While at VMware's Partner Exchange (PEX) event last month, I had the opportunity to visit with NVIDIA to see what they've been up to in the world of desktop and server virtualization. And since the show, I had another opportunity to learn more and follow up with Andrew Cresci, General Manager at NVIDIA GRID, to ask about the company's partnership with VMware and to learn more about their upcoming GPU Technology Conference (GTC).
VMblog: You just recently announced the integration of vGPU technology
with VMware vSphere last month at PEX. How has your partnership with VMware been
growing?
Andrew Cresci: I can't tell you how excited I am that VMware
vSphere 6 with integrated NVIDIA GRID vGPU starts shipping this month. It
was almost a year ago at NVIDIA's annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) that
we revealed a joint
effort to enable VMware customers to use NVIDIA GRID vGPU technology for GPU sharing with VMware's End User Computing
solutions. Now it's finally here and more than
500,000 VMware customers around the world have access to GRID vGPU technology
to deliver the necessary high performance for virtualized graphics rich
applications and desktops. For customers
who are already deploying, our joint Direct Access program
provides select VMware Horizon and VMware vSphere customers with priority
access to NVIDIA's enterprise graphics virtualization experts and VMware's
solution architects and accelerates their move from VDI pilots into scalable
production deployments.
VMblog: GTC is next
week, March 17-20th in San Jose. What can VMblog readers expect to see from
NVIDIA GRID at the conference?
Cresci: This year's graphics virtualization track is our largest one to-date.
It underscores how the ecosystem for enterprise graphics virtualization is
growing with almost 50 sessions from leading experts, customers and partners
from around the world, all coming together to share their experiences and best
practices on graphics virtualization deployments.
Our Throwdown with VMware on Tuesday evening should be lots of
fun. Engineers from both companies will be battling for proof of concept
supremacy by building a pool of virtual desktops from bare metal in the
shortest amount of time.
VMblog: What customers and partners will be on hand at GTC? And who can we
expect to hear more from?
Cresci: Bell Helicopter, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, HP, Lakeside Software,
MetroHealth, NICE, PSA Peugeot, Siemens, STV, and TATA Technologies will be
there. And that's just naming a few! You can see the full list in the Graphics Virtualization track.
And you can't miss VMware's Panel Session "Scaling Out Virtual GPU
with NVIDIA GRID and VMware Horizon". You'll learn about the unique benefits
and exceptional performance of GRID vGPU deployed on VMware Horizon VMware
Horizon desktops, while hearing from organizations like yours, including Metro
Health, Siemens Wind Power, and HDR who have implemented this solution.
VMblog: Any other notable sessions that readers should keep an eye out for
at GTC?
Cresci: I recommend VDI Evolution at the Speed of GRID -
VDI 2.0
and VMware Horizon 6 View with NVIDIA
GRID.
While it's a little more introductory, I also highly recommend Desktop Virtualization 101 for those that are just
getting started.
Anyone interested in
learning more should check out the sessions in the Graphics
Virtualization track on the GTC website.
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Once again, thanks to Andrew Cresci, General Manager, NVIDIA GRID, for taking time out to speak with VMblog.com.