LAS VEGAS – VMware Cloud Foundation is introducing a host of new features and capabilities that are so significant, the platform is making a giant leap from version 5 to version 9.
At the VMware Explore 2024 conference, updates for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) were unveiled, aiming to tailor a private cloud specifically for enterprise IT needs. VCF is Broadcom’s SaaS version of the VMware infrastructure platform.
Additionally, updates for VMware Tanzu 10 and Project Cypress, a generative AI chatbot for threat remediation in the vDefend firewall, were announced. The new VCF capabilities promise automation for virtualization tasks, performance improvements, and a catalog of cloud services.
Broadcom’s strategy aims to consolidate various offerings into just two products, focusing exclusively on private hybrid clouds. The recent shift represents a departure from VMware’s previous multi-cloud strategy, analysts say.
The capabilities in the VCF 9 update include integrated multi-tenancy and network isolation services, a single cloud console for automation, and a migration service called VCF Import. This service allows customers to manage vSphere and vSAN environments without the need for a complete rebuild.
Overall, the updates seek to create a unified private cloud experience for VMware customers, while also aiming to attract the attention of IT decision makers rather than developers. This shift has been met with some skepticism from analysts who believe that challengers in the market may rise to compete with Broadcom’s offerings.
Despite Broadcom’s focus on the IT decision makers, other players in the market such as Nutanix and open-source options like Proxmox could still pose a challenge for VMware. The competitive landscape is expected to evolve in response to Broadcom’s changes, with opportunities for alternative platforms to gain traction in the market.