VMware just announced the latest version of its vFabric GemFire software, an in-memory management platform for data-driven mobile and web applications.

The 7.0 release features a number of improvements over the previous version, including reduced latency – a vital property for transactional apps.  Another new capability is parallel WAN processing, which allows users to deploy across multiple locations throughout the world without seeing a major drop in speed and performance.

Another very interesting addition is DataBrowser, a new interface that offers a more direct approach to viewing and managing data in GemFire environments. This feature is joined by native support for JSON, a gesture that JavaScript developers who work with the platform will appreciate very much, as well as integration with the Spring framework. GemFire 7.0 comes with plenty of documentation and sample code to make it easier for engineers to get used to the APIs.

“The monolithic database of the past cannot meet the needs of modern applications,” said Jerry Chen, VMware vice president, Cloud and Application Services. “Proven through nearly a decade of production deployments in some of the most high-availability low-latency applications, VMware vFabric GemFire 7.0 solves difficult data challenges presented by modern, highly distributed web-oriented applications.”

While VMware is expanding its horizons, its parent company has had to make some compromises. EMC recently announced that it will send out 500 pink slips as a part of a cost cutting measure that it hopes will save $150 million in expenses.  Chief executive officer Joe Tucci also dismissed claims that company may be acquiring Juniper Networks.

VMware shed out more than one $1.2 billion for networking virtualization startup Nicira, and the ISI Group – the research firm that started the takeover rumors – said in a report that it would “make sense” for EMC to go deeper into this market. The company’s management however doesn’t seem to agree with this perspective.