Community Source FAQs

VMware is sharing control of its market leading ESX platform by empowering partners to access the source. Source access may be used by partners to make shared source contributions to the ESX or used to build interoperable, 'black box' functionality, i.e., partner proprietary software that interoperates with ESX source code. Partners will be able to use the source access to build differentiated, proprietary solutions or contribute code that provides greater interoperability or deeper integration between their products and VMware ESX.

The Community Source initiative will accelerate the creation of a rich variety of products that are aware of and exploit a virtualization platform in new ways. Secondly, customers can expect to see enhanced interoperability across VMware and 3rd party vendor solutions. Third, customers can expect to see new virtualization technologies come to market sooner as a result of this new collaborative approach.

The virtualization industry is expected to benefit greatly from this initiative. Creating a network of companies that have access to a common virtualization code base will enable the broader adoption of virtualization technology through more integrated, interoperable solutions. The collaborative approach will help foster and establish common interfaces for virtualization. Industry participants can bring new products that take advantage of the market momentum and acceptance of VMware solutions to gain immediate commercial acceptance and a faster return on investment.

Any partner of VMware can participate. The community source initiative is about building interoperable or joint solutions through open partnering and deep technology integration.

The Community Source initiative will function mostly like an open source project. Participants will be able to contribute code for inclusion into ESX. Initially the maintainers will be from VMware but subsequently that can change. An Architecture Board comprised of partners and VMware will guide the creation of new interfaces for ESX. Partners can either contribute code or use the source access to create binary modules that interoperate with ESX. Alternatively, partners can choose to access only the APIs and not the source.

This is a tremendous opportunity for partners to not only drive interoperability, but also influence the evolution of VMware's products. By enhancing interoperability or building joint solutions, partners can capitalize on one of the fastest growing infrastructure technologies in the enterprise to grow their revenues. Partners can also use the source access to create 'black box' modules that preserve their unique proprietary innovations and competitive differentiation.

VMware has consulted with several partners over the last few months to design this program. Partners have expressed an interest in utilizing this program to provide, in source or binary form the following:

• Optimization of ESX to take advantage of unique virtualization hardware provided as part of server platforms
• Interoperability for new hardware component technologies like Infiniband for fast VMotion or universal I/O or I/O virtualization technologies
• Integration with proactive hardware monitoring technologies as well as diagnostic technologies to improve overall server availability
• Integration with enterprise network switching and management technologies for end-to-end network management
• New storage and data protection solutions that lower costs of system recovery through deep integration of storage hardware and virtualization software
• Management applications that provide end-end management from virtual machine to hardware elements

VMware provides a royalty-free license to its source code for creating contributions or black box modules that interoperate with ESX. The partners that contribute code provide, likewise, a royalty-free license and rights to, among other things, include the code with VMware products. Partners continue to own the patents, if any, that may be associated with their contributions or black-box modules. If partners create black box modules, VMware is neither obligated nor has a license to distribute the black-box module unless VMware contracts separately with a partner to do so.

The Community Source Program document will provide the definitive and binding version of the terms of the program. Participating partners will need to abide by the provisions of this document.

No. However, partners have to contribute only original works. Also partners may not contribute source code available under open source licenses since VMware may not be able to abide by the viral nature of such licenses.

The Community Source Program document will provide the definitive and binding version of the requirements on contributed code. Participating partners will need to abide by the provisions of this document.

Yes. However, access to ESX source code and other confidential information or intellectual property under the Community Source initiative is provided only for the explicit purpose of contributing to the Community Source initiative.

The Community Source Program document will provide the definitive and binding version of the use rights granted to individuals. Participating partners will need to abide by the provisions of this document.

Partners may sign a commercial, distribution agreement with VMware to gain the rights to redistribute VMware ESX. Current partners' redistribution rights remain unchanged by this program.

VMware is collaborating with a group of leading technology vendors to define virtualization industry interfaces. VMware will contribute its existing framework of interfaces based on its successful virtualization products to facilitate the development of these standards in an industry neutral manner. For more information, visit on the Open Interfaces and Formats.