Looking For VMware Alternatives? Your Questions Asked & Answered

Are There Any VMware Alternatives? The Answer Is Yes.

VMWare users everywhere are wondering where they stand after the recent Broadcom acquisition threatens to upset the partner relationship many companies rely on. We know you have questions about the best path forward, so we asked our cloud technology team to provide some answers. Here, they’ve given us the current lay of the land, outlined some viable alternatives for VMware users feeling left out in the cold, and provided some hints on selecting the right VMware alternative for your organization. 

What Happened to VMWare? 

Broadcom completed its VMWare acquisition in November and quickly rolled out sweeping changes to its partner program, effectively excommunicating thousands of cloud service providers, distributors, resellers, and other solution providers (and their customers). Tens of thousands of businesses are left wondering how and where they’ll get support for VMWare and, given the circumstances, whether it’s time to look for an alternative to VMWare.

What Are the VMware Alternatives? 

While VMware was/is considered the leader in the virtualization technology space, there are viable alternatives. Below is a list of several options you could consider. Determining the ideal VMware alternative for your organization is something Velosio can help with. 

1. Nutanix
   Nutanix is a VMware competitor worth considering, especially for customers looking for virtual desktop infrastructure or desktop-as-a-service functionality.
2. Oracle
   Then there’s this familiar name, Oracle, which offers a suite of virtual machine monitors (VMMs) or hypervisors for everything from desktop virtualization to large datacenter-scale deployments.
3. Microsoft Hyper-V
   There are two options for customers wishing to remain closely aligned with Microsoft’s software ecosystem. For small businesses that just need to run a couple of virtual machines, there’s Microsoft’s venerable Hyper-V, which ships with Windows Server. Read about your second Microsoft VMware alternative option, Azure VMware, in #7 below.
4. Red Hat and OpenShift Virtualization
   For those businesses in the Red Hat camp, the choice is a bit complicated (and outside the scope of this brief article) — but essentially, it boils down to OpenShift Virtualization, which runs virtual machines side-by-side with containers and treats them as native Kubernetes objects within OpenShift. Adopting OpenShift Virtualization, therefore means learning a container-centric management approach.
5. Citrix Hypervisor
   Citrix Hypervisor is an open-source platform for virtualization known for its high availability and enhanced security capabilities. Users considering Citrix should be aware of its relatively limited compatibility with third-party applications and a learning curve that might be more demanding than VMware’s.
6. Scale Computing
   Scale Computing has positioned itself as a VMware alternative for a long time, and it is known for its simplicity and ease of use.
7. And Then There’s “VMWare Elsewhere”
   A viable alternative to VMware is actually continuing to use VMware (essentially), but rather than hosting it on-premises, you can host it on one of the big three public cloud services. By choosing any of these options, you’ll be able to keep managing your existing environments with the same VMware tools you already know while you modernize your applications with cloud-native services.

Microsoft Azure VMware: Microsoft Azure VMware Solution enables seamless migration and extension of on-premises VMware workloads to the Azure cloud, providing an integrated environment that combines the familiarity of VMware with the flexibility and scalability of Azure’s infrastructure. 

VMware Cloud on AWS: VMware Cloud on AWS is a hybrid cloud service that extends on-premises VMware environments to Amazon’s cloud infrastructure, allowing businesses to leverage VMware’s virtualization capabilities within AWS’s expansive and scalable ecosystem.  

Google Cloud VMware Engine: Google Cloud VMware Engine offers a fully managed VMware platform within Google Cloud, allowing organizations to run their VMware workloads natively and connect VMware environments with Google Cloud services for modernizing applications. 

How Do I Know Which VMware Alternative Is Right For My Organization? 

When exploring alternatives to VMware for virtualization, conducting a thorough assessment that covers a broad range of factors is essential. Here are several factors to consider.  

1. Compatibility and Integration: Confirm that the alternative is compatible with your existing infrastructure and can be smoothly integrated into your current systems and workflows. 
2. Scalability and Performance: Evaluate the software’s scalability to ensure it can accommodate future growth and verify that it meets the performance requirements for your applications. 
3. Support and Community: Look into the availability and quality of vendor support and the presence of a robust community for additional resources and shared expertise. 
4. Cost Analysis: Factor in the total cost of ownership, including licensing, support, and any necessary hardware upgrades, as well as ongoing operational expenses like maintenance and training. 
5. Security and Compliance: Thoroughly review the security features the software offers and confirm that it adheres to necessary compliance standards for your industry. 
6. User Experience: Consider the software’s usability and the management tools provided, ensuring they align with your team’s expertise and daily operational needs. 
7. Vendor Reputation: Research the vendor’s history in the market, focusing on their stability, customer service quality, and commitment to ongoing innovation. 

By carefully considering these aspects, you can make a more informed decision that aligns with your organization’s needs and strategic goals. Velosio can help you evaluate VMware alternatives against these factors to help you make the most informed choice.  

Get Started Now 

We understand that deciding to remain with VMware or move to an alternative is a big decision. To help get you started on the right foot, Velosio offers a No Cost Azure Migration tailored to VMware users. But rest assured, we’re here to help you make the best decision for your organization — even if that doesn’t involve a move to Azure. Reach out to Velosio’s team of Azure specialists to learn more.