So, Broadcom is really pushing the VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) as the go-to platform for its biggest enterprise clients. This has sparked quite a discussion about whether it’s time to bring workloads back to on-premise Software-Defined Data Centers (SDDC) instead of keeping them in the public cloud. Sure, cloud adoption has given us some amazing flexibility, but with the IT landscape constantly changing — thanks to new licensing models and the idea of a unified VCF stack — a lot of organizations are starting to lean towards a private cloud revival. Lets dive into the why.
Cost Predictability and Control
One of the strongest reasons for moving workloads back is definitely cost control. Public cloud services might seem cheap at first with their low entry costs and pay-as-you-go plans. But, let’s be real, those operating expenses (or OpEx) can spiral out of control, especially if you have large, predictable workloads that you rely on. Managing cloud billing, egress fees, and the costs of additional supporting services can quickly lead to “cloud sprawl” and surprise hikes in costs.
On the flip side, going for an on-premise SDDC with VCF basically flips the financial model back to capital expenditures (CapEx). Once you’ve got the infrastructure set up and licensed — and with Broadcom’s new core-based model that pushes for denser setups using fewer, faster servers — your operational costs become a lot easier to predict. For companies with stable, large-scale applications, this shift from unpredictable OpEx to manageable CapEx can really add up in terms of long-term savings on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
Enhanced Security and Compliance
Now, let’s talk about security and compliance. An on-prem SDDC gives you incredible control over where your data lives and how secure it is. For businesses in heavily regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, or government, having full control over their data is often a must.
Switching to VCF on-prem lets a company stick with its established security policies and procedures, creating a robust, multi-layered security setup right within their physical space. Unlike the public cloud’s shared responsibility model, which can be confusing and might leave gaps, an on-prem SDDC means the IT team has total control over configurations, access management, and can tackle vulnerabilities head-on. This is crucial for meeting those pesky regulatory requirements.
Operational Consistency and Performance
Broadcom’s VCF is built as a full-stack platform that brings together compute (vSphere), storage (vSAN), networking (NSX), and management (SDDC Manager). This kind of unification is a huge plus for on-prem environments because it creates a “cloud-like” experience right inside the company’s data center. The VCF suite automates a lot of the complex, time-consuming tasks like lifecycle management, patching, and updates across the whole software-defined infrastructure.
This kind of operational consistency makes IT workflows smoother, cuts down on the need for custom, multi-vendor setups, and lets developers take advantage of self-service options without losing corporate control. Plus, with an on-prem SDDC, businesses can optimize performance specifically for their most critical applications. By having control over the underlying hardware—think specialized CPUs, fast storage, and low-latency networking—companies can ensure top-notch performance for their demanding workloads. That kind of tailored customization is often hard to come by, or just too pricey, in the abstracted public cloud.
In Summary
The acquisition of VMware and the focus on the unified VCF platform mark a fresh start for private cloud strategies. For big enterprises, moving back to an on-premise SDDC isn’t a step backward; it’s a smart strategy to regain cost predictability, enhance compliance, and achieve that high-performing, customized experience through a modern, automated, and unified software-defined platform.
