VMware, the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, has been named the Grand Prize Winner of the 2011 Best of Interop (News - Alert) Awards by InformationWeek Analytics and Interop, the premier global business technology event series.

Best of Interop recognizes some of the world's most innovative technologies across eight major categories. It is also one of the highlights of Interop Las Vegas -- showcasing the companies that are playing a vital role in helping shape the future of IT.

Also selected were Best of Interop winners in eight categories, including VMware, Vidyo (News - Alert) Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, NEC Corporation, BreakingPoint Systems, Inc., Talari Networks, Barracuda Networks, Inc. and Citrix Systems.

For the 2011 Best of Interop Awards, more than 100 companies' submitted products for consideration.

The panel of judges chosen to select the Best of Interop finalists was made up of 16 award-winning editors and analysts from InformationWeek Analytics. They selected finalists based on the products they believed had the greatest potential to impact and advance business technology efficiencies.

“The Best of Interop Awards presents leading edge technologies of the outstanding IT vendors in the industry,” said Art Wittmann, vice president and director of InformationWeek Analytics, in a press release. “VMware and each of the category winners represent market innovation and deserve recognition for helping build the energy and growth of today's IT marketplace.”

Lenny Heymann, Interop general manager, said, “We are pleased to have Interop be the platform for bringing together the latest advancements in business technology and we congratulate VMware for their innovation in the industry.”

In related news, Barracuda Networks (News - Alert) Inc. has recently received the Best of Interop Award for Security. It will showcase Barracuda Web Security Flex at Interop Las Vegas.