of IBM's for 14 years. Last September, IBM and SugarCRM announced a joint CRM offering dubbed the IBM Marketing Cloud for SugarCRM.
Both SugarCRM and VMware are touting the partnership for its significance to clients in regulated industries such as banking, healthcare and financial services.
"IT strategy should not be held hostage by vendors who offer a proprietary, multi-tenant cloud configuration as the only option. Instead, choice should be the rule of the day for cloud deployments, so organizations can implement systems in a way that fits their business and IT needs," said Clint Oram, co-founder and CTO at SugarCRM, in a statement.
"SugarCRM customers who are looking for greater control over their data, more deployment options and a reliable infrastructure should consider IBM Cloud as their platform of choice."