Life After VMware: Smarter Virtualisation Choices

The virtualisation landscape is undergoing a major transformation. Following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, many organisations are facing steep price hikes and restrictive licensing changes. If you're among the growing number of IT leaders looking to reduce costs and regain control, this guide will help you explore the best alternatives without compromising on functionality.

Why Move Away from VMware?

• Cost Increases: Enterprises report 2–10x price hikes.
• Licensing Restrictions: New rules, such as a 72-core minimum for vSphere, are driving up costs.
• Vendor Lock-In: Proprietary ecosystems limit flexibility.
• Cloud-Native Evolution: Many workloads are shifting to containers and hybrid cloud models.

Top VMware Alternatives

Here’s a focused comparison of the most viable platforms for Virtualisation Choices:

Choosing the Right Path

Your ideal VMware alternative depends on your priorities:

• Cost-Conscious SMBs: Proxmox VE
• Enterprise Hybrid Cloud: Nutanix AHV or Red Hat OpenShift
• Windows-Centric Environments: Microsoft Hyper-V
• Cloud-Native Workloads: AWS or Azure
• Open-Source Advocates: Proxmox VE

Migration Tips

1. Assess Your Workloads: Identify which VMs can be containerised or moved to the cloud.
2. Pilot First: Test your chosen platform in a non-production environment.
3. Plan for Downtime: Schedule migrations during low-usage periods.
4. Train Your Team: Ensure your IT staff is comfortable with the new platform.
5. Monitor and Optimise: Use observability tools to fine-tune performance post-migration.