VMware, Salesforce announce VMforce platform, bring Java to cloud
Salesforce.com and VMware will unveil today a new platform offering that brings development of enterprise Java apps to the cloud. Called VMforce, the new venture will target the millions of Java developers who use the Spring framework, enabling them to write apps on top of Force.com.
The new platform would also open developers to other salesforce services, such as reporting dashboards, the mobile platform and new collaboration services such as Chatter. The joint platform-as-a-service venture would rival Google, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. (Preview) In a statement, VMware CEO Paul Maritz said:
Companies are looking for solutions that deliver the benefits of cloud computing while leveraging existing resources, expertise and infrastructure. By creating a dramatically simplified solution for modern application development, VMforce is a significant step forward in offering our customers a path that bridges existing internal investments with the resources and flexibility of the cloud.
As analysts had suggested, the partnership is revolving around the Spring Framework, which was obtained by VMware's $420 million acquisition of SpringSource last summer.
In a post at the time, Larry Dignan noted that the acquisition was putting VMware at the forefront of some key areas when it needed to up its game. The framework supports half of all enterprise Java projects and SpringSource supplies more than 95 percent of the bug fixes for Apache Tomcat, a popular Java application server.
- Support for standard Java code so companies can port enterprise apps onto VMforce.
- Uses VMware's vCloud technology to automatically manage the Java stack that powers the VMforce apps.
- Configure pre-built services such as search, identity and security, workflow, reporting and analytics and mobile into apps without custom coding.
- Collaboration services from Chatter can be incorporated into applications, including profiles, status updates and document sharing.
In terms of availability, the companies said VMforce is scheduled to be in developer preview later this year and that pricing will also be announced at that time.