Broadcom’s 2023 acquisition of VMware reshaped the virtualization market. With VMware’s new pricing structures and licensing models, many businesses are facing higher costs and reduced flexibility. In response, organizations are switching to a more cost-effective alternative: open-source virtualization.
In this article, we’ll explore what makes open-source solutions a popular virtualization option.
What does open source mean?
Open source refers to software made from code that is available for anyone to view, modify, and share. Unlike proprietary software controlled by a single company, open-source projects are continuously improved by a global community of developers.
There are many open-source products available, including virtualization platforms such as KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), OpenStack, and oVirt.
Why are more businesses choosing open-source virtualization?
Open-source virtualization offers several key advantages, including:
Cost efficiency
Traditional licensed platforms typically involve recurring fees or costly hardware upgrades. Open-source solutions eliminate most of these costs through subscription-free models and flexible tech requirements.
Strong community support
Open-source virtualization platforms have a network of developers and users who share updates, documentation, and solutions. The community’s active participation means businesses can access resources and troubleshooting advice. For well-maintained projects, this continuous support helps identify and address issues promptly.
Security through transparency
With open-source software’s publicly accessible code, experts worldwide can continuously review and test it, and identify vulnerabilities right away. Proprietary products, meanwhile, primarily depend on internal teams to find flaws. This restricted approach can narrow perspectives and encourage groupthink, leading to mistakes and prolonging vulnerability discovery.
Take note that this advantage mainly applies to well-maintained open-source projects such as Proxmox VE or OpenStack. A project’s community is key. The more active it is, the faster it finds and fixes vulnerabilities. This leads to quicker patch releases.
Freedom from vendor lock-in
Vendor lock-in happens when a business relies so heavily on one provider’s software or technology that switching to another system becomes expensive or challenging. While not always intentional, proprietary vendors often design their platforms with exclusive formats or features. These make it difficult to transfer data or integrate with other tools without their assistance.
Open-source virtualization removes those barriers. Without restrictive licenses or software limitations, organizations gain full control over their systems and the freedom to choose how their technology evolves.
Flexibility
Open-source virtualization gives organizations the ability to design technology around their specific needs. Teams can configure systems to align with workflows, automate tasks, and test new ideas without being restricted by rigid software features. That flexibility is especially useful for companies that use both private and public cloud environments. Businesses can seamlessly migrate workloads between on-premises servers and cloud environments, ensuring consistent performance.
Scalable by design
Commercial virtualization providers often charge based on the number of users or resources, making expansion costly. In contrast, open-source virtualization allows you to add more storage or virtual machines, without escalating fees.
Compatibility with other open-source systems
Open-source virtualization solutions are designed for seamless integration with other open technologies, regardless of their origin. For instance, you can run Hermes, a document manager from HashiCorp (an IBM company), on Proxmox VE. Such interoperability allows businesses to build their IT infrastructure using the most suitable tools for each task.
If you’re ready to explore more flexible virtualization options, Liberty Center One can help. We have firsthand experience using OpenStack in our own cloud solutions. Contact us today to learn how open-source virtualization can strengthen your infrastructure and support your long-term success.