VMware Cloud on AWS will be based on VMware Cloud Foundation running on bare-metal AWS infrastructure.

It will be sold by VMware, and will be available via existing VMware commercial agreements.

"VMware Cloud on AWS offers our customers the best of both worlds," said VMware chief executive Pat Gelsinger.

"This new service will make it easier for customers to preserve their investment in existing applications and processes while taking advantage of the global footprint, advanced capabilities, and scale of the AWS public cloud."

AWS chief executive Andy Jassy said: "Our customers continue to ask us to make it easier for them to run their existing data centre investments alongside AWS.

"Most enterprises are already virtualised using VMware, and now with VMware Cloud on AWS, for the first time, it will be easy for customers to operate a consistent and seamless hybrid IT environment using their existing VMware tools on AWS, and without having to purchase custom hardware, rewrite their applications, or modify their operating model."

VMware customers already have the ability to run workloads on premises, in VMware's own vCloud Air service, and on services offered by VMware partners under the vCloud Air Network brand.

VMware Cloud on AWS is set to become VMware's primary public cloud offering.

Pricing will be announced closer to the launch of VMware Cloud on AWS.