VMware gets simpler AI deployment and low-cost version for basic private clouds

Broadcom Inc. is enhancing its VMware portfolio with new features aimed at simplifying AI workload deployment, bolstering infrastructure security, and providing a more affordable option for smaller businesses. The company is updating its flagship private cloud platform, VMware Cloud Foundation, along with a range of optional advanced services.

Some of these improvements are currently available in VCF 9.1.1, while others are set to launch in the first quarter of Broadcom’s 2027 fiscal year. These updates are part of Broadcom’s strategy to position VCF as a unifying platform for virtual machines, containers, and AI workloads.

Among the new capabilities, AI Infrastructure Quickstart is an automated deployment tool designed to streamline the setup of private AI environments. It integrates vCenter cluster deployment, vSphere Supervisor activation, and VMware Kubernetes Service cluster provisioning into a single process, significantly reducing the time and effort required.

Additionally, multitenant model sharing enables multiple business units to utilize centrally deployed AI models while preserving distinct security boundaries and data privacy controls. This feature, already included in VCF 9.1.1, aims to lower GPU requirements and minimize redundant model deployments.

Broadcom is also introducing native S3-compatible object storage through VMware vSAN, which will be generally available in the next VCF release. This feature supports AI applications that rely on unstructured data and allows developers to provision storage via self-service interfaces. Security enhancements include the direct incorporation of confidential computing support for AMD and Intel processors into VCF, as well as planned policy-based virtual private cloud connectivity and automated infrastructure compliance checks.

These features continuously monitor infrastructure settings against industry standards, detect configuration drift, and offer remediation advice.

To strengthen disaster recovery, Broadcom is integrating these functionalities into the core VCF and VMware vSphere Foundation platforms. This will enable coordinated recovery across thousands of workloads, including recovery from outages, equipment failures, and natural disasters. Enhanced protection will be provided through VMware HyperArmor, a service offering hypervisor-level defenses such as virtual patching, continuous monitoring, and multifactor authentication.

Other advanced services, VMware Live Recovery and VMware Compliance and Configuration Management, address cyber recovery and ongoing compliance enforcement for virtual machines and containers.

Broadening its offerings for smaller customers, Broadcom introduces VMware vSphere Express, a new solution for environments with up to 128 processor cores. Based on vSphere 9, Express includes features like live virtual machine migration, high availability, distributed networking, security, and simplified patching. Aimed at customers who need basic virtualization without investing in more extensive and expensive platforms like VMware vSphere Foundation or VCF, Express is expected to be significantly more affordable.

While Broadcom has not disclosed pricing details, it indicated that Express would be substantially cheaper than its higher-end offerings.