VMware Launches Essential PKS

Today VMware expanded its container service for Kubernetes that they have developed with Pivotal, Pivotal Container Service (PKS). The company has introduced VMware Essential PKS that they call a modular way to consume Kubernetes. VMware states that the new service will include the ability to upstream Kubernetes, reference architectures to inform design decisions, and expert support to proactively guide users through upgrades or maintenance and reactively troubleshoot when needed.

Today VMware expanded its container service for Kubernetes that they have developed with Pivotal, Pivotal Container Service (PKS). The company has introduced VMware Essential PKS that they call a modular way to consume Kubernetes. VMware states that the new service will include the ability to upstream Kubernetes, reference architectures to inform design decisions, and expert support to proactively guide users through upgrades or maintenance and reactively troubleshoot when needed.

VMware has been pivotal in trends such as transformation physical infrastructure to virtualized infrastructure and extended this so the software-defined data center. With vSAN, VMware helped the adoption of hyperconverged infrastructure. Since 80% of containers run on VMs, VMware is in a prime spot to help customers to get up and running on Kubernetes. VMware Essential PKS offers three solutions to help address the different approaches their customers may take on their cloud native journey. 

Solutions include:

• Some organizations want to build a more modular, customized architecture on upstream Kubernetes. They either have the in-house expertise to design, deploy and integrate their desired components, the intent to build-out that function or the appetite to lean on an expert team, like VMware’s Kubernetes Architects to traverse the last miles. Those customers will look to VMware Essential PKS to access upstream Kubernetes with a backstop of proactive support.
• Other organizations will want a more turnkey approach to container management. They recognize the value in a tightly packaged offer with pre-integrated and validated components—providing enterprise-grade security, compliance and consistency. Those customers will choose VMware Enterprise PKS, which includes NSX-T for networking and Harbor for registry, because it’s simpler to deploy and operate.
• Finally, some organizations will simply want to make clusters available to their teams without any management or maintenance burden. Those clusters will need to be pre-configured and available to deploy and scale at a moment’s notice. Those customers can be up and running in minutes with VMware Cloud PKS, a SaaS-based offer that ensures customers only pay for what they use.

Pivotal Container Service

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