F5 and VMware Strengthen End-User Computing Offerings to Enhance Customers’ Virtual Desktop Infrastructures

Companies join forces to offer high-performing, secure access to virtual desktops and Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) for the mobile-cloud era

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Together, F5’s Software Defined Application Services™ and VMware’s leading End-User Computing (EUC) technologies will enable organizations to provide a secure and powerful experience to the mobile workforce, with the ability to readily and securely access applications wherever they may be, all while realizing low costs and easy deployments.
• F5 is introducing virtual editions of BIG-IP® Access Policy Manager® tailor-made for VMware Horizon View™environments, a companion reference architecture, and an iApp to optimize deployments. The virtual solutions provide secure access control for Horizon View, and are designed for customers of any scale—whether they are starting small or going big with their virtual desktops.
• F5 and VMware will continue collaboration around driving joint innovation and go-to-market efforts to provide enhanced granular security and access control for customers and simplicity of doing business for channel partners.

VMWARE PARTNER EXCHANGE, SAN FRANCISCO – F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) and VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced a number of collaborative efforts designed to provide secure access control for customers’ virtual desktop deployments. The companies’ compelling new offerings introduce powerful capabilities to uniquely meet customer needs in the mobile-cloud era, as end-users continue to work from all locations, and access their desktops and applications from various mobile devices.

F5 is bringing to market new versions of its BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM®) solution that have been tailor-made to deliver secure access and optimized performance for VMware Horizon View. Available in a range of throughput and concurrent user options, these new offerings cost-effectively enable customers of different size and scale to add industry-leading secure access technologies to Horizon View. In addition, F5 is introducing a dedicated iApp and reference architecture to significantly speed deployments and provide prescriptive guidance on how these new solutions support VMware technologies.

Building on longstanding technology collaboration, the pairing of VMware EUC solutions with F5’s intelligent application service technologies will provide sophisticated, powerful, and secure solutions to meet customer requirements to deliver workforce mobility while maintaining control and security, now and in the future.

VMware is providing access to APIs and remote access protocol extensions that will enable F5 to extend their current solutions to add even richer access control over Horizon View environments. With this enhanced integration, customers can exercise more granular control based on device, location, and other access variables, and are able to redirect users to different apps or clouds in a global deployment.

KEY BENEFITS

• Cost-Effective and Flexible – As a result of the collaboration between F5 and VMware, the new market offerings will help organizations build their virtual desktop environments in a much more cost-effective manner. Customers can deploy joint solutions at a variety of price points with F5’s BIG-IP APM, bringing industry-leading technology within reach for a broader range of customers, including organizations that are just starting out with virtual desktops up to those scaling enterprise-wide to tens of thousands of desktops.
• Technology Leadership – By working together on offerings that take advantage of each company’s technology strengths, F5 and VMware have made it easier to effectively combine leading application service capabilities with VMware Horizon View. In aligning their efforts around joint customers’ virtual desktop deployments, F5 and VMware offerings are easier to manage and configure for optimum results. In addition, the two companies will continue to co-innovate in the areas of security, granular access control, and autonomic load distribution to empower enterprises to build large-scale virtual desktop deployments on-premises or in the cloud.
• Joint Partner Success – By more tightly coupling their technology offerings, F5 and VMware are also providing channel partners with additional opportunities to build end-to-end solutions that have been validated by solution providers, yielding enhanced opportunities and greater customer success.

SUPPORTING QUOTES

“VMware Horizon View™ and F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager have been a natural fit in supporting our VDI infrastructure, maximizing application uptime and performance for our clinicians. The companies’ solutions and prescriptive guidance optimize and extend functionality, simplify deployments, and lower TCO.”

Sean Graham, network architect, Kettering Health Network

“F5 shares our commitment of helping customers prepare for and embrace the mobile-cloud era. Adoption of VMware’s virtual desktop solutions continues to grow at a rapid pace, and with F5’s new offerings, customers have options of how to best combine technologies to enable mobile workforces to access their desktops and apps securely anytime and anywhere. I am excited about the strategic alignment and collaboration between VMware and F5, which will bring even richer solutions to our customers.”

Sanjay Poonen, executive vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware

“One of our goals in building an ecosystem of partners is to combine the advantages of F5 technologies with the compelling offerings of vendors in adjacent markets. Intelligent services orchestration is a core tenet of the F5 Synthesis™ architectural vision, and we see VMware as a key partner in this space. Together, we look forward to deepening our successful collaboration with VMware to bring additional joint VDI solutions and benefits to enterprise organizations and beyond.”

Manny Rivelo, executive vice president of strategic solutions, F5

AVAILABILITY

The new BIG-IP APM solutions referenced in this announcement will be available in the second quarter of calendar year 2014. Contact your local F5 sales office for availability in specific countries. A detailed reference architecture and iApp supporting optimized deployments are available today.

About VMware

VMware is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. With 2013 revenues of $5.21 billion, VMware has more than 500,000 customers and 75,000 partners. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.

About F5

F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) makes apps go faster, smarter, and safer for the world’s largest businesses, service providers, governments, and consumer brands. F5 delivers cloud and security solutions that enable organizations to embrace the application infrastructure they choose without sacrificing speed and control. For more information, go to f5.com. You can also follow @f5networks on Twitter or visit us on LinkedIn and Facebook for more information about F5, its partners, and technologies.

F5 is a trademark or service mark of F5 Networks, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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