TLDR¶

• Core Points: A CloudBolt survey indicates most VMware customers are continuing to shrink their VMware footprint; security, cloud strategies, and cost concerns drive reductions. Broadcom’s stance emphasizes selective customer engagement.

• Main Content: The majority of VMware users are actively reducing their reliance on VMware, citing cost, complexity, and migration toward hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Broadcom’s strategy prioritizes selective customer relationships rather than attempting to retain every client.

• Key Insights: Fragmented cloud strategies, ongoing modernization initiatives, and a shift toward integrated platforms are reshaping VMware adoption. Vendors increasingly favor flexible, multi-cloud approaches over single-vendor footprints.

• Considerations: Enterprises should plan for multi-cloud governance, modernize workloads, and align licensing with consumption models. Vendors and customers must navigate transition costs and compatibility challenges.

• Recommended Actions: Assess current VMware usage and dependencies, map migration paths to alternative platforms or hybrid architectures, and establish governance and cost-control mechanisms to manage transitions.

Content Overview¶

The technology landscape surrounding virtualization and cloud infrastructure remains dynamic, with enterprises continually reevaluating their dependencies on VMware. A recent survey conducted or cited by CloudBolt highlights a striking trend: a substantial portion of VMware users are actively working to reduce their VMware footprint. This finding aligns with broader industry movements toward hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, modernization programs, and more flexible software licensing and consumption models. While VMware has long been a dominant force in data center virtualization, its role in enterprise architecture is increasingly viewed through a lens of modularity and portability, rather than as a one-stop platform.

The context for these shifts includes ongoing infrastructure modernization, the rise of container orchestration, and the need for consistent management across diverse cloud environments. In parallel, Broadcom—VMware’s parent company—has signaled a strategic posture that does not aim to keep every customer within the fold indefinitely. This stance emphasizes selective engagement and a focus on high-value relationships, potentially accelerating customers’ migration decisions and influencing how enterprises prioritize vendor partnerships.

Overall, the article behind these observations points to a landscape where the practical realities of cost, complexity, and multi-cloud ambitions are pushing organizations to re-evaluate VMware-centric approaches. The takeaway is not a simple departure from VMware but a recalibration of how VMware fits within a broader, more federated, and cloud-agnostic IT strategy. Professionals should watch for continued shifts in licensing terms, product roadmaps, and interoperability efforts as the market adapts to evolving operational requirements.

In-Depth Analysis¶

The core finding from the CloudBolt-derived survey is that the majority of VMware users are actively reducing their VMware footprint. This trend is noteworthy, given VMware’s long-standing dominance in virtualization and data center operations. The implications are multi-faceted and reflect shifting priorities in enterprise IT.

First, cost considerations remain central. Enterprises are constantly reconciling the total cost of ownership (TCO) of virtualization environments, particularly in the context of evolving licensing structures introduced or adopted by VMware’s parent company, Broadcom. While VMware products continue to deliver robust performance, the economics of maintaining large, VMware-centric stacks can become less attractive as organizations pursue cost-optimized, cloud-first or cloud-agnostic strategies. The desire to consolidate licenses, optimize compute and storage resources, and prevent licensing fragmentation is contributing to a broader movement away from entrenched VMware footprints.

Second, complexity and management overhead are driving change. Large virtualized environments can entail intricate configurations, upgrade cycles, and compatibility considerations across a spectrum of hardware, hypervisors, and management tools. As enterprises expand into hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, maintaining consistency and governance across disparate platforms becomes increasingly challenging. This pushes IT teams to adopt more flexible management frameworks and seek solutions that offer seamless interoperability or easier migration paths between on-premises, public cloud, and edge environments.

Third, modernization and transformation initiatives play a significant role. Many organizations have embarked on modernization programs that favor containerization, microservices, and evolving infrastructure-as-code practices. In this context, VMware’s traditional virtualization stack may become a component rather than the foundation of their IT strategy. Kubernetes-based environments, cloud-native tooling, and automated deployment pipelines can complement or, in some cases, supersede VMware-centric workflows. The shift toward modern application architectures naturally surfaces questions about how best to allocate resources, manage life cycles, and ensure security across flexible environments.

