Microsoft ends one of the last ways to buy VMware without big bundles
Broadcom’s VCF-or-nothing licenses are coming to Azure
Microsoft will end one of the last ways to purchase VMware products independently, outside of large bundles. The company's main offering for VMware users is the Azure VMware Solution (AVS), a cloud-based solution that includes vCenter, vSAN, vSphere, and NSX, but not the Software-Defined Datacenter Manager tool. Broadcom, which acquired VMware, has shifted its focus to its flagship Cloud Foundation (VCF) suite and no longer sells standalone low-end server virtualization products.
The VMware channel and sales team rarely sell vSphere Foundation licenses outside of larger deals that include VCF. This change means that organizations wanting to keep using VMware but not transitioning to VCF will find it more challenging. Microsoft has announced that it will retire the license-included version of AVS by October 31, 2026, and customers will need to acquire a VCF license and transition by August 30, 2027. The company advises customers to plan accordingly to avoid service disruptions.
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