Broadcom might have closed on its VMware acquisition in late 2023, but the ramifications of that mega-deal rippled deepest through the industry in 2024.

The deal highlighted the disruptive nature large-scale merger and acquisition activity can have on the technology landscape, especially for end-users that must wade through the complex operational blast radius.

The Broadcom deal was especially jarring as it involved a complete alteration of how VMware had been licensing its platforms to its customers. Analyst firms noted these changes resulted in pricing spikes and could lead to tens-of-thousands of VMware legacy customers searching for alternatives.

The deal also rippled through the vendor ecosystem, with hyperscalers moving to adjust their long-standing VMware offerings and hardware vendors driving new partnerships with alternative platform providers.

Broadcom, for its part, made adjustments along the way, but eventually was able to find a path toward uncovering the financial return it was looking for when it closed the deal.

SDxCentral posted exhaustively on the news all year, digging into insight from Broadcom executives, rival firms, analysts, and end-users to shed light on the deal and its broader impact. Below are the five Broadcom/VMware stories that drew the most attention from readers in 2024.

Broadcom pushes VMware deeper into Google Cloud Broadcom tightened its post-VMware acquisition relationship with Google Cloud that will see more VMware products running in Google Cloud environments and more promotion of those efforts. It’s also closing in on launching a long-promised VMware license portability program with the hyperscaler. Read more

Microsoft stands by VMware post-Broadcom Microsoft will continue to support its long-standing Azure VMware Solutions service, becoming the latest hyperscaler to throw its support behind VMware’s new operating model following recent moves by new parent company Broadcom. Read more

VMware customers, resellers are seeking alternatives VMware ( … by Broadcom) went live this week with its controversial Advantage Partner Program that the vendor is hyping as a financial opportunity for resale partners, but some claim the program has introduced angst and uncertainty to a large number of past partners and enterprise customers. Read more

Broadcom CEO again clarifies VMware changes, offers concessions Broadcom CEO Hock Tan continued his blog-based attempt at clarifying the myriad of changes his firm has implemented across its recently acquired VMware operations, with the latest attempt pointing toward three specific ways the changes are targeted at customer concerns and the executive providing small concessions targeted at fighting ongoing confusion. Read more

Dell terminates VMware deal post-Broadcom close Dell Technologies has terminated a distribution agreement with former subsidiary VMware just months after VMware was acquired by Broadcom. The move comes just ahead of the launch of a controversial new VMware partner program. Read more

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