VMware Alternative with Proxmox
Servers and clusters with Proxmox VE from Austria instead of VMware vSphere, including storage, backup and migration of your existing virtual machines.
Since the US corporation Broadcom acquired VMware at the end of 2023, VMware products are only available as subscriptions and in a few bundles. Many companies face significantly higher costs at their next renewal.
Proxmox Virtual Environment is an open source virtualization platform from Vienna. Virtual machines, containers, high availability and distributed storage with Ceph are included, vendor support subscriptions are optional.
BARNICOM plans the new environment, migrates your virtual machines and runs the cluster for you on request.
Why companies replace VMware
Subscription instead of purchase
Perpetual VMware licenses are no longer sold. Existing environments move to subscriptions with bundled packages, often with minimum purchase volumes.
Rising costs
European customers and industry bodies report price increases of several times (report). The European Commission questioned Broadcom about the licensing changes in 2024 (report).
Dependence on one vendor
With VMware, hypervisor, storage and management come from one source. When the vendor changes its terms, the entire infrastructure is affected.
What replaces what
The building blocks of a VMware environment and their counterparts in Proxmox VE. Which setup fits your company is something we work out together.
| Area | VMware (Broadcom) | Microsoft | European alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor | ESXi | Hyper-V | Proxmox VE with KVMAustria |
| Central management | vCenter | System Center, Windows Admin Center | Proxmox VE web interface and cluster managementAustria |
| High availability | vSphere HA | Failover clustering | Proxmox VE HAAustria |
| Live migration | vMotion | Live migration | Live migration in Proxmox VEAustria |
| Distributed storage | vSAN | Storage Spaces Direct | Ceph, integrated into Proxmox VEOpen source |
| Backup | Partner products such as Veeam | Azure Backup, partner products | Proxmox Backup ServerAustria |
| Containers | VMware Tanzu | Azure Kubernetes Service | LXC containers in Proxmox VE or KubernetesOpen source |
Origin refers to the vendor’s headquarters. Proxmox VE and Proxmox Backup Server are open source, vendor support subscriptions are optional.
How the switch works
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Assessment
Hosts, virtual machines, storage, network and license terms are documented. The result is a plan with effort and timeline.
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Target environment
A Proxmox cluster on existing or new hardware, with storage, network and backup.
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Migration
Virtual machines are moved with the VMware import in Proxmox VE, critical systems in agreed maintenance windows.
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Operations
We take care of updates, monitoring, backup and support, with a service level agreement on request.
When switching is not a fit
Not every environment should switch right away. We point out limitations beforehand, for example with:
- business software whose vendor supports VMware only
- tight integration with VMware add-ons such as NSX or Horizon
- running VMware contracts with a long remaining term, where switching later is more economical
Frequently asked questions
What is Proxmox VE?
Proxmox Virtual Environment is an open source virtualization platform by Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH in Vienna. It is based on Debian Linux and KVM and manages virtual machines and containers through a web interface.
How do our virtual machines move from VMware to Proxmox?
Proxmox VE includes an import for VMware ESXi that transfers virtual machines including their disks. We adjust drivers and network settings afterwards.
Can we keep using our existing hardware?
Usually yes. Proxmox VE runs on standard server hardware. We check compatibility beforehand.
Is vendor support available?
Yes. Proxmox offers support subscriptions in several tiers. We take care of operations and first-level support.
Does Windows Server run on Proxmox?
Yes. Windows Server and Windows clients run as virtual machines. Windows licensing is not affected.
What does the switch cost?
It depends on the number of hosts and virtual machines, storage and backup. You receive a proposal after the assessment.
More alternatives for infrastructure
Plan your move away from VMware
We review your environment and license terms and tell you when and how switching pays off.