Broadcom changed the VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) support model and release cadence starting with the recently launched VCF 9.0 that will see an additional year of included VCF support but a slower release schedule for new updates, continuing what has been a hectic few weeks for the VCF ecosystem.

Broadcom’s new support model shifts from the previous “5+2” that included five years of “general” VCF support and the option to buy an additional two years of support to a new “6+1” model that includes six years of support with the option to buy an additional year of support. This means support for major releases will be extended to at least six years.

The move also includes a new VCF iteration release cadence that will move from the previous “major” release every two years with “minor” updates every six months to a new model of releasing those major updates every three years with minor updates every nine months.

The vendor explained that this move “continues to give customers four minor releases per major release (e.g. VCF 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3), while giving them more time to upgrade to the latest release. Our expectation is that initial minor releases will provide 27 months support each, while the last minor release will provide 45 months of support to give customers the flexibility to chart multiple upgrade paths.”

Broadcom’s latest VCF 9.0 release included more than 100 updates or new features with a main throughline that those updates and enhancements are making the deployment, management, and operations of multicloud environments easier for enterprise customers, especially those that favor private cloud.

The new three-year major release cycle also aligns with Broadcom’s timeline for VCF renewals.

CEO Hock Tan recently told investors that the vendor had converted more than 87% of VMware’s 10,000 largest customers to the new subscription pricing model by the end of its fiscal second quarter of 2025. That growth was a substantial gain over the approximately 70% conversion rate it reported at the end of the previous quarter.

Tan added that the renewal process would likely take several more quarters as it works through contracts signed just before Broadcom closed on the VMware acquisition in late 2023.

“Most of our VMware contracts are typically three years, and that was what VMware did before we acquired them, and that's pretty much what we continue to do. Three is very traditional,” Tan said. “Based on that, the renewals, we’re like two-thirds of the way … through the renewals, so we probably have at least another year-plus, maybe a year-and-a-half to go.”

Analysts have noted that some legacy VMware customers have deep platform integrations that make it difficult to move, and that some have signed up for Broadcom’s new license and pricing models in an attempt to gain more time to figure out if a move is worthwhile.

This consternation has also supported growing support around third-party VMware support models. David Rowe, EVP for global transformation at Rimini Street, told SDxCentral in an interview last year that his firm provides enterprise support for platforms from the likes of SAP, Oracle, and VMware at a fraction of the cost.

Broadcom’s VMware changes continue

The latest VCF change comes on the heels of reports that Broadcom was set to close its white label distribution model that is focused on smaller cloud service providers by October 31. Broadcom had initially hinted at that move earlier this year.

Krish Prasad, SVP and GM for Broadcom’s VCF division, explained in a blog post that the vendor expects “that our partners will go all-in with us on helping customers unlock the full value of VCF.”

“Partners that are not committed to investing in and evolving their businesses to help customers adopt and succeed with VCF will struggle to find a place in the Broadcom partner ecosystem,” Prasad added. “As we head into the second half of 2025, we intend to put greater emphasis and focus on these value-based solution providers. We believe this is the right path forward, not just for Broadcom, but for every customer who relies on VCF to run their digital infrastructure with speed, agility, and security.”

Equity research firm William Blair noted in an “Enterprise Tracker” report earlier this year that some enterprises and go-to-market partners were continuing to look for ways to de-couple themselves from Broadcom and VMware. The report stated that value added resellers (VARs) had noted “customers are actively strategizing how to get off VMware, and the broader ecosystem (VARs, OEMs, ISVs) is moving away from VMware.”

That last point was bolstered by the research firm noting “newfound disillusionment from partners about Broadcom squeezing them on margins,” with a specific “partner that historically could expect to make 10 to 15 points of margin on reselling VMware is now making only 5 to 6 points.”