VMware just isn’t what it used to be.. That may seem like an old-man, get-off-my-lawn kind of thing to say, but I’m not the only one saying it. A lot of the clients I work with every day are coming to me with the same general sentiment, though often punctuated by a few choice expletives..
Why? For years, VMware was the default choice for enterprise virtualization. It was a stable, mature platform that many organizations viewed as a permanent fixture of their infrastructure strategy.But things took a turn after the Broadcom acquisition.
Licensing changes. Price increases. Shifting support models..
Evolution is expected in the tech world, but this was something different. Many clients I hear from aren’t just frustrated by the number and scale of VMware’s changes; they actually feel abandoned.. The truth is, many of them still like VMware.
They don’t want to make a change. But when costs keep rising, and support keeps evaporating (unless you’re a massive account), the writing may be on the wall that it’s time to look elsewhere.. Related:Cloud Region Migration: Optimize Costs, Latency, and Compliance.
But this is bigger than VMware. There’s a risk in becoming overly dependent on any technology platform. This is why this situation should serve as a catalyst for IT leaders to think more about flexibility, workload alignment, and continuous evaluation rather than simply finding a less expensive hypervisor..
Why VMware Customers Feel Blindsided. While the rising cost of VMware is generally the first thing clients bring up when they call me to vent, it’s usually not their only issue. Their broader complaints tend to revolve around the overall pace and volume of change they’ve been subjected to recently, which has left them dealing with:.
Uncertainty brought on by frequent changes to purchasing requirements, licensing models, SKUs, and reseller relationships.. Difficulty in navigating a host of new rules and procurement challenges.. Wavering confidence in the VMware support ecosystem amid reports of workforce reductions and organizational restructuring (I know this one personally, having seen plenty of talented friends over there sent packing)..
In short, the folks I hear from feel disconnected from the experts and relationships they relied on for years. Cost is the last straw for many, but it’s really just the culmination of a longer-term deterioration of trust. When an infrastructure platform like VMware evolves so rapidly, organizations begin to question the stability of their technology strategy..
The problem is that many of those strategies were built around VMware. So even if the knee-jerk reaction is to seek alternatives, the decision is more complex than simply replacing one hypervisor with another.. Related:Broadcom CEO’s $100B AI Chip Bet Highlights Push for Silicon Diversity.
The VMware Migration Debate Is Really a Workload Strategy Discussion. As much as they might like to fully cut the cord with VMware, even the most irate IT leaders I talk with realize that a full lift-and-shift isn’t practical. The platform is just too deeply ingrained within many of their workflows.
But a partial migration? That’s an idea that’s probably worth exploring now more than ever before.. VMware alternatives such as Hyper-V, Nutanix, and Proxmox have matured significantly, and for the right workloads, container platforms like Kubernetes and hybrid cloud models widen the menu even further..
In reviewing these potential alternatives, some organizations are pursuing “VMware repatriation” much as they might have approached cloud repatriation. It’s a good idea.. But one of the key considerations in this debate is the evaluation of workload.
Different workloads have different requirements, and not every application belongs on the same platform. The goal should be to find the best destination for each workload rather than forcing every workload onto a single replacement platform.. Starting with workloads instead of platforms avoids one of the most common migration mistakes.
That is, beginning with a predetermined outcome (the “move everything off VMware” gambit) instead of evaluating business requirements, technical dependencies, and operational realities first.. Related:Data Center Automation: What’s New and What Works. In the end, the question to answer isn’t “What should replace VMware?” The question is “Where should each workload run to deliver the best balance of cost, performance, risk, and operational efficiency?”.
The Biggest Migration Risk Is Organizational, Not Technical. Even when organizations decide to migrate off of VMware, technology is just one of the risks they have to manage. Their people, processes, and institutional knowledge often present the greater challenge..
For example, many organizations have built teams, workflows, automation, and operational procedures around VMware. An abrupt platform change can create anxiety among staff whose expertise is tied to the existing environment. If employees fear their skills are becoming obsolete, organizations risk losing valuable talent and institutional knowledge..
Enterprise organizations face additional complexity. In many of these companies, VMware is deeply integrated into security, networking, SD-WAN, and automation frameworks, essentially locking them in. Smaller and midsize organizations generally have more flexibility because they have fewer dependencies and less platform-specific specialization..
In other words, some organizations are likely to have a tougher time with migration than others for reasons that go beyond technology. But almost every migration will go more smoothly if leaders pay as much attention to preparing their workers for the switch as they do to their technology..
VMware Is Today’s Issue. The Next Is Just Around the Corner.. All the cursing and hand-wringing over VMware aside, the current debate reflects a bigger question facing IT teams: How do we avoid becoming overly dependent on any single platform?.
Whether an organization chooses to stay with VMware, move to an alternative, or embrace a hybrid approach, the ultimate objective should be the same: to maintain flexibility and regularly reassess workload placement. The whole VMware dustup, after all, isn’t about one platform letting us down.
It’s about mistakenly assuming that any platform will remain unchanged forever.. We’ve seen similar patterns across cloud platforms, SaaS products, and enterprise software. Customers become deeply invested.
Switching costs rise. Vendors consolidate. Licensing changes.
Support contracts evolve. Eventually, the balance shifts from maximizing customer value to maximizing revenue. That’s the broader lesson IT leaders should heed..
And the main takeaway is to continuously evaluate costs, risks, and workload to ensure your organization is better prepared when the next inevitable market disruption arrives. That way, you’ll be ready to tell the next Broadcom, whomever that might be, to get off your lawn.
