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VMware Alternative

Broadcom has increased VMware prices by up to 1,500%, eliminated perpetual licenses, and introduced a 72-core minimum. INGATE offers the alternative: Automated migration of your VMs to a KVM/Ceph-based cloud — no licensing costs, no vendor lock-in, and personal support from Munich.

0 EUR
License Costs
100%
Open Source
Auto
VM Migration

Broadcom VMware: What Has Changed

Since the acquisition by Broadcom in late 2023, the VMware landscape has fundamentally changed. For many companies, this means: exploding costs, forced subscription models, and the loss of established licensing structures.

Price Increases of 300–1,500%

European cloud providers report price increases by a factor of 8 to 15. Small and medium-sized businesses are particularly affected — some facing cost increases of over 1,000%.

End of Perpetual Licenses

Broadcom has completely eliminated perpetual VMware licenses. All customers are forced into expensive subscription models — regardless of existing contracts and investments.

72-Core Minimum Licensing

Since April 2025, a minimum of 72 cores must be licensed — previously it was 16. Companies with smaller servers pay for capacity they don't use. This hits SMBs particularly hard.

vSphere 7.x End-of-Life

Since October 2025, there are no more security updates or support for vSphere 7.x. Companies that don't upgrade expose their infrastructure to security risks — but upgrading means accepting the new prices.

The Alternative

INGATE Cloud: The VMware Alternative from Munich

Our cloud is based on KVM and Ceph — proven open-source technology used in production by Red Hat, Google, and AWS. No licensing costs, no vendor lock-in, and automated tools for migrating your existing VMware VMs.

KVM/Ceph: Enterprise virtualization without licensing costs
Automated VMDK import — Windows and Linux
Dedicated AMD EPYC cores, no overcommitment
No egress costs, no hidden fees
No 72-core minimum — scale from 1 vCore
GDPR-compliant, no US Cloud Act
Personal contact for the migration
ISO 27001 certified data centers in Munich
Compute Cloud GPU Cloud Private Cloud

Replace VMware — Product by Product

VMware ESXi
Hypervisor
KVM (Open Source)
VMware vCenter
Management
INGATE Cloud Panel
VMware vSAN
Storage
Ceph (Open Source)
VMware NSX
Networking
Managed Firewall & LB
vSphere HA
High Availability
Native HA Cluster

VMware Migration in 4 Steps

From infrastructure assessment to go-live — personally guided and with minimal downtime.

01

Free Infrastructure Assessment

We analyze your existing VMware environment: number of VMs, resource consumption, network topology, and dependencies. You receive a transparent cost comparison.

02

Migration Planning

Our architects design the target environment and create a detailed migration plan — including timeline, VM migration order, and rollback strategy.

03

Automated VM Import

Your VMs are automatically converted from VMDK to KVM and imported. Windows and Linux guests are migrated including VirtIO driver installation — without manual rework.

04

Validation & Go-Live

Each migrated VM is individually tested and validated. After the final cutover, we take over full managed operations on request with proactive monitoring.

Supported formats: VMDK, OVA, OVF. ESXi 6.x, 7.x, and 8.x. Windows Server and all common Linux distributions.

VMware vs. INGATE Comparison

Open-source cloud instead of proprietary license traps — the direct comparison.

VMware (Broadcom)
INGATE Cloud
License Costs
Subscription model, from 72 cores
None (KVM/Ceph Open Source)
Vendor Lock-in
Yes — proprietary formats
No — open source, portable anytime
Core Minimum
72-core minimum purchase
Configurable from 1 vCore
Egress Costs
Varies by provider
0 EUR — traffic included
Support
Ticket system, call center
Personal technician
Data Sovereignty
US company (Cloud Act)
German GmbH, no Cloud Act
Migration
Lock-in through proprietary tools
Automated VMDK import
Price Transparency
Complex bundling (VCF)
Clear pricing per vCore/GB

Who Benefits from VMware Migration?

Companies affected by the Broadcom price increases will find a powerful alternative at INGATE.

Mid-Market & SMBs

Particularly affected by the 72-core minimum and forced bundles. INGATE offers granular scaling from 1 vCore — you only pay for what you use.

