Unlike previous VMware Explore/VMWorld events, which are typically filled with product announcements, this year’s VMware by Broadcom’s user event, Explore 2024, was very light on the news. The most notable announcement at the event in Las Vegas was the unveiling of VMware Cloud Foundation 9 and the company’s mission to be the leader in helping companies build out private clouds.
One of the product announcements that flew under the radar, however, was the updates to the VMware VeloCloud portfolio, the company’s software-defined edge solution, which includes software-defined wide-area network, secure access service edge, security service edge and edge computing. Although the connection between private cloud and SASE may not be obvious, they’re both critical components of the broader vision of hybrid multicloud.
Since the birth of the cloud, “public” and “private” clouds have been positioned as an either/or. The fact is, customers want both, and they also want edge computing. The ideal deployment model would be a single, logical cloud that spans public, private and edge systems. This is the vision of hybrid multicloud.
With hybrid multicloud, the network plays a crucial role in its success, providing connectivity among edges, private and public clouds. SASE is the right WAN architecture as it can optimize traffic between locations, even when the internet is used for transport. Also, SASE brings security into the fold, which becomes more important as data is scattered is spread across the environment.
VMware VeloCloud launched several significant enhancements to its software-defined edge portfolio at the event. VMware has upgraded its VeloCloud Edge appliances to support a mix of broadband, fixed wireless access and satellite. The enhancements in VeloCloud Edge 710 and the new 720 and 740 models will ensure that these devices provide constant and reliable connectivity. This will allow organizations to improve the reliability and speed of their voice, video and application data at the edge.
Also, VMware has integrated VeloCloud SD-WAN points of presence with Symantec’s PoPs. Organizations can use this combined solution to manage their network and security needs in one place. The benefits include faster and more reliable connections, improved security and the ability to reach cloud services worldwide. This update builds on an earlier release of VeloCloud SASE, which combines network and security functions into a single, cloud-based service.
Historically, VMware has tapped partners to provide the SSE for SASE, but with the Broadcom acquisition, the company has been able to tightly couple VeloCloud SD-WAN with Symantec for a true, single-vendor SASE solution. At the event, I asked Sam Ragosti, Director of Product Marketing for VMware, whether VMware would continue supporting SSE partners, and he told me, “Our strategy is to give customers a choice. We can support those who want a single-vendor solution. We also recognize that some customers may already have a preferred SSE vendor and for those, we will continue to partner if that’s required.”
Additionally, VMware has updated its Edge Compute Stack to simplify the deployment and management of edge artificial intelligence workloads. One key feature is zero-touch orchestration, which automates deployment and application lifecycle management across multiple sites. Organizations can deploy and update systems with minimal human intervention instead of manually configuring each device or application in different locations. This is particularly beneficial for companies that need more information technology resources.
Another feature is the pull-based architecture, where edge devices initiate communication with the central management system only when necessary, such as to check for updates or confirm configurations. This reduces the constant load on the central management system, so it can handle a larger number of devices and sites without overburdening the IT infrastructure.
The inclusion of edge computing in SASE is unique to VMware. At Explore, I talked to Sanjay Uppal, senior vice president and general manager of the Software Defined Edge Division at Broadcom, about why edge computing is part of his division, and he explained, “As more workloads move to the edge, compute, networking and security will need to come together to deliver great experiences. We have already seen strong demand in industries such as oil and gas and manufacturing, but we expect AI at the edge to drive further drive the convergence of computing with SASE.”
Lastly, the edge infrastructure and application monitoring feature tracks edge devices’ and applications’ performance and health. Organizations can assess their systems’ performance across locations using pre-built dashboards and monitoring tools. Together, these features simplify the management of edge computing environments, helping organizations maintain consistency even with dispersed and resource-limited operations.
Edge computing is set to play an important role in deploying AI applications, with global spending expected to reach $232 billion in 2024. VMware’s enhancements will allow organizations to operate more efficiently in a distributed environment, addressing the growing needs of both AI and non-AI workloads.
Zeus Kerravala is a principal analyst at ZK Research, a division of Kerravala Consulting. He wrote this article for SiliconANGLE.