Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware in 2023 and the subsequent price hikes were a wake up call to the dangers of vendor lock-in and IT dependency on inflexible, closed cloud systems. Some customers experienced price increases of up to 1,500%.
However the fear of causing disruption by migrating workloads has led many to hesitate when selecting a new alternative virtualization and cloud platform.
CEO of OpenNebula Systems.
However, VMware exit and platform migration are now becoming strategic moves rather than just a cost-cutting exercise, and if done correctly, they offer a chance for organizations to modernize, innovate, and future-proof their infrastructure while allowing greater efficiency, flexibility, and control.
VMware exit as a competitive edge
The acquisition of VMware has fractured the European cloud market into two groups: organizations that are still tied to contracts, and those that are already looking for an exit.
Cloud migration should no longer be seen as a complicated set back, but rather a way for organizations to look ahead and redesign their systems for long-term efficiency and flexibility.
Transferring to open, modular and vendor-neutral infrastructure can help them regain control of their systems, data, strategy, and budgets. Companies can now select hardware-agnostic platforms that allow easy integration with existing infrastructure, without the need for costly proprietary hardware or resources.
These can also be customized, allowing companies to create tailor-made solutions.
Securing sovereignty and AI strategy
Two additional forces are accelerating VMware migration decisions today: sovereignty and AI.
Sovereignty is no longer just a regulatory checkbox related to cloud services locations. For many organizations, especially in the EU and UK it has become a concrete operational and supplier requirement.
As data protection rules evolve and enforcement tightens, IT teams are increasingly expected to guarantee direct control over data location, access, and governance. This is particularly true for workloads involving personal data, intellectual property, or strategic business systems.
In that context, continuing to rely on tightly controlled, proprietary virtualization stacks raises legitimate concerns about long-term autonomy and risk.
This shift is reflected across the market. Analysts consistently point out that most enterprises outside the U.S. are now actively defining digital sovereignty strategies.
As a result, VMware migration is no longer driven only by licensing or cost considerations; it is increasingly about who ultimately controls the software layer and how adaptable it is to regulatory and organizational change.
AI is the second force reshaping how organizations think about moving away from VMware. What used to be experimental projects are now becoming part of daily operations, and that shift is exposing the limits of traditional virtualization platforms.
Running AI workloads, especially those that depend on GPUs, requires more flexibility in how infrastructure is configured, shared, and scaled.
Many teams are discovering that their AI plans and their VMware migration plans are closely linked. The platform chosen today will determine how easily GPUs can be managed, how AI workloads are isolated, and how quickly new tools and models can be adopted.
Moving to a more open and adaptable cloud platform gives teams room to experiment, adjust, and grow - without constantly working around platform constraints. In that sense, leaving VMware isn’t just about replacing technology; it’s about giving infrastructure teams the freedom to support what comes next.
Migration mistakes CIOs must know
Many organizations rush into migration thinking it’s just a hypervisor swap. However, jumping from one proprietary stack straight into another one is inadvisable, and CIOs will soon discover the same problems they experienced with the previous vendor.
Some take the attitude that they will switch vendors and unify everything at a later point, but this almost never happens. In the most likely scenario, they end up with two different stacks, two sets of tools, and twice the complexity.
And when they finally try to bring everything together, they discover a whole new set of problems: different APIs, different upgrade cycles, and different support models. It becomes even harder to operate than before.
Organizations tired of overly complex platforms also mistakenly flock to very basic non-enterprise solutions, which are built on top of existing operating systems. These kinds of set ups are simply not designed for enterprise production at scale, and companies choosing this method will struggle to continue operations as normal.
Instead, CIOs must pursue options that are enterprise-ready, open and sovereign, and plan well ahead. Any transition will take time; this isn’t something that can be completed in a quarter.
Organizations should be sure their new stack is completely right for them before migrating, and most will need at least six months to prepare, test, and migrate the first workloads. For CIOs looking to switch providers, exit planning must start now, not when the contract is about to expire.
Future-proofing for the next decade
VMware exit is no longer just a cost-cutting exercise, but has become a proactive strategy for developing long-term resilience. The VMware acquisition has revealed the dangers of dependence on closed systems and has given organizations the chance to reassess, modernize and regain control of their infrastructure.
By migrating to open, modular and sovereign platforms, businesses not only protect themselves from future market shocks but also position their systems to support emerging demands like data governance and AI.
The organizations that approach cloud exit carefully, avoiding the trap of transferring from one proprietary system to another, will unlock greater flexibility, improved cost efficiency, and a clearer path forward.
For CIOs, this means planning early and viewing VMware exit not as a setback, but as an opportunity to build infrastructure that truly serves their business.
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