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VMware opens disk format
VMware is taking another step to try to maintain its market dominance. VMware announced today that it is opening its virtual machine disk format specification to allow other vendors to use it in their products.Technically, VMware is not releasing the disk format under an open source license -- or, really, any license. According to Dan Chu, VMware's senior director of developer and ISV products, the company will release "language to make sure folks are comfortable," but the company will not require developers to accept any license terms in order to have access to the format.
We're taking it even further; you don't even have to enter into a specific open source license [to use the format].
So far, in the last year VMware has released its free VMware Player to run guest operating systems on the desktop, as well as VMware Server, a free "entry level virtualization" product similar to VMware GSX.
It's fair to wonder whether VMware is reacting to market pressure from other vendors and projects entering the virtualization space. While VMware is the market leader, a number of other companies and open source projects have started to take aim at the virtualization market as well. VMware is now competing with SWsoft, Virtual Iron, Microsoft, the Xen and Qemu projects, and others.
From Marshall's perspective, releasing the disk format is "a natural progression" for VMware trying to keep its leadership position.
I would say there's lots of competitive technology on the horizon, and big investments being made. VMware is trying to maintain its significant leadership position. If you're not aggressive about thinking two steps ahead [of competitors] that can be lost.