Regulated Industries

Financial services, healthcare, and the public sector benefit from GDPR compliance, ISO 27001, and German data sovereignty without the US Cloud Act.

Cost-Conscious Companies

Those who don't want to bear the VMware price increases save licensing costs entirely with INGATE and benefit from transparent billing without egress fees.

Growing Companies

Flexible scaling without rising licensing costs. New VMs and resources can be added at any time — without core packages or minimum purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions About VMware Migration

Answers to the most important questions about switching from VMware to INGATE Cloud.

How much does the migration from VMware to INGATE cost?
The migration consultation and infrastructure assessment are free and non-binding. The actual migration is included as part of our managed service package — there are no separate migration fees. You only pay the ongoing costs for your new KVM/Ceph infrastructure, which are typically significantly lower than your previous VMware licensing costs.
How long does the migration from VMware to KVM take?
Typically 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the number of VMs, the complexity of your environment, and your downtime requirements. Small environments (under 20 VMs) can often be migrated within one week. We prepare a detailed migration plan with a concrete timeline in advance.
Are my VMs migrated automatically?
Yes. We support the automated import of virtual machines from VMware environments (ESXi, vCenter/vSphere). Both Windows and Linux VMs are imported directly via a storage plugin — including automatic conversion of disk formats from VMDK to QCOW2. Manual rework is generally not required.
What happens to my VMware snapshots?
VMware snapshots are consolidated during the migration. We recommend cleaning up the snapshot chain before migration and only carrying over the current state. In the new KVM environment, native snapshot functions are available for you to use as usual.
Do I need to modify my applications?
In the vast majority of cases, no. Your applications run inside the virtual machine and are decoupled from the hypervisor. During migration, only the VirtIO drivers are installed to ensure optimal performance under KVM. The operating system, software, and configuration remain unchanged.
Which VMware products can I replace?
The INGATE Cloud replaces VMware vSphere/ESXi (hypervisor), vCenter (management), vSAN (storage), and partially NSX (networking). Our platform is based on KVM as the hypervisor and Ceph as a distributed storage system — both open source and without licensing costs. For network functions such as firewalls and load balancers, we offer dedicated Managed Firewall and Managed Load Balancer solutions.
How does KVM differ from VMware ESXi?
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is integrated directly into the Linux kernel and is used in production by Red Hat, Google, AWS, and many other enterprise companies. Unlike ESXi, KVM is fully open source — no licensing costs, no minimum purchase, no vendor lock-in. Performance is comparable, and in many benchmarks even superior. KVM supports all common guest operating systems and offers modern security features such as AMD SEV for encrypted virtualization.
Does INGATE provide support during the migration?
Yes — personal assistance during the migration is one of our biggest advantages. You receive a dedicated technical contact who knows your environment and accompanies the entire migration process. No call center, no ticket ping-pong. From the infrastructure assessment through planning to go-live and subsequent aftercare.
What happens to my existing VMware contract?
You can keep your VMware contract running in parallel and migrate step by step. Via Cloud Connect, both environments (VMware and KVM) can coexist during the transition phase. We also advise you on the optimal termination strategy for your VMware licenses so you don't incur unnecessary costs.
Can I migrate step by step?
Yes, that is actually our recommended approach. Via Cloud Connect, you can run VMware and KVM environments in parallel and migrate VM by VM. This minimizes risk and allows you to validate each migrated VM individually before moving on to the next. A big-bang migration is not required.

Request Your Free Migration Consultation Now

Our experts analyze your VMware environment and show you how to move into the future without vendor lock-in and licensing costs. Non-binding and free of charge.

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Certified Data Centers

Our primary data center EMC Home of Data in Munich holds the following certifications. All additional data centers are at least ISO 27001 certified and powered by 100% renewable energy. Select locations additionally hold SOC 1, SOC 2, and PCI-DSS certifications.

ISO 27001
Information Security
ISO 9001
Quality Management
ISO 50001
Energy Management
DIN EN 50600
DC Availability
CSR 26001
Corporate Responsibility
TÜV Süd
100% Green Energy

Technologie-Partner & Mitgliedschaften

Dell PartnerDirect
Equinix
EMC Home of Data
Juniper Networks
LiveConfig
Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider
Microsoft SPLA Partner
RIPE NCC Member