Why EMC Is The #1 Choice For VMware

The data is mounting: more people are turning to EMC for their VMware deployments than anyone else.

Whether it's storage, data protection, security or management --  they're obviously voting with with their dollars, putting EMC in the enviable #1 position in supporting the de-facto standard for virtualization.

While some are still quibbling over the data, others are asking a more pertinent question: why?

So, I thought I'd share with you the 10 reasons I think are driving this strong preference for EMC from IT organizations large and small.

The Ten Reasons Why EMC Is The #1 Choice For VMware

#1 Technology Integration

Any IT professional knows that technology integration is a good thing: it shortens time to value, makes the environment easier to operate, helps exploit all the new cool features -- and makes the environment easier to support.

As an example, EMC can point to 60 distinct points of VMware integration across our portfolio -- from storage to backup to replication to security to management -- each of which delivers value for anyone using VMware seriously.

I can't imagine that any vendor would seriously claim to integrate as broadly -- or as deeply -- as EMC has.  And that's just the beginning :-)

#2 Ease Of Use

Using hardware resources more efficiently is nice.  Using people's time more efficiently is wonderful.  

Many of these EMC integrations are directly targeted at making VMware easier to use with other portions of the infrastructure -- storage, backup, replication, security, management -- even with newer forms of integrated infrastructure such as Vblock managed by UIM.

Focusing on storage, we support three distinct management models: storage managed independently for use by VMware administrators, storage management as part of the VMware administrative environment, or a more orchestrated approach using UIM.

A pragmatic example for storage is the recent flood of EMC vCenter plug-ins for storage administrators. Most common storage-related tasks can be done in-context by the storage administrator.

We've done extensive before-and-after usability testing, not only with our own products, but with our competitors.  In most cases, it's easy to show at least 10x more productivity for most common VMware-centric use cases.  And there's more to come ...

#3 Storage Efficiency

I know, the other guys will argue this one, but here are the facts:

EMC unified storage is guaranteed to be at least 20% more efficient in turning physical capacity into usable capacity out-of-the-box, or we'll make up the difference.  No caveats and no fine print.

Want more?  Turn on dedupe and/or compression, and get up to 50% more.  

Want even more?  Turn on FAST, and get a big boost in both efficiency *and* performance.  

Both take nothing more than a few clicks to set up.  It's that easy.

Thinking about virtualizing desktops and worried about ROI?  Check out our $38/user solution announced at VMword.

And that's before we start getting into VAAI and more advanced capabilities.

#4 Data Protection

Virtual environments need their data protected just as physical ones do.  

And here, EMC has emerged as the undisputed leader for next-gen data-dedupe backup and replication solutions that are far faster and more efficient than the ones they replace.

How does cutting backup windows by 90% *and* using 20x less physical capacity at the same time sound?  Between Avamar and Data Domain, there's nothing better out there -- period.

#5 Security

It's either a big topic today for you, or will be soon.  

Sooner or later, you'll need to prove that your virtualized environment is at least as secure (if not more secure!) than your physical one.

RSA is the big play here.  In addition to deep integration with the new vShield capabilities, we offer the only compliance management platform that's fully integrated with VMware.  Nobody secures VMware environments and ensures their compliance better than EMC.

Period.

#6 Flexibility

Run any protocol at any time from our unified storage platforms -- FC, NAS, iSCSI -- the choice is yours.  Make all sorts of changes in the environment non-disruptively.  Balance between performance and efficiency --  automatically and dynamically.

 When things change, you're ready.

#7 Availability

EMC wrote the book on high availability, and we've taken the game far beyond simple failover -- to newer forms of active-active protection, leveraging the power of Vmotion, and at increasing distances. 

The net?  Provide far better protection with far fewer resources.

#8 Scalability

Get big, get fast -- or both -- without increasing the level of effort.  

From gigabytes to exabytes, EMC routinely scales to handle the largest production environments on the planet.  And using FAST, performance now cost-effectively scales to eye-popping levels.

#9 Proven Solutions

We've invested in creating dozens of VMware-based EMC Proven Solutions that speed time-to-value and lessen implementation risk.  Whether it's Microsoft, SAP, Oracle -- or something else -- we can show you how to build your production environment right, the first time.

And, if you're *really* in a hurry to deploy VMware at significant scale, there's always Vblocks through the VCE Coalition :-)

#10 Services

From consulting to implementation to managed services, EMC has many thousands of VMware-trained engineers and consultants that have done it before.  And EMC's reputation for delivering world-class customer service works just as well in a virtual environment.

Not only that, we've put together a wonderful ecosystem of EMC and VMware certified partners who can help you design, implement and operate just about any virtualized environment you'd care to imaging.

More To Do?

You bet.  We're not the types who rest comfortably on our laurels.  

Are there areas where EMC can and should improve?  Without question.  I have my list, you probably have yours as well.

Putting It All Together

Let's face it, the world is going virtual, and VMware is leading the charge.  As a result, every IT vendor is going to try to make it about one thing or another in an effort to capitalize on this fundamental transition.  That's how the world works.

At EMC, we don't have to make it about one thing or another -- we can make it about many things:

Technology Integration
Ease Of Use
Storage Efficiency
Data Protection
Security
Flexibility
Availability
Scalabilty
Proven Solutions
Services

.. you'll have to admit, it's a pretty compelling offer for IT organizations large and small.

No surprise, then, why EMC is the #1 choice for VMware environments :-)

Comments

[nate]

Don't take this the wrong way Chuck!

But I suspect the biggest reason EMC is #1 in Vmware is momentum, that is EMC is #1 in a lot of areas and has been for a long time. "nobody got fired for buying EMC" or something along those lines :)

What continues to surprise me though is EMC being #1 in NAS. I mean, I don't know how but NetApp basically pulled off the feat when someone thinks of NAS often times the first thing in people's head(mine too even) is NetApp. I had NO IDEA that EMC even had NAS stuff until the past year or so. And was even more shocked by the market share #s. I've never been a big fan of NAS in any case.

Maybe someday I'll use EMC storage again I don't know, I have my own favorites for my own reasons and haven't had a real need to investigate alternatives (which I'm sure is true for a lot of EMC customers too). My last EMC exposure was on CX500/600 probably in 2004 or something. Just seemed wrong to see a windows desktop running on a storage array :)

have a good one

[Chuck Hollis]

All good, Nate!

Yep, we have lots of momentum in lots of areas -- no argument with that.

I'm surprised that you're surprised about the NAS numbers. And, yes, technology moves fast, so I'd encourage you to take a tour of what EMC is doing these days.

Thanks, as always, for the comment ...

-- Chuck

[Bschwartz]

Reason #11 why EMC is #1 for VMware is EMC's Velocity and other business partners (Disclosure: I am an EMCer)

[gminks]

Reason #12 (from another EMCer..) EMC's Proven Professional training and certification programs. Our role-based training enables information and storage management pros to "get the job done" (to quote the vSpecialists..).