Instead of making a big news splash or calling for a ticker-tape parade, VMware seems content on quietly adding to their virtualization toolkit with a few strategic acquisitions.
Back in October, the company quietly advanced itself further into the security space (VirtSec) with the acquisition of Blue Lane Technologies. There wasn't a lot of information shared about the deal when it happened, and things are still fairly quiet.
Fast forward a month later and in November, the virtualization giant was at it again. This time, VMware grabbed up a company involved with the development of a very popular series of graphics technology for Linux. The company is called Tungsten Graphics, and they have created:
- Mesa - an open source implementation of the OpenGL API
- DRI - The Direct Rendering Infrastructure is a framework for allowing direct access to graphics hardware in a safe and efficient manner. It includes enhancements to the X server, to several client libraries, and to the kernel. All open source 3D accelerated drivers for the Linux desktop have been created using DRI technology.
- Gallium3D - a hardware and API neutral intermediate format that allows the company to efficiently build graphics drivers to support a variety of hardware platforms for modern 3D APIs on various OS environments
- TTM Memory Manager - an advanced video memory manager
VMware hasn't yet reported on the news, however Tungsten Graphics posted an announcement on their company Web site stating, "November 26, 2008: Tungsten Graphics has been acquired by VMware. Open source graphics technology development will continue as part of VMware's engineering team."
With VMware making a larger push into the client market with its vClient initiative, the acquisition of a graphics expert like Tungsten makes perfect sense. And Tungsten adds that with the addition of their team members, VMware will be able to augment their ability to deliver industry-leading 3D graphics virtualization capabilities -- great news for a VDI market.
