Making the Most of Your VMware Investment, Part 3

Scaling for the Future with VMware Cloud Foundation 9

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 (VCF 9) represents Broadcom’s most streamlined, performance-tuned, and AI-ready private-cloud release to date. Built to unify compute, storage, networking, and security under a single operations model, VCF 9 brings new levels of automation, lifecycle simplicity, and AI-infrastructure readiness to on-prem and hybrid environments.

At ATS, we see VCF 9 as the critical anchor of a modern VMware strategy — a platform that scales securely, supports new data and AI workloads, and helps organizations realize the full value of their long-term VMware investments.

What’s New in VCF 9

According to Broadcom’s official release notes and VMware Explore 2025 announcements, VCF 9 delivers five major advancements:

1. Modernized Architecture & Lifecycle Management

   • Introduces VCF Lifecycle Manager 9, consolidating update management for vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and Aria Operations into one interface.

   • Faster patching and upgrades with fewer manual steps — a key Broadcom focus for simplified operations.

2. AI-Ready Infrastructure

   • Adds GPU scheduling, AI workload domain support, and optimized data-path performance for inference and training.

   • Designed to integrate directly with Tanzu Data Intelligence (Part 2) for data-driven and agentic AI use cases.

3. Security Built In

   • Native integration with VMware vDefend for micro-segmentation and zero-trust enforcement.

   • Updated compliance baselines and automation for NIST, CIS, and PCI standards.

4. Performance & Resource Efficiency

   • Upgraded vSAN ESA (Express Storage Architecture) delivering higher throughput with reduced CPU overhead.

   • New AI-powered workload placement for optimized cluster utilization.

5. Hybrid Flexibility

   • Consistent operations from data center to public cloud via VMware Cloud on AWS, Azure VMware Solution, and Google Cloud VMware Engine.

   • API and policy compatibility across private and public deployments.

Why It Matters

VCF 9 isn’t just a version bump; it’s the realization of Broadcom’s push toward “cloud as an operating model.”It lets enterprises run modern workloads with public-cloud-like agility inside a secure, cost-predictable private cloud.

Key business impacts:

• Reduced operational complexity: fewer tools, fewer manual upgrades, faster patch cycles.

• Improved ROI on hardware: dynamic scaling and better GPU utilization keep performance high while controlling cost.

• Faster time to AI: integrates directly with Tanzu Data Intelligence to make AI workloads production-ready on-prem.

Real-world customer examples

• Shintao Natural Gas (Taiwan) adopted VCF to create a private cloud, reduce hardware investment, and boost resource availability by 65%.

• US Senate Federal Credit Union deployed VCF and VMware’s Private AI Foundation, enabling AI chatbots and real-time member services through the platform.

• GCI Communications Corp. (Alaska) used VCF to upgrade infrastructure faster and deploy applications more efficiently.

How VCF 9 Fits Across the Stack

VCF 9 serves as the foundation for a unified VMware ecosystem:

• Security Layer: vDefend (Part 1) delivers zero-trust segmentation and threat prevention.

• Data Layer: Tanzu Data Intelligence (Part 2) provides governed, low-latency access for analytics & AI.

• Platform Layer: VCF 9 ties it together with lifecycle automation, hybrid operations, and AI readiness.

This alignment makes VMware’s private cloud a cohesive, future-proof environment rather than a collection of discrete tools.

Licensing & Positioning (Quick Clarity)

VCF 9 is offered through subscription licensing under Broadcom’s new VMware model. Customers typically procure VCF as part of their Enterprise Agreement (EA), which may bundle vSphere, vSAN, and NSX components. Advanced features such as vDefend and Tanzu Data Intelligence are licensed as add-ons, allowing organizations to scale functionality as needed.

For customers now entering five-year agreements, VCF 9 serves as the architectural baseline to build upon — providing a stable, supported platform for modernization, data activation, and AI innovation over the full term.

How ATS and VMware Help You Adopt VCF 9

ATS works alongside VMware Partner Connect to guide customers through the entire lifecycle:

1. VCF Readiness Assessment – Evaluate your current vSphere, vSAN, and NSX estate for migration readiness.

2. Architecture & Design Workshop – Map workloads, GPU requirements, and integration points for Tanzu and vDefend.

3. Pilot Deployment – Stand up a VCF 9 management domain and validate lifecycle automation with real workloads.

4. Operational Handoff & Enablement – Train internal teams on VCF Lifecycle Manager and Aria Operations for ongoing optimization.

5. AI and Data Expansion – Extend into Tanzu Data Intelligence and GPU domains as your AI roadmap matures.

Outcome: a fully modernized, AI-ready VMware environment aligned with your five-year roadmap and supported by ATS engineering expertise.

The Five-Year Opportunity

Under Broadcom’s new licensing model, most VMware customers are committing to multi-year agreements. Rather than seeing this as “lock-in,” view it as a strategic window to modernize the entire stack—security (vDefend), data (TDI), and infrastructure (VCF 9)—while the platform is fully supported and stable.With the right planning, your VMware commitment can fundamentally elevate your AI and cloud capabilities for the next half-decade.

Conclusion

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 is the heart of the modern private cloud — secure, automated, and AI-ready.When combined with vDefend and Tanzu Data Intelligence, it provides a complete stack for secure, governed AI and hybrid operations on prem.

ATS helps customers design, deploy, and operate VCF 9 environments with confidence—turning a licensing commitment into a platform advantage.

👉 Contact ATS to schedule a VCF 9 Modernization Assessment and see how your private cloud can evolve for AI and beyond.