Broadcom launches VMware Cloud Foundation 9. The latest version of VCF includes an integrated platform that simplifies the management of a secure, cost-effective private cloud.

Broadcom announced VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9 at VMware Explore 2024 in Las Vegas. This new version promises a transition from a separate IT architecture to a unified and integrated private cloud platform that is designed to reduce costs and risks.

Simplified administration and improved performance

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 aims to simplify the deployment, consumption and operation of a secure and cost-effective private cloud. The platform offers an integrated experience that combines the scale and flexibility of the public cloud with the security, resiliency and performance of a private cloud.

With VMware Cloud Foundation 9, customers who are still connected to VMware and Broadcom, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, are moving from a separate IT architecture to a more modern platform that, according to Broadcom, simplifies the cloud experience and inspires innovation.

New features

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 introduces several new features to help customers modernize their infrastructure. A key addition is a self-service cloud portal that reduces the number of management consoles required for operations and automation to one. In addition, new integrated workflows simplify the transition between operations and automation tasks, while improved insights and analytics enable more proactive management.

Another new feature is Advanced Memory Tiering with NVMe, which improves data-intensive applications such as AI and real-time analytics by reducing latency and accelerating data throughput. This is especially relevant for AI workloads that involve large data sets and complex models.

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 further improves support for multi-tenant environments and native VPC deployment, making it easier for developers to seamlessly deploy VMs or containerized applications while IT teams can better manage and secure shared infrastructure.

Increased security and continuity

In addition to deployment and management improvements, VMware Cloud Foundation 9 focuses on security and business continuity. A new centralized security management hub provides visibility into security posture and alerts IT teams to configuration discrepancies within their infrastructure. In addition, VCF 9 offers vSAN-to-vSAN data protection with comprehensive snapshots, enabling data recovery from ransomware attacks.

Broadcom is also introducing VMware Cloud Foundation Advanced Services: a catalog of turnkey solutions for the private cloud. The services provide companies with quickly deployable tools to respond to new challenges.

Broadcom and VMware are committed to a future where private cloud solutions are easier to manage, provide security and resiliency, while improving operational efficiency.

VCF 9 was supposed to be a success for Broadcom, which since its acquisition of VMware has been the bogeyman for all but its largest historical customers. The company sees VCF as a mainstay of its services. According to Gartner, dissatisfaction with the situation at VMware under Broadcom has even sparked a new trend of devirtualization.