Buying VMware/Broadcom Licenses in 2025: Complete Core-Based Guide (VVF/VCF), vSAN Included, Editions, and How to Choose
A practical, up-to-date guide so the customer can buy VMware licenses with confidence: per-core model (minimum 16 cores per CPU), differences between VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), vSAN included per core, current status of vSphere Standard / Enterprise Plus (v8), specific editions (VDI, Edge/ROBO), and the most in-demand add-ons. Includes core calculation, vSAN sizing, purchase checklist, FAQ, and common mistakes. MSAdvance can supply and sell all official licenses and support sizing and implementation.
Need to buy VMware licenses with guarantees and a solid TCO?
MSAdvance supplies and sells VMware licenses (VVF, VCF, vSAN, and add-ons). We deliver per-core calculations, vSAN included, 1/3/5-year comparisons, and an implementation plan.
Executive summary — key changes
- Subscription only: Broadcom ended perpetual licenses and simplified the portfolio around VCF and VVF. A subscription is required for current versions.
- Per-core licensing with a 16/CPU minimum: you license physical cores on the host, including those disabled in BIOS.
- vSAN included per core: VVF includes 0.25 TiB/core; VCF includes 1 TiB/core. Capacity can be aggregated within each product.
- vSphere Standard / Enterprise Plus (v8): available as standalone editions up to v8 U3. vSphere 9 innovations arrive via VVF/VCF.
- Extended 7.x support: general support for vSphere/vSAN 7.x extended to ease upgrade planning.
MSAdvance can sell and supply all these options and guide the customer through the transition.
How licensing works: per-core metric and minimums
The calculation basis is the same for VVF, VCF and, generally, current editions:
- Per-core with a minimum of 16 cores per CPU. If a CPU has 12 physical cores, you license 16.
- Countable cores: physical cores on the host are counted, including those disabled via BIOS.
- Physical scope: you license the hosts running vSphere. The included vSAN entitlement is calculated and aggregated by product (VVF or VCF).
- Common terms: 1, 3, or 5 years; multi-year usually improves effective cost.
Quick core-calculation checklist
- Identify hosts and CPUs per host.
- Obtain physical cores per CPU (don’t confuse with threads).
- Apply the 16 cores/CPU minimum.
- Multiply by the number of CPUs and by hosts.
- Add all cores to get the total to license.
Current license catalog (2025)
| Product | Metric | Components / Rights | Purchase notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) 9 | Per core (min. 16/CPU) | vSphere Enterprise Plus, vCenter Standard, vSAN 0.25 TiB/core, base Aria/operations, integrated Kubernetes services. | vSAN can be aggregated only across cores licensed with VVF; designed for on-prem. |
| VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9 | Per core (min. 16/CPU) | vSphere, vSAN 1 TiB/core, NSX, advanced Aria, SDDC Manager (lifecycle automation). | End-to-end platform; portability option to certain cloud services when the full stack is ported. |
| vSphere Standard (v8 U3, subscription) | Per core (min. 16/CPU) | Standard vSphere hypervisor + vCenter Standard (per terms). | For v9, migrate to VVF/VCF. |
| vSphere Enterprise Plus (v8 U3, subscription) | Per core (min. 16/CPU) | Advanced features: DRS, vDS, Storage vMotion, encryption, etc. | For v9, migrate to VVF/VCF. |
| vSAN (standalone subscription by capacity) | Per TiB of capacity | Extends the entitlement included in VVF/VCF when aggregated capacity is not enough. | Useful for dense HCI or growth without increasing licensed cores. |
| Common add-ons | Varies by add-on | VMware Live Recovery (SRM/DR), VMware Avi Load Balancer, vSAN Add-on. | Compatibility depends on edition. |
| Specific editions | Per core | VVF for VDI (virtual desktops), Edge Compute Stack (edge/ROBO). | Specific terms by use. |
| vSphere Essentials Plus (status) | 96-core pack / per core | Limited availability in channel from late 2024–2025. | Check case by case; does not provide access to v9. |
MSAdvance can sell and supply all current options and recommend the optimal combination for the customer.
