Most VMware users still "actively reducing their VMware footprint," survey finds - Ars Technica
Summary
A recent CloudBolt survey reveals that VMware users are actively reducing their reliance on the platform due to rising costs and uncertainty following Broadcom's acquisition.
Why It Matters
This article highlights the ongoing challenges faced by VMware customers post-acquisition by Broadcom, particularly regarding pricing and vendor lock-in. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for IT decision-makers as they navigate cloud strategies and vendor relationships in a shifting market.
Key Takeaways
- 88% of VMware users find the acquisition by Broadcom disruptive.
- 89% of respondents cite price increases as a major concern.
- 86% are actively reducing their VMware footprint, with many migrating to public cloud services.
- Migration challenges include multi-platform complexity and skills gaps.
- Despite smaller price hikes than feared, ongoing concerns about future costs remain.
Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav More than two years after Broadcom took over VMware, the virtualization company’s customers are still grappling with higher prices, uncertainty, and the challenges of reducing vendor lock-in. Today, CloudBolt Software released a report, “The Mass Exodus That Never Was: The Squeeze Is Just Beginning,” that provides insight into those struggles. CloudBolt is a hybrid cloud management platform provider that aims to identify VMware customers’ pain points so it can sell them relevant solutions. In the report, CloudBolt said it surveyed 302 IT decision-makers (director-level or higher) at North American companies with at least 1,000 employees in January. The survey is far from comprehensive, but it offers a look at the obstacles these users face. Broadcom closed its VMware acquisition in November 2023, and last month, 88 percent of survey respondents still described the change as “disruptive.” Per the survey, the most cited drivers of disruption were price increases (named by 89 percent of respondents), followed by uncertainty about Broadcom’s plans (85 percent), support quality concerns (78 percent), Broadcom shifting VMware from perpetual licenses to subscriptions (72 percent), changes to VMware’s partner program (68 percent), and the forced bundling of products (65 percent). When Broadcom bought VMware, some customers shared horror sto...
