VMware Sets $9,600 Floor for New 128-Core Virtualization Tier

Small IT budgets face a new fixed cost for virtualization as VMware introduces vSphere Express. The product targets organizations seeking basic infrastructure tools without the expense of enterprise cloud bundles. The pricing model, however, leaves little room for the smallest deployments.

IT distributor TD Synnex lists the annual cost at $9,600. This rate applies to systems running up to 128 cores. The price does not decrease for smaller core counts. A single-core configuration costs the same as a 128-core setup, creating a financial hurdle for micro-enterprises.

A VMware spokesperson told The Register that the per-core subscription license will be priced significantly lower than the VMware vSphere Foundation bundle. The company declined to provide specific quotes but confirmed the lower price point. This follows reports that sales staff previously told customers the vSphere Standard tier was no longer available.

Prashanth Shenoy, VP of product marketing for VCF, stated that the product addresses feedback from lower-end customers. "We started listening to a lot of our lower-end customers who didn't really want the VVF but wanted the core virtualization capability," Shenoy said. He noted that vSphere Express is designed specifically for that market segment.

The software includes vMotion for live migration and high availability features for automated restarts. It supports discrete instances only. Organizations cannot manage these instances centrally, according to Shenoy. The product will receive updates as frequently as the higher-tier VCF and VVF lines, unlike the stagnant vSphere Standard.