VMware Acquires RTO Software

Jon Wallace

I am the creator of insidetheregistry.com but that's as far as it goes - the site is strictly independent and vendor agnostic and anyone is invited to contribute and post views...

I was awarded the Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) in 2009 and have presented at various trade shows including Citrix Synergy and VMWorld. I am a frequent contributor to www.dabcc.com.

In my spare time I develop this little baby (the website), and spend time with my lovely wife Vicki and daughter Mia.

Originally for Warrington in the United Kingdom I now live in Coral Springs in Florida (near Fort Lauderdale) and although gone through Katrina and Wilma have never looked back.

As a side-note I do have a background as a professional performing magician, am a member of the Magic Circle (London) and the Magic Castle (Los Angeles). I find IT very similar, smoke and mirrors.

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On February 22nd 2010, VMware acquired certain assets of RTO Software, namely their Virtual Profiles technology as well PinPoint and Discover products. The organization goes on to mention that the R&D efforts of RTO will now be merged into those of VMware.

A PDF document on the VMware website gives answers to various questions such as those around support, the future of the product and how the software will be used.

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/VMware-RTO-acquisition-FAQ.pdf

Points 5 and 6 in the release talk about support for existing customers of RTO mentioning that their existing agreements will continue until the end of their contracts as which point they will have the option to purchase the VMware view product

5. What is the transition plan for the current RTO Software customers?

VMware will assume support for existing RTO Software customers and will honor existing support contracts until expiration. Customers who reach the end of their RTO Software support contracts after the close of acquisition will have the option to purchase the VMware View solution and VMware Support and Subscription (SnS).

6. What are the plans for extending support for existing RTO Software
customers?

We plan to support RTO Software customers under their existing maintenance agreements until the expiration of the term of those contracts. The customers will not be able to renew their contracts.

This could probably be considered a good move from VMware as it certainly gives them the tick in the box when it comes to profile management as is the case with Citrix however it will be interesting to see if all of the existing RTO customers opt to move to the VMware platform.

I’m interested to get people’s thoughts on this –

Comments

Guest on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 says

Martin Ingram from AppSense has posted about this on the AppSense blog - http://appsense.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/congratulations-to-vmware-and-rto-software/

Guest on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 says

Well done RTO!

Great add on to the VMWARE product set.

Eric S. Perkins on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 says

I think this was a good move for VMware. View is cobbled together using other technologies and I think some small for VMware acquisitions make the offering more appealing.