Singtel, VMware to set up 'virtual sandbox' for customers to test products in cloud setting

SINGTEL and enterprise software provider VMware International is setting up in Singapore, their first Digital Transformation Foundry - a "virtual sandbox" for customers to conduct proof-of-concept experiments to help bring their products to market more quickly.

The foundry will enable enterprises to test their products in a hybrid cloud environment - for example, allowing them to implement cloud-enabled workplaces more smoothly - in turn lowering costs, achieving better operational efficiencies and improving productivity, the companies said in a statement.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to provide solutions to speed up the digital transformation of enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region.

Said Singtel chief executive officer (CEO) for group enterprise, Bill Chang: "The foundry will empower customers to implement an integrated cloud solution with ease. We will help them design, secure and deploy cloud-enabled solutions."

VMware's CEO Pat Gelsinger said that this collaboration aims to meet the needs of customers throughout the Asia-Pacific, to improve their IT capabilities to meet the growing demands of their businesses to be more agile, cost effective, secure and responsive.

With similar foundries slated for Australia and Hong Kong, Singtel and VMware will initially focus on delivering a suite of four cloud services to enable customers to modernise their data centres, integrate public and private clouds, transform information security and create digital workspace of the future, said the companies.

Singtel shares were trading S$0.02 or 0.6 per cent down to S$3.38 at 11.49am.