After Broadcom announced the end of the free version of the ESXi hypervisor last year, the company has now quietly reversed its decision. The free version of the VMware hypervisor is again available for download for enthusiasts who want to experiment.
Broadcom is bringing back the free version of the ESXi hypervisor. In information about VMware ESXi 8.0 Update 3e, the software company states that users can download the hypervisor for free from Broadcom’s support portal. Broadcom does not offer support for the software, which is not intended for use in production.
The entry-level hypervisor also doesn’t work with vCenter and thus cannot be centrally managed. The version supports a maximum of eight vCPUs per virtual machine.
VMware ESXi 8.0 Update 3e comes as a surprise. Previous updates only included bug fixes. Broadcom had in February 2024 made it clear that a free version of the hypervisor didn’t fit within the renewed framework, and discontinued the offer.
Low Threshold
The free edition of the software always had limitations regarding management and vCPUs. However, the tool was relevant for both testers and hobbyists. They had a very low entry threshold to get started. The free VMware ESXi hypervisor made it possible for beginners to take their first steps in the VMware stack.
Although Broadcom has only been interested in the largest customers since the acquisition of VMware, the company seems to want to offer that low threshold again. Broadcom provides no explanation for the changed plans.
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How relevant the free VMware ESXi hypervisor still is today is another question. Broadcom has made it clear that it has no interest in small or medium-sized customers. So there’s no interesting path from experimenting with the hypervisor to a small-scale production implementation. Those who aren’t large multinationals and aren’t tied to VMware have no financial reason to tie their fate to Broadcom, unless their bank account is too full.