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Publication Date: 2025-09-11 07:00:00
Broadcom’s licensing overhaul may have triggered headlines about VMware workloads defecting to hyperscalers, but Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant for distributed hybrid infrastructure (DHI) suggests a market in flux, with disillusioned customers increasingly weighing their options while rivals jostle for position.
The customer revolt, outlined in the report, suggests a feeding frenzy among rivals competing to capture displaced VMware users frustrated by increased costs and what the research firm describes as deteriorating customer support.
Broadcom/VMware still achieved leader status in Gartner’s market analysis. However, increased costs following the shift from perpetual licensing to a subscription-based model were among the reasons Gartner clients cited for considering reducing or outright eliminating their reliance on VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
Compounding the vendor’s predicament were suggestions that several clients had “expressed negative experiences” communicating with VMware sales staff and a lack of “prompt support service” – an issue that some customers previously suggested left them without security updates for weeks.
Ultimately, Gartner projects that 55% of organizations will test alternative infrastructure platforms by 2028, nearly quadruple the 15% currently exploring replacements.
Despite its woes, Broadcom received praise from Gartner for its early implementation of hybrid cloud deployments and “robust” partnerships with public cloud…
