The VMware, Cisco, and EMC Coalition for the Advancement of Monetary Monopolization that was announced this week caused quite a buzz.  After of few days of thought, here’s some things to consider, in no specific order.

1. The normal industry reaction to a “super band” announcement “lifecycle” goes like this: denial that it matters, statements that it eliminates choice and that is bad, FUD that they will play nice together and customers will get caught in the middle, comparisons of monopolistic past practices, and finally inevitably ending up in some kind of Orwellian/Nazi occupation/cold war Soviet Union analogy (among the more pessimistic types).  The empire is under siege!


2. The reality is that this is good – mostly for VC&E, but also good in general.  There is a market segment that wants these guys to dance together.  It’s at the very high-end and it’s a very enviable segment.  Saying it isn’t real is silly – it is, and it’s exactly why these three have become BFFs.  Do they want total world domination?  Of course.  Do they think this move will bring it to them i