VMware customers have watched Broadcom's acquisitions and don't like what they see
- Reference: 1653984310
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/05/31/vmware_broadcom_acquisition_customer_reaction/
- Source link:
The Register offers that assessment after spending the day at a VMware user group conference in Melbourne, Australia, where we interviewed over a dozen VMware customers to ascertain their reaction to Broadcom’s [1]surprise acquisition of the virtualisation giant. The customers all requested that The Register not use their names, or those of their employers, as none were authorized to speak to the media.
One of those customers was a sysadmin at a sporting organisation that has decided to drop Symantec products because product evolution has slowed under Broadcom’s ownership. The sysadmin has also heard, from multiple sources including Broadcom partners, that the company uses price hikes to discourage customers it does not want.
[2]
His initial reaction to VMware being acquired by Broadcom was: “This is not good news.” The sysadmin has seen other acquisitions go badly and fears the same could happen to VMware.
[3]
[4]
As someone who has made a considerable personal investment in VMware skills, this sysadmin would fight to retain the company’s products. He hopes it doesn’t come to that.
Broadcom’s history with software-defined networking vendor Cumulus concerned the CIO of a healthcare company. Cumulus makes a cut of Linux that focuses on networking and runs on white box switches. Not long after Cumulus was [5]acquired by Nvidia, it stopped supporting Broadcom switching silicon. It's [6]alleged that decision was not voluntary, but became necessary after Broadcom revoked access to its technology as it did not wish to act in any way that could assist Mellanox, another Nvidia acquisition that competes with Broadcom.
[7]
The CIO said he fears Broadcom could make similar decisions that impact his VMware implementations. He also griped about VMware’s recent software quality – he was one of the users impacted by VMware’s [8]recall of a recent vSphere update - and expressed fears that acquisition by Broadcom could worsen that situation.
He rated current VMware support “OK” but felt that any cost-cutting that moved support resources offshore would be most unwelcome.
[9]Broadcom's stated strategy ignores most VMware customers
[10]Cheers ransomware hits VMware ESXi systems
[11]VMware claims 'bare-metal' performance on virtualized GPUs
[12]Those NitroTPMs Amazon teased now really are coming to AWS EC2
Most of the other customers we spoke to had a “wait and see” attitude to the sale. But all were aware of Broadcom’s past.
“Broadcom acquired CA and where is CA now?” asked an architect from a university.
“Look at Broadcom’s track record,” said an engineer with a transport company, who added some uncomplimentary observations about Symantec and CA Technologies. “They [Broadcom] say it will be different with VMware, but will it?”
[13]
A sysadmin from a chemical company offered similar sentiments, adding that all acquisitions are concerning.
An engineer from an environmental management company offered the most optimistic opinion we found, suggesting that VMware has thrived under the ownership of EMC and Dell, so can do so again under Broadcom. This engineer also saw Broadcom's plan to rename its entire software business "VMware" is a positive sign.
But the engineer was the sole optimistic voice among those we encountered at the event. ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/27/broadcom_vmware_subscriptions/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YpXnQae9Vy40BbfcPpVbEwAAAEQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YpXnQae9Vy40BbfcPpVbEwAAAEQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YpXnQae9Vy40BbfcPpVbEwAAAEQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/04/nvidia_cumulus_mellanox/
[6] https://blog.pica8.com/open-networking-musical-chairs/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YpXnQae9Vy40BbfcPpVbEwAAAEQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/22/vsphere_7_update_3_withdrawn/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/30/broadcom_strategy_vmware_customer_impact/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/26/vmware-cheers-ransomware/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/24/vmware_hpc_gpu/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/13/aws_tpm_smartnic/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YpXnQae9Vy40BbfcPpVbEwAAAEQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Broadcom does do software
if you count device-level software as software. Many of us remember the issues that we had with Broadcom 'blobs' that we needed to get our Linux devices to work on the internet.
In recent years they seem to have played nice with the RPi people but I see that as an exception. Playing nice meant that they sold a heck of a lot more hardware.
Some years ago, I sat next to someone who worked at their US HQ on a flight to the US from London. He was pretty open about their practices of rip and burn and 'to hell with the customers'. I didn't let on that I was going to the US for a job interview at Broadcom. I canned the interview the next day and flew home.
I've never liked the company since. Mind you, they are not alone. Qualcomm is just as bad.
What is it with US companies?
Ok yes (and speaking as someone who has worked for US companies both here and in the USA, for over half my working life)... they want to screw you so badly that you literally beg for a raise each year. If you get it, then watch out for a corresponding cut in what little benefits that you have. 15 days vacation? Now... it is 10 days and you can count yourself lucky to be allowed to take even 5 days at one time.
The USA is a shithole that is only going to get worst after Jan 2023. The world as shown in 'A Handmaids Tale' is coming ever closer and it will be backed up with AR-15's by the thousand.
Tough one... I may be returning to the IT workforce, I have experience in VMware, but may have to learn other flavors of virtualization in order to keep working?
EMC, Dell and Broadcom - one of these does not go with the rest
IIRC, EMC was a data management company. It got bought by Dell, which is, of course, primarily a hardware company.
Broadcom is in the semiconductor industry. It is a completely different mindset. Broadcom does not do software, it does microchips. And, apparently, it is the kiss of death for every company it acquires.
I'm not very optimistic about VMware's future is what I'm saying. They might as well have been bought by IBM.
Oh well, someone else will come along and create a new virtual management landscape. Some day.