VMware returns to low-end server virtualization with 'vSphere Express'
128-cores max, sold on distributors' marketplaces, and in with a shot of restoring some trust
VMware has reintroduced its low-end server virtualization solution, dubbed vSphere Express, to the market. This product supports up to 128 processor cores and offers features such as vMotion for live VM migration, automated restart of failed VMs, a distributed switch, rapid non-disruptive patching, and support for physical and virtual trusted platform modules.
According to Prashanth Shenoy, vice president of product marketing, this product is tailored for small implementations and will not be managed centrally. Shenoy emphasized that vSphere Express is not intended for large-scale deployments with thousands of cores. Instead, he suggested that customers requiring more advanced capabilities should opt for VMware's enterprise virtualization product, VVF, or its private cloud suite, VCF.
The release cadence of vSphere Express will match that of VVF and VCF. Due to Broadcom's ownership, VMware has significantly reduced its reseller network, leading to the sale of vSphere Express through distributors with cloud marketplaces. The pricing for vSphere Express will be a per-core subscription license at a lower cost than VVF or VCF, though the exact amount has not been disclosed.
VMware has also enhanced VVF and VCF by incorporating disaster recovery and policy-based networking for virtual private clouds, which were previously sold as add-ons. Shenoy affirmed that these enhancements aim to add value to the existing products. Additionally, VMware plans to integrate native AWS S3-compatible object storage for its VSAN virtual storage, scheduled for release in Q1 2027, making VSAN a more efficient platform for storing unstructured data used by AI workloads.
Shenoy also mentioned plans to simplify the implementation of VMware's AI Factory, focusing more on AI functionality and less on setup. The reception to vSphere Express in the low-end market may be mixed, as some existing vSphere Standard users may welcome this more affordable upgrade option, while others could be wary due to Broadcom's involvement and potential trust issues.
Written by urgent.news from The Register Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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