Feature comparison: VVF, VCF, and vSphere v8
| Area | vSphere v8 Standard/Ent. Plus | VVF 9 | VCF 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor & management | vSphere + vCenter | vSphere Ent. Plus + vCenter | vSphere + SDDC Manager (lifecycle) |
| HCI storage | Optional vSAN | vSAN 0.25 TiB/core included | vSAN 1 TiB/core included |
| Networking & security | Standard features | Advanced baseline features | Full NSX (micro-segmentation, overlay) |
| Operations/Aria | Basic | Base observability/operations | Advanced Aria |
| Kubernetes | Optional Tanzu | Integrated Kubernetes (VKS services) | Kubernetes with governance and advanced networking |
| Cloud portability | Not applicable | On-prem | Possible with full stack |
Practical calculations: cores to license and vSAN included
Base rule: license all physical cores on hosts (minimum 16/CPU). The included vSAN entitlement is calculated as 0.25 TiB/core in VVF and 1 TiB/core in VCF, aggregable within the same product.
| Scenario | Cores/CPU | CPUs/host | Hosts | Cores to license | VVF (0.25 TiB/core) | VCF (1 TiB/core) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic ROBO | 16 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 8 TiB | 32 TiB |
| Mid-size cluster (3 nodes) | 24 | 2 | 3 | 144 | 36 TiB | 144 TiB |
| Dense HCI (4 nodes) | 32 | 2 | 4 | 256 | 64 TiB | 256 TiB |
| Growth plan (6 nodes) | 28 | 2 | 6 | 336 | 84 TiB | 336 TiB |
| VDI/Edge (2 nodes) | 20 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 10 TiB | 40 TiB |
When included capacity isn’t enough, add vSAN by TiB (Add-on) or consider whether increasing cores improves overall TCO.
Sizing notes
- The included vSAN capacity is a license entitlement; usable physical capacity depends on design (failures to tolerate, RAID, ESA/OSA, compression/dedupe).
- For VDI or database scenarios, plan for IO spikes and annual growth.
- If using encryption and data-at-rest encryption, consider impact on CPU and capacity.
Typical purchase scenarios and recommendations
1) SMB with classic virtualization and moderate HCI
Profile: 3 hosts, 2 CPUs/host, 24 cores/CPU, mixed workloads (ERP, files, light VDI). Recommendation: VVF for its included vSAN (0.25 TiB/core), simple management, and controlled cost. Add vSAN by TiB if capacity falls short.
2) Corporate environment with advanced networking/security
Profile: 6–8 hosts, micro-segmentation, overlays, lifecycle automation. Recommendation: VCF for NSX, SDDC Manager, and 1 TiB/core of included vSAN. Enables standardization and governance.
3) 2-node ROBO/Edge with cost preservation
Profile: 2 small hosts, local availability, sync to HQ. Recommendation: VVF with included vSAN and capacity health checks. Evaluate vSAN by TiB if data grows.
4) Continuity on vSphere 8
Profile: environments that need stability on v8 U3 due to application compatibility. Recommendation: vSphere Standard/Enterprise Plus (v8) with a roadmap toward VVF/VCF to access v9.
5) Orchestrated DR
Profile: secondary site or compatible cloud, demanding RPO/RTO. Recommendation: add VMware Live Recovery on top of VVF/VCF.
Terms, portability, reporting, and compliance
- Subscription terms: 1, 3, or 5 years; multi-year typically offers a better effective price.
- Portability:
- VCF: option to use in certain cloud services if the full VCF stack is ported (per conditions).
- VVF: designed for on-prem use.
- Compliance reporting (v9): periodic compliance submissions; failing to report can degrade management functionality and suspend updates. Automation is recommended.
- Lifecycle: plan upgrades from 7.x/8.x and validate compatibilities (hardware on HCL, firmware, drivers).
- Co-termination & consolidation: advisable to align renewal dates in multi-year contracts.
How to buy with MSAdvance (process & checklist)
- Discovery: inventory of hosts/CPUs/cores, versions (7/8/9), workload profiles, and capacity needs.
