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Why Businesses Are Reviewing VMware Infrastructure in 2026
Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Why Businesses Are Reviewing VMware Infrastructure in 2026
Over the past two decades, VMware has played a central role in enterprise IT infrastructure. Its virtualisation platform has helped organisations consolidate servers, improve hardware utilisation and build highly resilient data centre environments.
However, 2026 has become a pivotal moment for many organisations reviewing their infrastructure strategy. Since the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom, a number of changes to licensing structures, product packaging and subscription models have prompted businesses to reassess whether their existing virtualisation platform remains the right fit for their long-term needs.
For many organisations — particularly small and medium-sized businesses — this review is not simply about replacing one platform with another. Instead, it presents an opportunity to reconsider how infrastructure should evolve to support modern operational requirements.
Changes to Licensing and Commercial Models
One of the most widely discussed changes following the acquisition has been VMware’s move towards subscription-based licensing and bundled product offerings.
While subscription licensing is now common across the software industry, some organisations that previously relied on perpetual licensing models have seen a noticeable increase in operational costs.
For businesses with smaller infrastructure environments, the transition to new licensing tiers can make long-term budgeting more challenging. As a result, many IT leaders are taking the opportunity to evaluate alternative infrastructure platforms that offer greater cost predictability.
Infrastructure Is Evolving
At the same time, the role of IT infrastructure itself is changing. Traditional data centre environments are increasingly being complemented by cloud platforms, hybrid infrastructure and software-defined architectures.
Many organisations are therefore asking broader questions such as:
Should our infrastructure remain fully on-premise?
Would a hybrid model provide more flexibility?
Are there platforms that simplify infrastructure management?
Can we reduce operational complexity while improving resilience?
These questions are driving many infrastructure reviews across the UK.
The Rise of Hyperconverged Infrastructure
One of the technologies gaining increased attention during these reviews is hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI).
Hyperconverged platforms combine compute, storage, networking and virtualisation into a single integrated software platform. This approach can significantly simplify infrastructure deployment and ongoing management compared with traditional multi-layer data centre architectures.
Solutions such as Nutanix have become increasingly popular among organisations seeking modern infrastructure platforms that support both on-premise environments and hybrid cloud strategies.
Reviewing Infrastructure Doesn't Always Mean Replacing It
It is important to note that many organisations reviewing their VMware infrastructure ultimately decide to retain and optimise their existing environments.
VMware remains a powerful platform with a large ecosystem of tools and integrations. For many businesses, improving the configuration or modernising hardware may be the most practical option.
The key is ensuring that infrastructure decisions are based on clear operational requirements rather than reacting to market changes alone.
Taking a Strategic Approach
For organisations reviewing their infrastructure, the most effective approach is usually to undertake a structured assessment that considers:
Current platform costs and licensing
Performance and operational requirements
Infrastructure resilience and disaster recovery
Future growth and scalability
Integration with cloud services
By reviewing these factors together, businesses can develop an infrastructure strategy that supports both current operations and future development.
How Brookvex Supports Infrastructure Reviews
At Brookvex, we work with organisations to assess their existing infrastructure and explore options that support long-term operational stability.
Our team provides guidance across:
Virtualisation platforms
Hyperconverged infrastructure
Hybrid cloud architecture
Server and storage infrastructure
Secure networking and connectivity
The aim is not simply to replace technology, but to ensure that infrastructure platforms remain aligned with business requirements.
Speak to Brookvex
If your organisation is reviewing its virtualisation strategy or exploring modern infrastructure platforms, our team can help you assess your options and design an approach that supports both operational resilience and future growth.