Comeback at Broadcom: Update 3e makes VMware vSphere 8 available for free again

VMware vSphere 8 is once again available free of charge. With the release of Update 3e for VMware ESXi 8.0, users can download the entry-level version of the hypervisor free of charge. Broadcom discontinued the offer only last year. The US software company recently caused increased uncertainty among its customers with changes to its offering. Just one week after the announcement, Broadcom revised its decision to increase the minimum number of licensable cores from 16 to 72.

USB driver gets support for CDC-NCM

In addition to the return of the free hypervisor, ESXi 8.0 Update 3e brings support for the Communication Device Class Network Control Model (CDC-NCM) in the ESXi USB driver. With this, Broadcom aims to improve compatibility with HPE Gen12 iLO Virtual NIC and interoperability with HPE Agentless Management (AMS) and other management tools. The update also brings extended support for vSphere Quick Boot, which now also includes Intel vRAN Baseband, Intel Platform Monitoring and AMD Instinct MI Series. All changes can be found in the release notes.

IX-WORKSHOP: Administration of vSphere 7 and 8

The optimal configuration of a VMware environment and its efficient administration is not trivial and requires a lot of background and practical knowledge. In this five-day intensive workshop, you will learn how to install, configure and administer a vSphere 7+8 environment both via the graphical user interface and the command line. Each participant will have their own vSphere system available for the exercises.

Registration and tickets at heise.de/s/4rnbm

Following the acquisition of VMware in November 2023, Broadcom changed its licensing policy. The company replaced perpetual contracts with a subscription-based model and introduced core-based license models. VMware also offered a free version of the vSphere hypervisor prior to the acquisition. It was used in particular by users in home labs, for training purposes and in test environments. Broadcom discontinued this offer without replacement in February 2024.

Outlook

In view of the previous focus on large customers, the reintroduction of the free vSphere hypervisor is surprising and is likely to meet with a positive response primarily from individual users and small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, this step can be seen as a reaction to the widespread criticism of the past year –, but it remains to be seen whether this is a genuine change of course or merely a tactical maneuver to correct the company's image. The long-term effects on the VMware ecosystem and the direction of Broadcom's licensing policy remain to be seen.

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