If you’re staring down a VMware price hike and reconsidering its use in your organizations’ infrastructure, you’re not alone. We’ve been helping customers navigate this exact dilemma, and the alternatives to VMware have gotten clearer over the last year. Whether you’re looking for a like-for-like virtualization replacement or ready to make a bigger change, here’s a breakdown of the trade-offs we’re seeing.
Option 1: Stick with Traditional Virtualization (just not VMware)
If your goal is to replace VMware with another virtualization platform, your choices boil down to:
Open-source alternatives (Proxmox, Xen) – Solid tools, but enterprise support can be hit or miss.
Commercial solutions (Nutanix, Scale Computing) – More holistic, but they come with their own lock-in risks.
Nutanix is a strong choice for larger deployments, though it’s not radically different from VMware (or Scale Computing) in terms of architecture. Scale Computing shines for edge or smaller setups, but it’s not built for massive-scale environments.
But many enterprises find that just swapping one virtualization vendor for another doesn’t solve the bigger issue of infrastructure inflexibility.
Option 2: Make the Move to KubeVirt
Traditional methods of virtualization were the answer for decades, but the landscape has changed. Instead of just swapping out VMware for another hypervisor, what if you could future-proof your infrastructure and escape the virtualization lock-in cycle? That’s where Kubernetes comes in. It’s not just for containers, but a flexible foundation for all your workloads, VMs included.
Here’s why more enterprises are making the jump: Kubernetes lets you manage VMs, containers, and even bare metal under one platform, breaking down the old silos between teams and technologies. A key piece to this option is KubeVirt. But it isn’t the whole solution, as KubeVirt isn’t a full VM management platform. That’s where OpenShift Virtualization comes in. It layers enterprise-grade virtualization management (think migrations, networking, storage) on top of KubeVirt, making it a viable alternative for VMware.
Immediate Expertise not Needed
A common misconception is that your virtualization team needs to suddenly become Kubernetes pros, but it isn’t true. Teams can start small with lower-risk environments like test labs to build up experience, and options like OpenShift Virtualization gives teams management interfaces similar to traditional ones. Your virtualization team can lead the transition without retraining as platform engineers.
Important Considerations Before You Switch to a VMware Alternative
Workload Portability
The real challenge in finding an alternative to VMware isn’t just getting a new hypervisor, it’s dealing with your existing workloads. Some VMs will migrate easily, while others face issues like legacy configurations or dependencies. Before committing to any new platform, take stock of your environment. Which workloads are actually portable? Which ones will need significant rework? This assessment will shape your entire migration strategy.
Team Structure
Who’s driving this change? If you have a dedicated virtualization team accustomed to VMware’s way of doing things, forcing them to adopt Kubernetes overnight might backfire. On the flip side, if you’re already running OpenShift elsewhere in your organization, extending it with virtualization capabilities could be very useful. The key is aligning your technical choice with the skills and structure of your teams, not against them.
Future Flexibility
The most compelling reason to consider KubeVirt isn’t only about replacing VMware. It’s also about avoiding the inflexibility of another infrastructure silo. Together with OpenShift Virtualization, you’re not just trading one virtualization platform for another. You’re gaining the ability to run VMs today while keeping your options open for a shift towards containers or bare metal in the future. This way, you evolve your infrastructure gradually rather than forcing another wholesale rip-and-replace down the road.
The Bottom Line
There’s no one-size-fits-all exit from VMware. But there are smarter ways to approach it.
If you just want virtualization: the more traditional virtualization options might work, but consider the trade-offs.
If you’re ready to think beyond virtualization: KubeVirt and OpenShift Virtualization lets you keep running VMs while positioning for a more flexible future.
Either way, improving workload portability and governance now will pay off later, even if you don’t migrate immediately. Need help mapping your exit? Our bare metal automation simplifies the transition, no matter what option you choose. Schedule a demo today, and let’s get your workloads unstuck together.
