Embotics offers upgrade as VMware ends Lab Manager

Virtualisation management software specialist Embotics has launched a new scheme to help partners migrate users off VMware vCenter Lab Manager onto its rival platform.

According to the start-up, As VMware phases out support for its vCenter Lab Manager product over the next few months, users may find it stops working if they upgrade to vSphere 5. VMware is recommending organisations should migrate to its vCloud Director or vCloud Automation Center – however Embotics suggests these alternatives are “too complex and more expensive for most lab and development environments.”

Instead, Jay Litkey, CEO of Embotics (pictured) suggests that, “Embotics V-Commander is one of the only on-premise solutions in the marketplace, and it delivers a range of lab management capabilities, including the ability to deliver self-service management and provisioning portals to end users in a safe, secure, and automated fashion.”

To assist partners, Embotics is allowing current vCentre labs customers to upgrade to its V-Commander alternative for just the normal annual maintenance cost of the defunct VMware product. For users unable to break out their Lab Manager contracts, Embotics is offering heavily discounted pricing for the first year.

The firm, which has around 20 UK partners through distribution agreements with Avnet and Prianto, will also assist with deployment by underwriting the cost of up to two days of a partner’s time for migration.

The firm estimates that there are roughly 3000 VMware vCenter Lab Manager customers globally which offers a sizeable opportunity for the channel.