The acquisition of virtualisation supplier VMware by Broadcom has resulted in significant changes to VMware’s product offerings and licensing terms. One of the technologies affected by these changes is VMware’s storage virtualisation solution, vSAN.
The modifications to vSAN may lead to increased costs for some businesses in terms of their storage infrastructure. As a result, some organizations are exploring alternatives to VMware and considering migrating their data storage as well.
However, transitioning away from vSAN involves more than just selecting a new vendor. Organizations must ensure that the new storage architecture aligns with vSAN’s capabilities and carefully plan the migration process to minimize downtime and mitigate the risk of data loss.
The key changes in VMware’s licensing include a shift from perpetual licenses to a subscription-based model. Additionally, under Broadcom’s ownership, VMware has streamlined its license offerings by introducing bundles and discontinuing certain standalone products. For example, the free edition of the VMware vSphere ESXi hypervisor has been phased out.
In terms of storage, the standalone product vSAN Max, which separated storage from the wider vSphere platform, will no longer be available. Instead, storage services will be bundled into VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and the on-premise vSphere Foundation offering, or offered as capacity-based add-ons. Customers still have the option to use third-party storage, with enhanced support for third-party solutions coming in the future.
The aim of these changes is to create a more simplified pricing and licensing structure, with VCF and vSphere customers gaining access to all of VMware’s storage products. This consolidation will result in a reduction of vSAN editions from five to one, along with capacity-based pricing.
Organizations that opt to move away from vSAN may face higher costs, such as a minimum licensed capacity requirement of 8TB per CPU for vSphere. Those using vSAN as a standalone product will need to transition to either vSphere or VCF, or consider alternative storage solutions.
In summary, the evolving landscape of VMware’s product offerings and licensing terms necessitates careful consideration for organizations looking to migrate from vSAN. It is crucial to assess the compatibility of alternative storage solutions, plan the migration process diligently, and ensure a smooth transition to mitigate any potential disruptions.
