VMware vs. OpenStack: cost, risk, and a controlled exit
VMware remains common, but Broadcom-era licensing reshaped budgets. OpenStack with clouditiv delivers comparable IaaS primitives with transparent economics and EU-friendly operations.
| clouditiv | VMware by Broadcom | |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial pressure | No VMware per-CPU tax after migration | Documented price spikes and bundle pressure |
| Lock-in | Open APIs, portable VMs | Deep VMware dependency |
| Time to alternative | <60 min fresh cluster + 4–6 week migrations | Staying fast, exiting slow/costly |
| Operations | Optional German 24/7 managed service | Support entitlements vary; US HQs common |
FAQ: VMware vs. OpenStack
- Feature parity?
- OpenStack covers mainstream IaaS (VMs, SDN, storage, LB, Kubernetes). Edge cases are captured in assessments with a clear roadmap.
- Migration duration?
- Typically 4–6 weeks for production estates using phased waves.
- Pricing?
- Published per-socket pricing starting at €149/month plus optional support tiers.