Fourth, the strategic posture of Broadcom as VMware’s parent company influences customer decisions. Broadcom has indicated a preference for selective engagement rather than a universal, keep-every-customer strategy. This approach can alter customers’ expectations about vendor support and upgrade trajectories and may encourage them to diversify or accelerate migration plans to preserve control over their technology stack. The dynamic between Broadcom’s financial and strategic objectives and customer loyalty outcomes is a critical factor shaping how enterprises approach VMware relationships going forward.

Fifth, cloud strategy maturity and governance frameworks are evolving. Enterprises increasingly aim to deploy consistent policy, security controls, and cost governance across all cloud instances and on-premises environments. Managing governance at scale requires tools and processes that can span multiple platforms, reducing the appeal of a single-vendor approach. This trend strengthens the appeal of multi-cloud platforms or hybrid stacks that deliver uniform management experiences, standardized security baselines, and predictable licensing models.

The survey’s findings should be interpreted as part of a broader narrative about how enterprises are evolving their core infrastructure. Rather than a wholesale retreat from VMware, the data suggests a pragmatic reconfiguration of its role within a diversified portfolio of technologies. VMware remains relevant for certain use cases—such as legacy workloads, specific virtualization capabilities, or environments where operators rely on mature ecosystem tooling. However, for many organizations, the immediate priority is reducing dependence, simplifying management, and aligning technology choices with a more flexible, cloud-centric operating model.

In addition to the business implications, there are technical considerations for those continuing to maintain substantial VMware footprints. Compatibility with newer hardware and software stacks, the ability to support modern operating systems and applications, and the integration with cloud-native services are ongoing concerns. Enterprises must assess whether VMware-based solutions can deliver the necessary performance and security within evolving architectures, or whether migration strategies to alternative platforms – be they modern virtualization, container-based deployments, or hybrid platforms – offer a more sustainable path.

The landscape also invites broader questions about VMware’s product strategy and roadmap. Customers and analysts will be watching for how VMware evolves to support containerized workloads, edge computing, and cross-cloud management with consistent policy enforcement. The degree to which VMware products align with the goals of modern DevOps practices and security-by-design principles will influence the speed and credibility of migration plans. Vendors that provide complementary or integrative capabilities across clouds will likely gain traction as enterprises seek to reduce vendor lock-in while preserving operational reliability.

*圖片來源：media_content*

From a workforce perspective, the shift implies a need for reskilling and upskilling IT staff. As organizations move toward multi-cloud architectures and more automated provisioning, teams must develop competencies in cloud-native tooling, container orchestration, and cross-platform governance. Training and knowledge transfer become critical enablers of any transition, helping to minimize risk and ensure a smooth path to modernization. The human factor—change management, stakeholder alignment, and clear communication of migration goals—will significantly influence the success of any effort to reduce VMware footprints.

Overall, the findings reinforce a trend toward more flexible, modular, and cloud-agnostic IT environments. The emphasis is not simply on exiting VMware but on rethinking how virtualization, cloud services, and management tooling fit together to meet business objectives. Enterprises that plan thoughtfully, invest in governance, and adopt interoperable solutions stand a better chance of achieving cost savings, agility, and resilience in the face of evolving technology demands.

Perspectives and Impact¶

The consequences of a continued push to minimize VMware dependence are far-reaching for customers, vendors, and the broader ecosystem. For customers, the primary impact is the potential for greater operational flexibility and improved alignment with business goals that prioritize speed to market and scalable cloud investments. However, this comes with transitional risk, including potential data gravity challenges, compatibility issues, and the need to redesign certain workloads for cloud-native environments or alternative virtualization approaches. Enterprises should approach these transitions with a clear roadmap, prioritizing workloads for migration based on factors such as complexity, criticality, and potential for cost optimization.

From a vendor perspective, Broadcom’s explicit strategy to avoid rigidly clinging to every customer signals a shift in market dynamics. Vendors may need to recalibrate how they structure support, licensing, and value propositions to align with a diverse and possibly shorter-term customer horizon. This could encourage the development of more modular, consumption-based pricing, and a stronger emphasis on enabling seamless migrations or hybrid deployments. For VMware’s ecosystem of partners—system integrators, managed service providers, and software vendors—the changing landscape presents both risk and opportunity. Partners that offer robust migration services, multi-cloud governance tools, and cloud-native modernization capabilities could find favorable demand, while those locked into a single-platform approach may encounter growing challenges.

