VMware is expanding its reach in Asia. After sealing a deal with Japan’s Hitachi, VMware moves westward and taps Israel’s Digital Fuel, IT financial and business management software as a service. The cloud computing and virtualization enthusiast is now heading to the business-management software and intensifying its current SaaS roster with the acquisition that is reportedly at $85 million. VMware continues with its shopping spree, two weeks after it bought SocialCast to boost presence in social networking.

According to a recent report: “Digital Fuel’s IP will provide VMware’s enterprise customers with meaningful measurements and reports, including a bill of IT services, chargeback information, service-level reporting and vendor scorecards; consolidated visibility into all IT costs (capital expenditures, operating expenses and service costs); and better management of IT agendas, enabling fact-based decisions across the IT portfolio.”

A chargeback system is essential like any end-user portal. Being able to determine the correct functionality will allow private cloud to flourish. Otherwise, it could just die down. Hence, a chargeback isn’t just a phase in the cloud, it’s a key requirement. For example, the VMware vCenter Chargeback is for virtual infrastructure with accurate visibility of the cost and utilization. In an article by John MacArthur of wikibon.org, he identifies two different types of chargeback systems that can be utilized by enterprises according to a specific business model.

Being relentless is an understatement when you talk about VMware updates the industry has witnessed in just the first half of the year. Their bold move to the cloud, shaking off their 70’s outlook has made the company one of the more fearless organizations in its league. Just few days ago, they built a hybrid cloud-enabled world through virtualization. When they beat Google for a prized Silicon Valley office, you know that VMware is already the team to beat.