VMware Continues Shift to Subscription Model with vSphere+ and vSAN+

VMware has taken another step in its efforts to move its business model from legacy perpetual licensing to recurring subscriptions. The latter, of course, bring in more consistent revenue. To that end, VMware on Tuesday unveiled vSphere+ and vSAN+.

The original vSphere serves as VMware’s computing platform, while vSAN offers storage.

Now, though, the next iterations – vSphere+ and vSAN+ – provide the opex versions of those solutions. They are part of Project Arctic, announced at last year’s VMworld event.

As such, vSphere+ and vSAN+ “represent the next major evolution of those foundational solutions that customers know and trust,” said Krish Prasad, senior vice president and general manager of VMware’s Cloud Infrastructure Business Group. “Wherever customers are on their digital transformation journey and in executing their multicloud strategy, vSphere+ and vSAN+ will help accelerate their transformation — enabling them to build, run and operate their workloads on-premises while benefiting from new cloud consumption models that positively impact their current operations.”

Note that during VMware’s media briefing announcing the products, company representatives stood firm on their stance not to answer questions about the pending, $61 billion Broadcom acquisition. Read the latest on that deal here. (Incidentally, VMware also has a new interim channel head, now that Sandy Hogan has resigned.)

Meantime, see our slideshow above to learn more about vSphere+ and vSAN+; plus, what the products mean for channel partners and their customers.