Virtualization solutions maker VMware announced the latest version of the vFabric Suite, a platform that’s meant to support Spring Java applications running on cloud infrastructure powered by the company’s power.

vFabric 5.1 features several new capabilities, including the addition of support for open source tools such as  Postgres,  Apache Tomcat, Apache HTTP Server and the RabbitMQ messaging tool.  Most of these enhancements, however, will be made available in the form of standalone products, each designed to supplement the core platform.

The first addition is SQLFire, an in-memory distributed SQL database that drives down latency, scales better and is purpose built to support large workloads. It will be available for $2,500 per license, on top of the $1,500 per vFabric Suite virtual machine.

In addition to SQLFire, two new tools have also been added.  vFabric Application Director and Applications Performance Manager each automate certain key processes: the former makes use of built-in templates to make deployment a bit easier, and Performance Manager helps admins monitor everything from the Java code running on their servers to the bare metal itself.

Lastly, VMware promises that its updates suite reduces TOC on the bottom line. “From the increasing number of programming languages used to the heterogeneous nature of today’s hybrid infrastructures, application development is changing quickly,” said Stephen O’Grady, principal analyst with RedMonk. “Faced with such diversity, enterprises are increasingly turning to lightweight application containers to ease the pains of deployment.”

It wasn’t too long ago VMware revealed version 5.1 of View, its upgraded virtual desktop software that now packs a few extra features to better compete with alternatives such as Citrix.  That includes support for the PCoIP protocol, as well as a tool that simplifies things a bit when it comes to storing user data and individual images.