VMware  is seeking to extend its lead in virtualization. That much is clear in its launch today of its latest iteration of its vSphere technology.

What is not so clear is its cloud strategy, which is looking like it may not be getting the adoption it expected. As a result, we’re seeing today an effort on VMware’s part to show three things:

• VMware has added capabilities to provide better support for business critical applications.
• It is adding a layer of security in its virtual machines.
• And it is adding a level of intelligent management for rapidly provisioning resources.

CEO Paul Maritz is about to take the stage in San Francisco where we are live to give you real-time, ongoing coverage throughout the event.

Let’s get started.

9:07 a.m.: Maritz is talking about the effect of the cloud on the IT approach to the world. This is magnified by the change in consumer services that is influencing the IT world. It is the interplay that matters. But how do businesses move forward?

9:09 a.m.: There is a need for a moer infrastructure that can deliver lower cost of operations. Allow them to aggregate into larger pools and tie into externally provisioned infrastructure. If businesses stay with its existing systems they will miss the Facebook generation. We are entering the post-PC age. We can no longer assume the device the user will hold in their hands nor the operating system that they are using. This means there is a fundamental force to create new applications in an automated infrastructure.

9:14 a.m.: Maritz is running through the evolution of VMware technology. Virtualization is passing the 50% mark inside the enterprise. The majority of that is on vSphere. The question becomes: “What do we do going forward?”

9:17 a.m.: Maritz is making the claim thsa tit has the first cloud suite. I’m not so sure. This is really about what VMware has been calling the “software mainframe.” This constitutes what VMware is calling “monster VMs,” which is great for the customer. It means scaling and the ability to fail over and fail back. It gets closer to what Maritz is calling a guaranteed utility.

9:20 a.m.: Maritz is talking about the cloud stack and how it will make the infrastructure go away. VMware has been working with the services community, ranging from Verizon, CSC, Singapore Telecom, Hosting.com and BlueLock to name a few.

9:25 a.m. Dr.Stephen Herrod, VMware’s CTO, is now on stage. He calls this the larget coordinated release. He will outline how the apps work together. How can I get more value from the virtualization already a part of the enterprise? This is what this event is really about. This new release does allows for better performance in business critical application. Cool aspect of this is the replication capabilities. This vSphere replication allows for replication in the software and the network to communicate between the two sites. This means that business critical applications have a higher degree of availability.

9:32 a.m.: For the IT consumer – self-service so they can quickly configure what they want. Here’s the question: “How simple is this?” IT creates a pool of resources and a policy that is attached to the workload. Remember, the technical guide for going from VMware 4 to 4.1 was 100 pages.

9:36: Herrod is introducing the concept of linked clones and profile-driven storage. To accomodate smaller companies, VMware is launching a storage appliance to create virtual storage at a lower cost than traditional storage technology.

9:40 a.m.: What happens when days after the provisioning? What if there is a lot of activity of new VM? What about security? The shared infrastructure is designed to have an adaptive environment.

9:45 a.m.: We’re hearing from a new executive who is discussing the new cloud suite and a new licensing offering. vSphere 5 will have the concept of vRam. Pricing is based upon pooled vRam across the enterprise infrastructure.

10:05 a.m.: We’re in the Q&A and it is still not clear how VMware is providing a cloud suite. This still seems like an iteration of its powerful virtualization environment.

Services Angle

Maritz is touting how infrastructure is disappearing and that it represents the full services provider. But how complex is it to get there? The world is a heterogeneous place. The idea of the pooled resource is smart. But there is such a degree of intelligence needed in the VMware environment. And that’s what makes this a services providers dream.