Are Symantec and VMware like Batman and Robin?

As a Product Manager for NetBackup for VMware, one of the biggest challenges I face is around prioritization. Where does it make the most sense to spend my time? On the one hand, assisting customers on a one-on-one basis is very attractive. When I do that, I can help, say, Batman identify which product within the NetBackup for VMware suite (NetBackup Enterprise Client, PureDisk, or PureDisk Deduplication Option) is best suited to his multiple batcaves. Batman may well prefer Enterprise Client for his headquarters beneath the mansion due to its enhanced VMDK image-level DR support, but may elect to use PureDisk in his remote batcave in the Hamptons, and then use PDDO to shrink the VMDK files transferred over by Enterprise Client and VCB.

But sometimes it seems to make more sense to spend time on other activities, and most recently VMware has been especially friendly. Their office is only a few miles away from ours in Silicon Valley, and I see them all the time at trade shows as well as meet with them every few weeks and exchange emails almost weekly. They are working with us on pushing forward almost a dozen joint activities on both the technology side as well as go-to-market and marketing, and while I think one reason may be because they like the food that comes from the Symantec cafeteria, another reason may be that they appreciate how tightly NetBackup 6.5.2 integrates with VCB and they like to have a strong partner that can showcase what VCB can do. Naturally, it is a win-win for us both.

Now if only the Batman/Robin relationship was that good ...