The U.S. Army was left without technical support of VMware

2015: VMware ceased to support the software in U.S. Army

At the beginning of June, 2015 it became known that the American army was left without technical support and other services of VMware after the expiration of the contract with the company. Its prolongation can be questionable because cooperation of military forces with vendor was more costly, than it was expected earlier.

On March 30, 2015 the term of the 18-month license agreement (Enterprise License Agreement, ELA) worth $78.1 million between U.S. Army and VMware expired. Nevertheless till May 31, 2015 the producer rendered technical support and other services, the representative of the software company Dov Schwartz reported the CRM edition.

The U.S. Army was left without technical support of VMware

According to him, the agreement assuming updating of products, purchase of unlimited number of licenses, provision of guarantees and service support between VMware and the American army ceased to work though the parties agreed that military forces will receive all the same security updates.

At the beginning of 2015 the National guard of the USA (Army National Guard) imposed the moratorium on purchase of products and services of VMware which remains by June 9, 2015. The prohibition reason — excessively high costs within the agreement of VMware of ELA in comparison with those which were expected at the time of signing of the contract.

By the end of May, 2015 it was going to prepare the new agreement of ELA. According to Dov Schwartz, the Defense Ministry prepares necessary documentation for conclusion of an agreement on the general purchases of licenses for software of VMware.

The sources of CRN familiar with a situation say that the U.S. Army can face heavy expenses if in any crucial system working at software of VMware there is a failure, and technical support of the producer will not be. It is noted that conditions of the new agreement of VMware of ELA can be reviewed and include only services of support and service – without the right of obtaining additional licenses for products.^[1]

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