Virtualisation goliath VMware has entered into an agreement to acquire application performance management (APM) vendor B-hive networks.

In addition to its headquarters in California, B-hive Networks has a research and development facility and team in Israel, which will form the core of a new VMware development centre.

Martin Niemer, senior product marketing manager for EMEA at VMware, said: “The acquisition has two angles. VMware is acquiring the vendor’s technology and introducing new staff into the R&D centre in Israel, which shows how VMware
is still committed to its global R&D teams.

“B-hive Networks is complementary to VMware’s offering, and application virtualisation is a logical extension to the virtualisation market.”

The vendor’s B-hive Conductor is packaged as a virtual appliance and provides users with open, standards-based interfaces.
VMware launched its marketplace and certification programme for virtual appliances in 2006, in which B-hive Networks was one of the first to distribute its products. Through the Virtual Appliance Marketplace customers can evaluate, or in some cases, purchase virtual appliances.

“Resellers can add services to B-hive’s portfolio on how to implement the technology into businesses,” added Niemer.

Paul Hickingbotham, solutions manager at Hammer, said: “APM virtualisation makes absolute sense
for VMWare; it is another essential piece of the jigsaw in a fully virtualised IT environment.”