(Video) VMware: Microsoft needs to get out of its 2D paradigm The media began day two at EMC World in Orlando with a media briefing by executives from EMC , VMware and Cisco Systems to discuss the threesome??s alliance around next-generation virtual data centres. I??ll have more on the threesome??s plans and its visions for the data centre in tomorrow??s CDN Now , but I did want to share a clip where the executives responded to a questioner who wondered why Microsoft wasn??t part of their alliance, and how they view the Redmond Behemoth??s data centre strategy. Unsurprisingly, the executive from VMware was the most fiesty of the three on Microsoft. And on another competitive question, the Oracle-Sun-Virtual Iron combo , EMC said they have the assets to be a competitor, but the challenges will be putting it all together. Cisco said Oracle??s view tends to be more vertically-focused and monolithic, while Cisco sees more of a customer desire for more diversity and choice.