VMware
Tesco vs Broadcom / VMware / Computacenter is turning into a landmark lawsuit
The case of Tesco vs Broadcom / VMware / Computacenter is turning into a landmark lawsuit that strikes at core software-licensing practices. Tesco is suing for at least £100 million in damages, and is seeking declarations, injunctive relief (to force supply), and specific performance. What’s driving the lawsuit What Tesco is claiming The legal grounds…
Read MoreFor Military VMware users: When Underwater Operations Meet Licensing Flexibility
Fun fact: VMware has introduced a new “critical” license designation to accommodate environments where continuous connectivity for license reporting is impossible, like military submarines. This tweak highlights the growing need for licensing models that account for truly disconnected or highly secure environments. What Changed VMware software subscriptions traditionally require one of two licensing modes: However,…
Read MoreEuropean Cloud Providers Drag Broadcom’s VMware Deal into Court
The legal battle over Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has entered a critical new phase, as the trade body Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) formally seeks the annulment of the European Commission’s decision to approve the deal.¹ In a detailed legal filing, CISPE has accused the EU’s top regulator of committing “a catalogue of…
Read MoreVMware Extended Support Lifecycles Signal Strategic Retreat Amid Customer Backlash
In a significant strategic pivot that reflects mounting enterprise resistance to Broadcom’s aggressive licensing overhaul, VMware has fundamentally altered its product development approach by extending release cycles from two to three years while simultaneously expanding support lifecycles. The changes, announced alongside the general availability of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, represent what industry analysts characterize as…
Read MoreVMware Reboots Partner Program Again: Smaller Cloud Providers Face Uncertain Future
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the virtualization industry, VMware has announced the second major overhaul of its partner program in just 18 months, effectively ending the current channel program and transitioning to a new invitation-only model that will exclude many smaller cloud service providers. The announcement, which came with little advance warning,…
Read MoreTelefónica Germany Ditches Broadcom, Opts for Third-Party VMware Support
In a move that sends a clear signal to the rest of the industry, Telefónica Germany, one of the country’s largest telecommunications providers, has dropped direct VMware support from Broadcom. The company has instead signed a multi-year deal with third-party support specialist Spinnaker Support. This decision reflects the growing dissatisfaction among large enterprise customers following…
Read MoreThe Great U-Turn: Citrix Re-Embraces VMware and Hyper-V in a Post-Broadcom World
In a stunning reversal of a long-standing and often controversial policy, Citrix has announced it will once again support mainstream hypervisors from VMware and Microsoft in its flagship virtual desktop platform.² This strategic U-turn, which abandons a policy designed to push customers onto Citrix’s own hypervisor, is a direct and calculated response to the seismic…
Read MoreA Victory for Software Ownership: Dutch Agency Wins Landmark Right to Resell Oracle Licenses
A Dutch public procurement agency has won a landmark legal victory against Oracle, securing the right to resell its surplus perpetual software licenses on the secondary market.¹ The ruling from a Dutch court in mid-2025 is a powerful affirmation of customer rights in the European Union and deals a significant blow to software vendors’ attempts…
Read MoreVMware’s Mandatory Compliance Reporting: What You Need to Know
Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has led to significant changes in licensing terms and conditions, notably affecting compliance reporting obligations. A crucial update that has slipped under the radar for many users is the Mandatory Compliance Reporting requirement embedded in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) licensing documentation. Understanding Mandatory Compliance Reporting Under Broadcom’s VMware licensing, customers must submit compliance…
Read MoreBroadcom Faces EU Scrutiny Over Controversial VMware Licensing Practices
Broadcom’s recent overhaul of VMware’s licensing model has sparked significant backlash from European cloud service providers, leading to calls for regulatory intervention. The European Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) and its monitoring body, the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO), have raised concerns about substantial price hikes and restrictive licensing terms imposed by Broadcom…
Read MoreVMware Walks Back Controversial Licensing Change After Industry Backlash, Denies Official Announcement
VMware customers and partners were recently taken aback by reports of a significant licensing policy change: the minimum core requirement for VMware licenses was to increase from 16 to 72 cores per purchase order. This change, set to take effect on April 10, 2025, was communicated through distributor memos, notably from Arrow, and was perceived…
Read MoreBroadcom’s Cease-and-Desist Letters to VMware Perpetual License Holders
Broadcom’s recent actions have sent ripples through the IT community. Following its acquisition of VMware in November 2023, Broadcom has been actively enforcing its new licensing policies, particularly targeting users of perpetual VMware licenses without active support contracts. This enforcement has taken the form of cease-and-desist letters, raising concerns and prompting discussions about software asset…
Read MoreFree ESXi Is Back! But What’s the Catch?
Broadcom quietly revives VMware’s free hypervisor, and the virtualization world takes notice. In a quiet yet significant pivot, Broadcom has reinstated the free version of VMware ESXi, the widely used Type 1 hypervisor, just over a year after pulling the plug on it. The return was noted subtly in the release notes for vSphere 8.0 Update…
Read MoreMajor Update for VMware Customers: minimum purchase requirement of 72 cores per product
EDIT: VMware Walks Back Controversial Licensing Change After Industry Backlash, Denies Official Announcement If you’re managing VMware licenses, this development demands your immediate attention. Starting April 10, 2025, VMware customers will face significant licensing changes following Broadcom’s updated policies. The update introduces a minimum purchase requirement of 72 cores per product, not a per-CPU licensing requirement…
Read MoreVMware’s Lawsuit Against Siemens: A Stark Reminder to Get Your Software Licensing in Order
In a significant development for the software licensing industry, VMware, now a subsidiary of Broadcom Inc., has initiated legal proceedings against Siemens AG and several of its U.S.-based subsidiaries. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, accuses Siemens of copyright infringement related to unauthorized usage of VMware software. The…
Read MoreIdentifying VMware Version and License Key
In this post, we will guide you through the steps to identify the VMware product you are running and the associated license key. VMware is a virtualization platform that allows you to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical host. To determine the version and license key, we will use the VMware vSphere Client…
Read MoreUnderstanding VMware’s Licensing Model
VMware is a virtualization and cloud computing software company that provides a range of products and solutions for managing IT infrastructures. One of the most important aspects of VMware’s offerings is its licensing model, which determines how customers can use its products and how much they need to pay for them. VMware’s licensing model can…
Read MoreLicensing changes ahead: Impact of the Broadcom-VMware acquisition on customers
The acquisition of VMware by Broadcom, announced in May 2022, presents significant implications for current and future customers of the virtualization software company. As is often the case with major changes among major suppliers, the effects of this acquisition can be broadly categorized into two groups: those who anticipate and plan for the changes and…
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