VMware by Broadcom
VMware vSphere was the default for server virtualization. Since Broadcom's 2023 acquisition, perpetual licences are gone and it is sold by subscription as VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and vSphere Foundation (VVF), and many organizations have seen costs rise sharply.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Positioning
- Mid-marketEnterprise
- Official website
- www.vmware.com
Who it suits
Organizations with dozens of VMs on vSphere that must decide whether to renew the subscription or migrate.
Overview
VMware after Broadcom
VMware was the US company behind vSphere, the virtualization software that runs in most of the world's server rooms. Broadcom completed its purchase of VMware in late 2023 and changed how everything is sold: perpetual licences ended, dozens of products were folded into a few large bundles, and everything is now a subscription priced per CPU core.
What is on the price list today
- VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) is the full stack: vSphere, vSAN, NSX and the management and automation tools. It is aimed at organizations building their own private cloud.
- VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) is the smaller bundle: vSphere plus performance monitoring and a vSAN capacity allowance per core.
- vSphere Standard stopped being offered in Asia-Pacific in April 2025 and reached end of sale worldwide in July 2025. Customers who used to buy the small edition now have to move to VVF or VCF.
- Free ESXi came back with 8.0 Update 3e in April 2025, but it has no vCenter and many backup products cannot protect it. Fine for a lab, not for production.
VCF and VVF 9.0 were released in June 2025, and vSphere 9 is only available inside those two bundles.
Licensing rules you need to know
You pay per core, and every CPU counts as at least 16 cores even if it has fewer. Since April 2025 each order must also cover a minimum of 72 cores per product. For a small organization with two servers, that means paying for cores you do not have. Renewing after the expiry date adds a late-renewal surcharge.
Support dates worth writing down: vSphere 7 reached end of general support on 2 October 2025, and vSphere 8 follows in October 2027.
VMware is still one of the most mature and complete virtualization platforms. For most organizations in Laos the question is not whether it is good, but whether it is worth it at their size. Banks and large organizations running hundreds of VMs with NSX or vSAN usually renew. An organization with two to four hosts should compare the alternatives first.
Strengths
- vSphere has nearly 20 years of production use behind it. HA, vMotion and DRS are stable, and almost every problem you might hit has already been seen and documented by someone.
- Almost every other product supports VMware first: backup tools such as Veeam, storage arrays, core banking software, and many vendor appliances that ship as OVA files built for vSphere.
- VCF bundles vSAN and NSX. If you already run both, the new bundle may not cost as much more as you fear compared with buying them separately the old way.
- Engineers with vSphere experience are easier to find than for any other hypervisor, both in Vientiane and in Thailand.
Things to know before choosing
- There are no perpetual licences any more. Without an active subscription you get no security patches and no support, so this is now a yearly budget line, not a one-off purchase.
- The 16-core-per-CPU floor and 72-core order minimum make small sites pay above their real size. Two servers with 8-core CPUs still pay for 72 cores.
- vSphere 7 is out of support and vSphere 8 follows in October 2027. Moving to version 9 requires VCF or VVF, and older servers that are no longer on the compatibility list may need replacing.
- Broadcom's sales and renewal channels have changed several times. At least 90 days before expiry, confirm exactly who can renew for you, so you do not get hit by the late-renewal surcharge.
Using it in Laos
Most organizations in Laos that run VMware bought perpetual 6.x or 7.x licences years ago, and their support has already lapsed. The hosts still run, but they get no new patches, and that is a real risk because ESXi is a favourite ransomware target.
What we suggest doing before you decide anything:
- Count real cores: list every host, CPU and core, then apply the 16-cores-per-CPU and 72-cores-per-order rules.
- List the VMs: which ones matter, whether you use vSAN or NSX, and whether any vendor appliance only supports VMware.
- Check backups: before any migration or upgrade, have a backup you have actually test-restored.
Ordering licences through channels in Thailand can take several weeks, including account checks with Broadcom, so start three months before expiry. If you decide to move, read our guide to VMware alternatives.
Compared with alternatives
Proxmox fits organizations with one to five hosts that want to get away from per-core licensing and have staff comfortable with Linux. Nutanix fits when servers and storage reach end of warranty together and you want an HCI cluster with enterprise support and the Move tool to migrate VMs. Stay on VMware if you run hundreds of VMs, depend heavily on NSX or vSAN, or have software that is only supported on vSphere.
Product lines
- VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
- VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF)
- vSphere
- vSAN
- NSX
Solutions that use this brand
Server VirtualizationCollapse a room of ageing servers into one cluster on VMware, Proxmox, Nutanix or Hyper-V, so one dead host no longer stops the…
Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)Compute, storage and virtualization in the same nodes; add a node when you need more. Built for 1–3 person IT teams with no SAN…
Cloud MigrationDecide what belongs in the cloud and what should stay, then move in stages with your internet link and monthly bill in mind.FAQ
We own perpetual vSphere licences. Can we keep using them?
Yes, perpetual licences do not stop working. But once the support contract ends you get no patches or new versions, and the old-style support can no longer be bought. Isolate the management network of unpatched hosts and plan either a migration or a subscription.
Can we use free ESXi for a branch server?
Technically it runs, but there is no vCenter, no support, and many backup products cannot protect it because the API is restricted. We would not put important data on it. Proxmox with Proxmox Backup Server is a better fit for a small branch.
How hard is it to move off VMware?
Ordinary Windows and Linux VMs move with Proxmox's import tool or Nutanix Move, usually with short downtime. The real work is testing, driver changes, rebuilding network settings and moving backups. For 20 to 30 VMs, plan in weeks, not a single day.
If we renew, should we choose VVF or VCF?
If you only run vSphere with external SAN or NAS storage and no NSX, VVF is usually enough. VCF pays off when you use NSX for segmentation, rely heavily on vSAN, or want an automated private cloud. Ask the seller to quote both on the same core count.
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