VMware returns to low-end server virtualization with vSphere Express

VMware has returned to the low-end server virtualization market with a product called vSphere Express. The product is designed for small implementations and runs on up to 128 processor cores. It will be sold through distributors rather than through VMware's reduced reseller channel.

What vSphere Express includes

vSphere Express includes vMotion for live migration of virtual machines, automated restart of failed virtual machines, a distributed switch, rapid non-disruptive patching, and support for physical and virtual trusted platform modules. Each instance is discrete, so instances cannot be managed centrally. Prashanth Shenoy, vice president of product marketing in Broadcom's VMware Cloud Foundation, said the company has been listening to the market at the low end, which wants a basic core server virtualization platform. He said the product is tested for small implementations and that VMware does not want a customer to run it on thousands of cores, while vSphere Foundation and Cloud Foundation are appropriate for users with more complex needs. vSphere Express will match the release cadence of those products.

Sales channel and pricing

Under Broadcom's ownership, VMware has enormously reduced the number of resellers in its channel program, so it no longer has partners who are a good fit for this product. The company will therefore sell vSphere Express through its distributors, most of which now operate cloud marketplaces where affiliated resellers can acquire software, an arrangement channel folk call two-tier distribution. VMware declined to quote a dollar amount for the product. A spokesperson said it will offer a per-core subscription license at a price significantly lower than vSphere Foundation or Cloud Foundation, and encouraged interested customers to reach out to their local reseller for information related to pricing and subscription terms.

Broader VMware updates

VMware has also added disaster recovery and policy-based networking for virtual private clouds to vSphere Foundation and Cloud Foundation, features it previously sold as add-ons. Shenoy pitched the additions as demonstrating VMware's intention to add value to those bundles, in part by ensuring they include tools that users are likely to consider essential functionality. The Broadcom business unit will also add native AWS S3-compatible object storage for its VSAN virtual storage. That update, due in calendar Q1 of 2027, means VSAN will become a more convenient platform on which to store the unstructured data that AI workloads rely on, therefore boosting the utility of VMware's AI Factory. VMware also plans to make its AI Factory easier to implement. Shenoy said the idea is to focus more on AI and less on setup.

Reception and trust

VMware's return to the low-end server virtualization market may not be well received, because it has largely ignored users of its existing low-end vSphere Standard product for the last few years and irritated many by insisting they upgrade to the more expensive and complex Cloud Foundation. The virtualization giant also cast aside thousands of resellers. The Register reports that trust in the vendor has diminished among members of the VMware community. The Register's analysis says vSphere Express will likely get a mixed reception. Many vSphere Standard users will welcome a more appropriate and affordable upgrade option, especially because it means they will not need to learn new skills. Other users and former partners may wonder whether, having been bitten by Broadcom once, they should now be wary of vSphere Express. Broadcom shareholders should be enthusiastic, as VMware's decision not to sell to the low end of the market blocked its onramp to new users. The company now has another way to get VMware growing, if it can restore trust.

Sources: The Register