This is a natural progression for VMware, and as mentioned in the article, the biggest challenge for VMware, at least on the large scale implementions may be a tendency for some companies, especially for firms requiring high security such as financial institutions, regardless of rational behavior, may decide to go with a private cloud solution. All of the articles in the news also seem to weigh heavily on this decision, although this maybe a philosophical decision beyond the technical arguments.
An argument to use a public cloud might be a relatively no brainer for the small to mid-sized firms, who are prohibited by the cost of implementing a private cloud; however, the security, audit and compliance of handing over your cloud into a ‘public’ arena, may have benefits, such as external audit and control. Handing over control, may also be a major philosophical reason why people would in fact go with private clouds. Age old questions.
The other bit, I am hoping to see develop, as per the stack picture implies, using those VMs to implement Mobile OS VMs, which may solve the corporate and private segregation of data and applications, which was sited as an issue, and from a previous post, Solving the Corporate and Personal Data Dilemma for Mobile Devices. I’ve also mentioned this as a predicted trend, and it is possible, although unlikely, that a new Mobile OS player may emerge as a result of this unexplored opportunity. We may also see a down, but not out Mobile OS player take advantage of this opportunity, ahem, WebOS.or RIM, especially with the transparent lost ground this traditional corporate player once had, and may reclaim.