On the opening day of its virtual VMworld 2020 conference, VMware announced it would beef up its cloud automation capabilities by buying automation software company SaltStack.
The deal to buy SaltStack will bolster VMware's vRealize Suite, which offers management solutions for the heterogeneous data center and the hybrid cloud. According to Crunchbase, SaltStack's total funding was close to $28 million. Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
"Cloud automation is a cornerstone of any successful cloud strategy. It makes cloud faster, simpler and in many ways safer," said VMware's Ajay Singh, senior vice president and general manager, cloud management business unit, in a blog. "It helps customers work across clouds while minimizing complexity, risk, and inefficiency. That’s why VMware vRealize has experienced massive adoption and is so highly rated by industry watchers. Businesses recognize the benefits of end-to-end infrastructure automation, but we also see the value in extending automation beyond infrastructure to apps.
"That’s why today we are excited to announce VMware is acquiring SaltStack to significantly broaden its software configuration management and infrastructure and network automation capabilities. Once closed, SaltStack will help us to complete our automation story, enabling us to extend our automation capabilities beyond infrastructure to the entire application stack."
Singh said the automation capabilities would include the software and packages inside of virtual machines and containers. The software configuration management capabilities will help VMware address the full spectrum of customers' automation needs both on premise and in the cloud with vRealize Automation.
Singh also cited SaltStack's use of open source software in his blog, which he said would enable faster time to market and increased developer productivity.
"VMware is committed to continuing SaltStack’s work on their projects after close and, with the help of SaltStack’s community leadership, VMware will support and invest to help grow the community," Singh said.
SaltStack, which is headquartered in Lehi, Utah, was founded in 2012 by Marc Chenn and Thomas Hatch. CEO Chenn said in his Tuesday blog that the "VMware team has demonstrated incredible strategy, ingenuity and execution in their quest to empower customers to build their multi-cloud future, and I’m honored SaltStack now has the opportunity to be a part of that."
VMware didn't say when it expects the SaltStack deal to close.
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