Sources say VMware is mulling a partnership, investment or outright acquisition of Alfresco — the open source enterprise content management system. The potential reason: Alfresco would potentially allow VMware to attack Microsoft SharePoint, which generates more than $1 billion in annual revenues for Microsoft and its channel partners. Here’s the apparent chatter involving VMware and Alfresco, and the potential implications for solutions providers.
First, let’s rewind a bit. VMware in early 2010 acquired Zimbra, the open source email platform, and is now attacking the Microsoft Exchange market. Effective Aug. 1, 2010, sources say VMware’s channel partners are empowered to promote Zimbra.
Meanwhile, a source close to VMware says the company continues to evaluate potential application-level acquisitions. One potential target, according to the source, is Alfresco — which positions itself as an open source alternative to Microsoft SharePoint. A source familiar with Alfresco’s business says sales and customer wins have been growing consistently, and there has been chatter about a closer working relationship with VMware.
Not by coincidence, open source community members have been creating integrations between Alfresco and Zimbra. As a result, the Alfresco-Zimbra combination could give VMware a one-two punch against Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Exchange, The VAR Guy believes.
Also of note: While Microsoft both cooperates and competes with VARs that want to host Exchange and SharePoint, VMware defers Zimbra hosting opportunities to channel partners and SaaS specialists.
Would VMware treat Alfresco partners similarly? Alas, it’s too early to accurately predict whether a VMware-Alfresco partnership (or more…) will emerge. A spokesperson for VMware says the company does not comment on rumor or speculation. Alfresco did not reply to a request for comment.
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IBM already has a one-two punch with Notes and their version of SharePoint, whatever it is called. and they are mature products been out there for years. Microsoft has the partner community and is doing all the right things. Seems like every other solution will be a distant second.
db: No doubt, the Exchange/SharePoint combo remains (1) incredibly popular with customers and (2) equally popular with thousands of partners. But in the 1990s, this discussion seemed to be a two-horse race (Exchange vs Notes). Today, the web has created a long tail of growing, profitable Microsoft rivals… Roll up all those small, long-tail companies into a single market share figure and Microsoft faces very serious competition…
-TVG