The virtualization market is undergoing significant changes. The acquisition of VMware by Broadcom has led to a sharp increase in licensing costs and stricter conditions, creating serious challenges for many organizations.
For example, the new minimum licensing requirement for 72 CPU cores and a 20% penalty for late subscription renewals pose a substantial financial burden on smaller customers.
This situation opens the door for alternative virtualization solutions that are more affordable and flexible.
Proxmox VE – Open-Source Virtualization for SMBs
Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE) is an open-source platform that combines KVM and LXC virtualization with a user-friendly web interface.
It’s ideal for small and medium-sized businesses looking for a reliable and cost-effective solution.
Key Features:
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KVM and LXC Support: Allows running both virtual machines and containers.
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Web Interface: Manage everything easily via your browser.
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Live Migration: Move running VMs between hosts with zero downtime.
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Storage Flexibility: Supports NFS, iSCSI, Ceph, and more.
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Backup and Restore: Integrated tools for backing up and restoring VMs.
Proxmox is freely available, with the option to purchase enterprise support, making it an attractive choice for organizations with limited budgets.
KVM – High-Performance Virtualization Integrated into Linux
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is built directly into the Linux kernel and provides full hardware virtualization.
It is suitable for organizations already using Linux and looking for an integrated virtualization solution.
Advantages:
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High Performance: Almost native performance thanks to tight kernel integration.
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Flexibility: Supports a wide range of host and guest operating systems.
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Scalability: Suitable for everything from small environments to large data centers.
You can manage KVM using tools like Virt-Manager or Cockpit, offering a graphical interface for managing virtual machines.
Xen and XCP-ng – Stability and Performance for Demanding Environments
Xen is a well-established Hypervisor with a long history in virtualization.
XCP-ng is an open-source fork of XenServer, offering a modern interface and an active community.
Main Advantages:
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Stability: Proven technology with broad industry support.
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Security: Strong isolation between virtual machines.
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Management: XCP-ng provides Xen Orchestra, a web interface for easy management.
XCP-ng is ideal for organizations looking for a robust and secure open-source virtualization solution.
Hyper-V – Microsoft’s Solution for Windows Environments
Hyper-V is Microsoft’s hypervisor integrated into Windows Server, ideal for organizations that primarily operate within a Microsoft environment.
Key Features:
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Windows Integration: Seamless collaboration with other Microsoft tools.
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Licensing Benefits: With the Datacenter edition, you can run unlimited VMs.
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Management Tools: Manage with Hyper-V Manager or System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM).
Hyper-V is a good fit for organizations already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Other Alternatives
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Nutanix AHV: A hyper-converged platform with its own AHV hypervisor, ideal for large enterprises seeking an integrated solution.
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Oracle VirtualBox: A free and user-friendly hypervisor suitable for desktop and testing environments.
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oVirt: An open-source virtualization platform based on KVM, suitable for medium and large enterprises.
Changes in VMware’s licensing policy are forcing organizations to explore alternative virtualization solutions.
Proxmox, KVM, Xen/XCP-ng, and Hyper-V represent robust and affordable alternatives that can meet the needs of different types of organizations.
When selecting the right platform, it’s crucial to consider your infrastructure’s specific requirements, your team’s technical expertise, and long-term operational and support costs.
Migrating to an alternative solution can lead not only to cost savings but also to greater flexibility and control over your virtualization infrastructure.