Broadcom Revives Free Access to VMware vSphere 8 with Update 3e

Broadcom has announced the reinstatement of its free VMware vSphere 8 hypervisor for testing purposes, following the release of Update 3e for VMware ESXi 8.0. This development comes after the company previously discontinued the availability of the free version last year, which had raised concerns among users regarding the company's licensing changes.

Previously, Broadcom had increased the minimum number of licensed cores required from 16 to 72 shortly after announcing changes to its licensing policy, causing considerable unrest among its customer base. The reinstatement of the free hypervisor is seen as a significant step in responding to user feedback and criticism regarding its licensing practices.

In addition to reintroducing the free hypervisor, Update 3e enhances the USB driver with support for the Communication Device Class Network Control Model (CDC-NCM). This improvement aims to enhance interoperability with HPE Gen12 iLO Virtual NIC and HPE Agentless Management (AMS) tools, streamlining management capabilities for users. The update also expands support for vSphere Quick Boot, now incorporating Intel vRAN Baseband, Intel Platform Monitoring, and AMD Instinct MI Series.

Broadcom's licensing strategy underwent a notable shift following its acquisition of VMware in November 2023, when it transitioned from perpetual contracts to a subscription-based model and introduced core-based licensing. Prior to this acquisition, VMware offered a free version of its hypervisor, which was particularly beneficial for home lab users, educational purposes, and testing environments. However, this offering was discontinued in February 2024 without a replacement.

The decision to reintroduce the free version of the vSphere hypervisor is particularly noteworthy, given Broadcom's previous focus on catering to large enterprise clients. This move is likely to be well-received by individual users and small to medium-sized enterprises who had relied on the free version for their operations. While this change might suggest a shift in Broadcom's strategy, it remains to be seen whether this is a genuine adjustment in response to widespread criticism or merely a tactical maneuver to improve public perception.

The long-term implications of this decision on the VMware ecosystem and Broadcom's licensing direction will unfold in the coming months, as stakeholders assess the impact on their operations and the broader market.