Vendor Responsiveness
Published on 25 Feb 2008 · Filed in Musing · 338 words (estimated 2 minutes to read)In early January, I wrote an article about how unimpressed I was with VMware’s Remote CLI, the tool released along with ESX Server 3i and—at the time—the only way to perform a Storage VMotion operation. Since that time, of course, a Storage VMotion plugin for the VI Client has been released.
About a month later, I joined with Bob Plankers of LoneSysAdmin in expressing some disappointment about VMware Infrastructure 3.5. I also vented some frustration about issues trying to import the Remote CLI appliance into VirtualCenter from an OVF file, and problems with jumbo frames and iSCSI/NFS.
Of course, this isn’t the first time I’ve expressed concerns about VMware’s products, despite claims that I am a VMware fanboy. (I do admit to being a Mac fanboy. I’m currently receiving professional help.)
The point of this story—and yes, there is a point—is what happened after those posts. Within just a few days, VMware contacted me. No, not to hound me for speaking out against them, but to thank me for “keeping them honest” (their words) and to offer assistance in working with me to resolve these issues. Since that time, I’ve spoken with several Product Managers and Sr. Product Managers within VMware, all of whom seem genuine in their desire to make sure that the issues I experienced aren’t the results of bugs in the product or, if they are bugs, to identify them and fix them.
I have to say that’s pretty impressive. It’s highly doubtful that VMware can or does respond to every customer in the same fashion, although I wish they did, but it does occur to me that at least they’re trying. I suppose I could be cynical and say that they’re only behaving this way because they don’t want to look bad, but who am I to question their motivations? I’ve said before there’s nothing wrong with a company that’s out to make money—it does make the economy run, after all—but what really matters is the means by which the company seeks that goal.