ZStack Interpretation | After VMware’s shift to a subscription model, how can users choose virtualiz

The server virtualization market is facing its most significant disruptive change in over a decade, according to Gartner's "Global Server Virtualization Market Guide."

Driven by both policy and market forces, China's virtualization market is undergoing a new transformation. On the policy side, the well-known Xinchuang (Information Technology Application Innovation) transformation is still in full swing. Meanwhile, Broadcom's acquisition of VMware and its announcement to fully transition to a subscription model in 2024 has initiated a market-driven push for VMware alternatives.

How Should Users Calculate Costs?

For Chinese users, VMware's subscription model represents more than just a change in procurement methods.

VMware has reorganized its product lines into four foundational subscription packages, transitioning from perpetual licenses to 1/3/5-year subscriptions, with adjusted sales rules under the subscription model, such as:

- Management: vCenter is no longer sold as a standalone product or component; it is bundled into each subscription package.

- Computing: Billing has changed from per CPU to per Core, with a minimum billing of 16 cores per CPU.

- Storage: vSAN has shifted from CPU-based licensing to raw capacity-based billing.

- Networking: In scenarios involving vCenter, vSphere, and NSX DataCenter, subscriptions are only available through VCF with NSX Firewall Add-on.

- Services: Services are bundled into subscription packages, and standalone service renewal is not supported after the perpetual license expires.

For users, calculating costs and evaluating return on investment has become a complex issue. What does the subscription model truly mean for users? ZStack product technology experts are here to help users navigate these changes, sharing insights on user cost comparisons post-VMware subscription, alternative solutions, path evaluations, and replacement case studies.

Various Replacement Paths for Different VMware Product Combinations

There are several main replacement paths, including virtualization alternatives, hyper-converged replacements, and private cloud upgrade alternatives. The ZStack product matrix can comprehensively replace VMware's core data center product lines, with product combinations comparable to VMware's four subscription packages.

Virtualization Scenario Replacement Solutions

This section will primarily explore how to use the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform to replace VMware in virtualization scenarios.

In terms of scale, small, medium-sized, and mid-sized customers in China primarily use VMware products like the basic, standard, and enterprise editions of vSphere. VMware's recommended subscription packages for these users are mainly VVEP (vSphere Basic), VVS (vSphere Standard), and VVF (vSphere Enterprise).

For these users considering VMware alternatives, the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform is a viable option. The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform covers over 95% of VMware's virtual machine lifecycle management functions, while also offering unique features to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform supports seamless cross-version hot upgrades, integrates security group east-west firewall functions, and supports dynamic resource scheduling and reservation. It also offers various value-added modules, such as bare metal, agentless backup, and continuous data protection, which users can choose to expand functionality.

In terms of product combinations, the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform can be freely and flexibly upgraded and expanded, supporting integration with ZStack CMP multi-cloud management functions and the ZStack Zaku container cloud platform, while seamlessly connecting with ZStack distributed storage to build a new generation of cloud infrastructure for users.

Virtualization + Storage Scenario Replacement Paths

In addition to virtualization scenarios, small, medium-sized, and mid-sized customers in China often pair with centralized or distributed storage products.

For vSphere + centralized storage, VMware offers the VVS + centralized storage subscription model. For enterprise edition features, VVF + centralized storage can be used as a replacement.

For vSphere + vSAN combinations, VMware provides the VVF subscription package (with add-on module purchase for vSAN).

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform supports seamless integration with both distributed and centralized storage, enabling separate or converged deployment methods. For the above scenarios, it offers two replacement solutions:

- ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform + centralized storage: One of the platform's strengths is its strong compatibility, allowing flexible integration with various centralized storage systems, masking differences in underlying storage array brands.

- ZSphere + ZStack distributed storage to replace the vSphere + vSAN combination: Notably, ZSphere uses vhost + RDMA technology to connect with ZStack distributed storage, delivering excellent performance with 4K random reads reaching millions of IOPS and 4K random writes exceeding 840,000 IOPS.

ZStack ZSphere Virtualization: Tailored for Users

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform features high autonomy, stability, performance, and security. It shares the same engine as the ZStack Cloud platform and has received the first batch of Trusted Cloud multi-core certification, being the only platform compatible with four architectures and eight platform environments.

In terms of product experience, the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform aligns with VMware virtualization, offering a consistent user experience, enabling non-x86 replacements for data center infrastructure, and providing intelligent unified operations, seamless migration, and production-grade security and reliability.

1. Operations and User Experience

As a localized company, ZStack better understands domestic users and mirrors the VMware user experience. It features a flexible UI layout for various modules, adjustable width and height, right-click operations on virtual machines, and a clear hierarchy of resource relationships. It also retains familiar concepts like port groups and distributed switches, ensuring ease of use and a smooth transition. The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform allows for batch management of virtual machines and resources, with features like one-click report export, enhancing operational efficiency.

2. Compatibility and Product Reuse

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform is a pure software product, not tied to hardware sales, and is widely compatible with mainstream server manufacturers. It enables cross-generation and cross-model CPU unified clustering and multi-brand server reuse, protecting investments.

3. Seamless, Gradual Upgrades

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform supports online cross-version hot upgrades and offers gradual upgrade options to ensure business reliability.

4. Unified Management

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform supports unified operations management for virtual machines and bare metal. It allows for batch management of hosts and all resources based on clusters, supports batch creation of virtual machines, and offers a UI interface for command-line management of host machines without requiring out-of-band management.

5. High Security Features

While VMware's NSX component requires separate purchase, the ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform inherently provides security group functionality (east-west firewall), eliminating the need for separate component or value-added module purchases, offering better cost-effectiveness.

The ZStack ZSphere virtualization platform aims to provide users with efficient, flexible, and secure virtualization management solutions, helping enterprises improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure continuous business development.