Summary
Looking for enterprise VMware alternatives? Understand the difference between hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and disaggregated architectures. Learn why disaggregation offers greater flexibility, how VMware originally enabled this model, and how modern private clouds like Platform9 Private Cloud Director continue this open, ecosystem-friendly, hardware-agnostic path.
Introduction: Why look beyond VMware?
With Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, enterprises are reevaluating their infrastructure strategies. Many are exploring enterprise VMware alternatives that preserve the freedom, compatibility, and ecosystem that VMware originally championed. This blog post explores one of the key architectural choices at the heart of this decision: hyperconverged vs. disaggregated infrastructure—what they mean, why they matter, and how the right choice depends on your goals.
Hyperconverged infrastructure: Tightly integrated compute, storage, and networking
Hyperconverged Infrastructure, or HCI, integrates compute, storage, and networking into a single system—typically managed through a single vendor’s software stack. Nutanix is a leading example of this model.
Key characteristics of HCI
- Tight integration between hardware and software
- Centralized management
- Simplified procurement and support (single vendor)
- Predefined scalability (scale by adding nodes)
Benefits
- Faster time to deploy
- Simplified operations
- “Appliance-like” experience for IT teams
Disaggregated infrastructure: Choice, control, and compatibility
Disaggregated infrastructure (sometimes called “composable” or “open” infrastructure) separates the hardware and software layers. You choose your server, storage, and networking vendors—and use a software platform (like VMware, OpenStack, or Platform9) to orchestrate and virtualize them.
Key characteristics
- Flexibility in hardware selection
- Ability to mix and match best-of-breed components
- Avoid vendor lock-in
- Easier integration with existing investments
Benefits
- Optimize for cost and performance
- Support complex requirements
- Maintain control over lifecycle and upgrades
Why this matters now: Cost, control, and cloud strategy
As enterprises look for VMware ESXi replacements, understanding this choice is critical.
HCI may be ideal when
- You prefer a pre-packaged, appliance-style solution with minimal setup complexity
- You’re deploying greenfield infrastructure in standardized environments with predictable workloads
- You have lower priority for granular control, hardware choice, or deep system integration
Disaggregated infrastructure may be better when
- You already have investments in hardware you want to reuse
- You need to meet specific security, performance, or integration requirements
- You want full control over your private cloud roadmap
What VMware got right: Ecosystem, flexibility, choice
For decades, VMware allowed organizations to build the exact infrastructure they wanted—running vSphere on any x86 server, with any SAN or NAS backend, and managing it with tools of their choice. This ecosystem-first philosophy made VMware dominant.
ISVs, hardware vendors, and system integrators thrived. Customers had choice and portability. That’s what made the VMware stack “enterprise-grade.”
Navigating the post-VMware era
Many enterprise customers are facing the prospect of losing flexibility under the new Broadcom/VMware licensing and support regime. Hyperconverged vendors like Nutanix promise simplicity—but at the cost of freedom. You’re tied to a specific stack, often requiring new hardware and retraining teams.
Platform9 Private Cloud Director: A flexible, open, enterprise-grade VMware alternative
Platform9 Private Cloud Director takes the best of what VMware pioneered:
- Run on your existing infrastructure—no hardware refresh required
- Bring your own storage—SAN, NAS, or local LVM
- Standards-based—built on open standards and APIs
- Enterprise capabilities—including multi-tenancy, live VM migration, self-service, dynamic resource rebalancing, software-defined networking, and more.
With Platform9, you’re not locked into a hyperconverged appliance. You can evolve your infrastructure, modernize at your own pace, and avoid costly replatforming.
Conclusion: Choose Flexibility, Not Lock-In
With the changes in the virtualization landscape, it’s a great time to reflect on where enterprise infrastructure is heading.
HCI is a valid model—but it’s not the only one. For organizations that value flexibility, integration with existing infrastructure, and future-proof design, a disaggregated approach may be the better path.Platform9 Private Cloud Director continues the legacy of VMware’s open ecosystem—without the lock-in. It’s a private cloud platform that runs on your terms, integrating seamlessly with your enterprise storage and server hardware.