The broader market implications include intensified competition among virtualization and cloud management platforms that promise better interoperability and more efficient migration paths. As enterprises seek to minimize vendor lock-in, solutions that provide consistent management and policy enforcement across clouds will attract attention. This environment incentivizes vendors to invest in open standards, improved interoperability, and collaborative ecosystems that reduce the friction associated with moving workloads between environments.

One notable trend is the growing importance of governance and cost management tools. With multi-cloud and hybrid architectures, organizations require visibility into usage, spend, and security postures across diverse environments. The ability to enforce policy consistently, automate waste reduction, and optimize resource allocation becomes a differentiator in a crowded market. Companies that invest in such capabilities are more likely to maintain control over their IT investments while still pursuing the agility benefits of cloud-native architectures.

For enterprises embarking on this transition, a phased approach may prove most prudent. Initial steps often involve inventorying and categorizing workloads to determine migration readiness, followed by establishing a prioritized roadmap. Early wins may focus on non-critical, easily portable workloads or those with straightforward cost savings potential. Concurrently, it is essential to maintain security baselines and compliance positions throughout the transition, ensuring that data protection and regulatory requirements are upheld.

The impact on personnel should not be underestimated. As architecture shifts, teams will need to adopt new tools and workflows. Continuous learning and professional development should be embedded in the transition plan to ensure staff remain proficient in modern practices. Leadership must communicate a compelling vision that connects technology changes to business outcomes, mitigating resistance and fostering stakeholder buy-in.

Looking ahead, the market is likely to continue prioritizing flexibility, modularity, and openness. Enterprises will favor platforms that can blend virtualization with container orchestration, hybrid cloud management, and automated operations. This preference will drive continued investment in products and services that ease migrations, reduce total costs of ownership, and provide reliable performance in diverse environments. The trajectory suggests sustained momentum for moves away from monolithic, VMware-centric architectures toward more adaptable, multi-cloud-ready infrastructures.

Key Takeaways¶

Main Points:
– The majority of VMware users are actively reducing their VMware footprint.
– Cost, complexity, and the shift to multi-cloud strategies are primary drivers.
– Broadcom’s strategy emphasizes selective customer engagement over universal retention.

Areas of Concern:
– Transitional risk during migrations, including data gravity and compatibility.
– Potential disruption to operations if migrations are rushed or poorly planned.
– Licensing changes and pricing models that may affect total cost of ownership.

Summary and Recommendations¶

The current industry momentum indicates that many enterprises view VMware as a component within a broader, more flexible IT strategy rather than the sole foundation of their virtualization and cloud operating model. This perspective is shaped by financial considerations, complexity management, modernization agendas, and strategic vendor positioning under Broadcom. While VMware remains a critical tool for certain workloads and environments, organizations are increasingly pursuing multi-cloud and hybrid approaches to gain portability, governance, and cost efficiency.

For organizations contemplating reductions in their VMware footprint, a disciplined, strategic plan is essential. First, conduct a comprehensive inventory of workloads to identify those suitable for migration, modernization, or retirement. Classify workloads by criticality, portability, and potential value from cloud-native architectures. Second, develop a phased migration roadmap that prioritizes low-risk, high-value workloads, with clear milestones and measurable outcomes. Third, establish robust governance, cost-management, and security policies that apply across all platforms to prevent governance gaps during the transition. Fourth, invest in workforce development to build capabilities in cloud-native technologies, automation, and cross-platform management. Finally, maintain an ongoing dialogue with vendors to understand roadmaps, licensing implications, and support options that align with the organization’s strategic direction.

For vendors and policy makers, the emphasis should be on enabling smoother transitions through interoperable tools, open standards, and flexible pricing. Encouraging portability and reducing friction in moving workloads across environments can help customers achieve desired outcomes without being locked into any single platform. Transparent product roadmaps, predictable licensing changes, and strong customer support during migration periods will be critical to sustaining trust and enabling successful modernization journeys.

In sum, the trend toward reducing VMware footprints signals a maturation of enterprise IT strategies toward versatility and resilience. As organizations navigate the complexities of multi-cloud adoption and modernization, the ability to manage complexity, control costs, and maintain security across diverse environments will determine the success of these transitions. VMware’s role in this evolving landscape will likely continue to shift—from a centralized platform to one element within a diversified, cloud-ready architecture.

References¶

• Original: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/02/most-vmware-users-still-actively-reducing-their-vmware-footprint-survey-finds/
• [Add 2-3 relevant reference links based on article content]

*圖片來源：Unsplash*