VMware and Google are partnering to run VMware workloads on Google Cloud, building both companies' hybrid cloud support. The deal follows similar arrangements VMware has with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft.

Organizations will be able to run VMware vSphere server virtualization, NSX networking and vSAN storage using VMware Cloud Foundation on a platform administered by CloudSimple, a VMware partner, for Google Cloud Platform.

The agreement extends a partnership between Google and VMWare to support Google Cloud with NSX and SD-WAN. VMware and Google also cooperate on Google Cloud Anthos, which facilitates running applications on any cloud. And Google provides a Google Cloud plug-in for VMware vRealize Automation to manage Google Cloud resources using vRealize Automation.

VMware partnered with Google on Kubernetes support in 2017, in conjunction with Pivotal. Both VMware and Pivotal are controlled by Dell.

VMware also has hybrid cloud partnerships with Amazon Web Services. The two companies deploy AWS Outposts hardware to bring AWS clouds on-prem. And VMware workloads run on the AWS cloud.

Additionally, VMware partners with Microsoft to run VMware workloads on Azure.

Google and VMware are playing this as an enterprise story, but it will have ramifications for telcos too. Telcos are looking to move network workloads to hybrid clouds, and VMware and Google are attractive options -- even more attractive with this deal. For VMware, telco network virtualization is a strategic focus.

— Mitch Wagner Executive Editor, Light Reading