PALO ALTO, CA, Oct 28, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop through the datacenter and to the cloud, today announced VMware vSphere(TM) -- the industry's leading virtualization platform -- won The Wall Street Journal 2009 Technology Innovation Award in the software category. The panel of judges was impressed by VMware's significant contributions to cloud computing, saying that VMware vSphere(TM) is making it "easier to turn a company's existing datacenter into a private cloud... that's secure, reliable and easy to manage."

This is the latest in a series of accolades for VMware vSphere which has quickly become popular among customers due to the unmatched cost savings it offers, the efficiency and performance it delivers to support business-critical applications, the uncompromised control it provides to help optimize application service levels, and the fact it preserves customer choice in hardware, OS, application architecture and even on-premise vs. off-premise hosting.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the judges for this award "noted there is a lot of interest in private clouds, and said that VMware has taken a big step in helping companies build them."

"It's a very important trend, and these guys are clearly the leader," Asheem Chandna told The Wall Street Journal. Chandna is a partner at the venture-capital firm Greylock Partners and he was a judge for the Technology Innovation Awards.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by one of the world's most respected and widely read publications," said Raghu Raghuram, vice president and general manager, Server Business Unit, for VMware. "VMware vSphere(TM) is revolutionizing information technology by cutting costs, accelerating time to market, and empowering companies to innovate in ways that were nearly unimaginable just a few years ago. There's a reason for more than 500,000 customer downloads of VMware vSphere(TM) in its first 20 weeks on the market; it offers businesses competitive advantages that no other solution can match."

Awards were given to products in 12 categories. More than 500 products were considered. Details about The Wall Street Journal 2009 Technology Innovation Awards are available at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574399714096167656.html.

About VMware VMware delivers solutions for business infrastructure virtualization that enable IT organizations to energize businesses of all sizes. With the industry leading virtualization platform -- VMware vSphere(TM) -- customers rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, improve agility, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2008 revenues of $1.9 billion, more than 150,000 customers and 22,000 partners, VMware is the leader in virtualization, which consistently ranks as a top priority among CIOs. VMware is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.

VMware and VMware vSphere are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate, but are not limited, to, the rate and extent of continuing customer adoption and deployment of VMware products and architecture, customer perceptions of our products and product features, including the benefits they provide, expected growth in customer adoption of cloud computing and the superiority of our platform. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) the duration and timing of recovery from negative economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in consumer or information technology spending; (iii) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, industry consolidation, entry of new competitors into the virtualization market, and new product and marketing initiatives by our competitors;(iv) our customers' ability to develop, and to transition to, new products, (v) the uncertainty of customer acceptance of emerging technology initiatives; (vi) rapid technological and market changes in virtualization software; and (vii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology. These forward looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K and current reports on Form 8-K that we may file from time to time. VMware disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Contacts:
Melinda Marks
VMware Public Relations
mmarks@vmware.com
(650) 427-1103

Andrew Schmitt
Outcast Communications for VMware
andrew@outcastpr.com
(415) 392-8282

SOURCE: VMware, Inc.