Broadcom and VMware - The Opinion Discussion Thread

Good gentles, if you've been like me at all, you've been reading the Broadcom news.  In the past, I was a heavy VMware user, but my current role has shifted away from hands-on management of hypervisors and servers.

I can see where Broadcom is coming from - the VMware portfolio was a good financial investment as it was for Dell before.

Before we go any further: this isn't a discussion about the finances - this is a discussion about the technology.

For many, VMware was the first good look at virtualization.  It was a departure from the way we'd been working with hardware for decades.  VMware ESX and the free version thereof was one of the best ways for up-and-coming IT professionals to have some experience with the industry-leading vendor.  Giving them an opportunity to sharpen their skills and make them ready to fold into the IT workforce.

In my home, I had labs with VMware for years on old HP DL380 Servers to keep me sharp.  It was a foundation of my technology learning.  Of course, for many, those days have passed and we're all working in Docker and Kubernetes.  The world of IT never stays still.  But for those of you who started with VMware, I'm curious about your feelings.

Here's my question to start the discussion: What do you think about the news coming out from the VMware camp?

Opinions are welcome, but responses will be monitored for harsh language and violations of the THWACK terms of service.  Consider yourself warned.

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  • I tend to agree with the overall tone. This may be the long slow march away from VMware. There are alternatives and the ability to shift into containers and cloud are are creating a new path. With VMware, I don't think any conversation can get too far from the finances. Anytime that you discuss a VMware solution, the first OR second item that comes up is cost. The only issue is the usual one - skills. You need people ready to jump into the water and effectively support those alternatives. When that starts changing, then I think this will gain steam.

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  • I tend to agree with the overall tone. This may be the long slow march away from VMware. There are alternatives and the ability to shift into containers and cloud are are creating a new path. With VMware, I don't think any conversation can get too far from the finances. Anytime that you discuss a VMware solution, the first OR second item that comes up is cost. The only issue is the usual one - skills. You need people ready to jump into the water and effectively support those alternatives. When that starts changing, then I think this will gain steam.

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