Following chipmaker Broadcom's acquisition of virtualization platform VMware, a notable shift in licensing policy ensued. Broadcom opted to phase out permanent licenses, introducing a subscription-based model instead, and potentially mandating enterprises to opt for bundled packages. This strategic pivot has sparked discontent among a substantial cohort of enterprises. As a trailblazer in the virtualization sector, VMware had maintained a relatively stable licensing policy throughout its various corporate transitions—be it during its autonomous phase, acquisition by EMC, subsequent acquisition by Dell, or even after its independent listing. Consequently, long-standing customers had not voiced any significant grievances prior to this.