- Sizing: core calculation and vSAN rightsizing (included vs add-on), with 1/3/5-year scenarios.
- Proposal: VVF/VCF and/or vSphere v8 (Standard/Enterprise Plus), add-ons (Live Recovery, Avi, vSAN by TiB), terms, and support.
- Supply/Activation: license delivery, registration guide, and best practices (vSAN ESA, NSX, Lifecycle).
- Optional implementation and periodic health checks.
| Area | Item | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | CPUs/cores per host verified (includes BIOS) | □ |
| vSAN | Included TiB (VVF/VCF) calculated and gaps identified | □ |
| Edition | VVF vs VCF vs vSphere v8 justified | □ |
| Add-ons | Live Recovery / Avi / vSAN by TiB as needed | □ |
| Portability | Cloud requirement (VCF only; VVF on-prem) | □ |
| Reporting | Automated compliance (VVF/VCF v9) | □ |
| Compatibility | Hardware on HCL, drivers/firmware validated | □ |
Common mistakes with per-core licensing
- Counting threads instead of cores: licensing is per physical core (Hyper-Threading is not licensed). Recalculate if you started from vCPUs.
- Forgetting the 16/CPU minimum: 8–12 core CPUs still require 16 licenses per CPU.
- Assuming VVF works for cloud: VVF is intended for on-prem; use VCF if cloud portability is required.
- Under-sizing vSAN: check whether included capacity (0.25/1 TiB per core) covers growth; add vSAN by TiB if not.
- Ignoring the v9 compliance report: not submitting degrades management and suspends updates.
- Misaligned renewals: co-term contracts to ease budgeting and management.
Frequently asked questions
Do VMware perpetual licenses still exist?
No. The current model is subscription.
How are cores counted?
All physical cores per host are licensed with a minimum of 16 per CPU, including cores disabled in BIOS.
What vSAN is included with VVF and VCF?
VVF: 0.25 TiB/core. VCF: 1 TiB/core. Capacity aggregates within the same product.
Can I buy vSphere Standard or Enterprise Plus?
Yes, as vSphere 8 U3 editions. For vSphere 9, innovations arrive via VVF/VCF.
What about Essentials Plus?
Limited availability in the channel since late 2024–2025. Consider VVF or vSphere Standard as alternatives.
Is vSphere/vSAN 7.x still supported?
General support has been extended to facilitate upgrade plans. Check specific dates by region.
Which add-ons are most common?
VMware Live Recovery (DR/SRM), Avi Load Balancer, and the vSAN Add-on (additional capacity).
Do Workstation/Fusion follow this model?
They don’t apply to data-center licensing; their model is separate.
Official links
- End of perpetual licenses & portfolio simplification — official communications: Official blog (Jan 22, 2024), Broadcom Newsroom (Feb 14, 2024).
- VVF SPD (v9) — per-core metric, 16/CPU, vSAN 0.25 TiB/core, reporting and restrictions: Official SPDs page (VVF), PDF: VVF_SPD_July2025.pdf.
- VCF SPD (v9) — per-core metric, 16/CPU, vSAN 1 TiB/core, components and portability: Official SPDs page (VCF), PDF: VCF_SPD_July2025.pdf.
- vSphere Product Line Comparison — v9 only in VVF/VCF; vSphere Standard/Enterprise Plus up to v8 U3: Official PDF.
- Core counting & vSAN sizing guides (ESA/OSA, FTT, policies): Designing and Sizing a vSAN Cluster, Design and Operational Guidance for vSAN Storage Clusters.
- VMware HCL — hardware, driver, and firmware compatibility: VMware Compatibility Guide (HCL).
Business-oriented conclusion
VMware/Broadcom licensing in 2025 revolves around cores and included vSAN capacity. With proper sizing, the choice between VVF and VCF depends on networking/security requirements, automation, and growth plans. MSAdvance can supply and sell the right licenses and support deployment to maximize value and reduce risk.
Want a firm proposal to buy VMware licenses?
We deliver per-core calculation, included vSAN, term comparison, and a technical rollout plan.
