VMware Unveils Innovations and Expanded Partnerships to Accelerate Software-Defined Edge Adoption

VMware Explore 2023—VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced new solutions and expanded partnerships to help customers accelerate their digital transformation at the edge. Building upon the recently introduced VMware Software-Defined Edge, these innovations and new integrations will help customers to simplify, better secure, and modernize their edge environments, and include:

• New VMware Edge Cloud Orchestrator telemetry capabilities for better visibility of edge workloads.
• Introduction of Intelligent Assist for the VMware Software-Defined Edge to simplify the operational experience across multiple stakeholders.
• An expanded collaboration to enable VMware SASE customers to use Microsoft Security Copilot.
• New Workflow Hub for VMware Telco Cloud Automation to support the rapid rollout of cell sites.
• Initial integration with Symantec to better secure the software-defined edge.

VMware defines the software-defined edge as distributed digital infrastructure for running workloads across a number of locations, close to endpoints that are producing or consuming data. It extends to where the users and devices are – in the office, on the road, in a cell site, or on the factory floor. VMware addresses all three layers of the software-defined edge: the top edge compute layer which hosts the applications and workloads; the intelligent overlay where SD-WAN and security services run; and the underlay network layer, which runs the software for network connectivity across fixed and 5G networks to provide orchestration and network programmability.

“The introduction of the VMware Software-Defined Edge has resonated with both enterprises and Communication Service Providers,” said Sanjay Uppal, senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider and Edge, VMware. “It provides the right-sized compute footprint, the zero-touch orchestration and the network programmability architecture needed to run a variety of edge workloads. We see a proliferation of the software-defined edge at edge locations ranging from Telco 5G cell sites, smart factory floors, energy substations, retail 2.0 stores to branch offices across all distributed enterprises. We are helping customers across all four phases of deployment: edge telemetry being the first step, and then workload consolidation, support for edge AI apps leading to real-time applications on the smart factory floor. We deliver on these use cases by incorporating generative AI, enhanced security and advanced automation across our software-defined edge portfolio.”