{"id":73561,"date":"2026-05-22T09:54:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T07:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/?p=73561"},"modified":"2026-05-29T08:57:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:57:52","slug":"broadcom-vmware-cloud-foundation-vcf-9-1-licensing-new-features","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/broadcom-vmware-cloud-foundation-vcf-9-1-licensing-new-features\/","title":{"rendered":"Broadcom VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.1: Licensing &#038; New Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On\u00a0<strong>May 25, 2026<\/strong>, Broadcom announced <strong>VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1<\/strong> reached <strong>general availability<\/strong>. Release 9.1 is a feature update to VCF 9.0 that strengthens AI infrastructure, ransomware recovery, and the management plane significantly. Learn about new features, licensing changes and frequently asked questions in this article.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-73602\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1-800x526.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1-800x526.png 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1-500x329.png 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1-150x99.png 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1-768x505.png 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-05-18-Update-LinkedIn-Broadcom-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-VCF-9.1.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What is new in 9.1<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>NVMe memory tiering:<\/strong>\u00a0A new capability at the VMware ESX hypervisor level lets fast NVMe storage act as an extension of system memory, transparent to both traditional VMs and Kubernetes VMs. In practice, each host can run more AI inference and in-memory database workloads without adding physical RAM.<\/li>\n<li><strong>vSAN global deduplication:<\/strong> Duplicate data blocks are now removed across the entire cluster, instead of just within a single disk group as before. In large vSAN environments this can reduce effective storage consumption significantly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fleet scale and speed:<\/strong>\u00a0A single VCF instance can now manage up to 5,000 hosts, and cluster upgrades run up to four times faster, including in air-gapped environments with no internet access. VCF Operations can also be upgraded on its own schedule, separate from the rest of the platform. This means you no longer have to bundle a management update with a full-stack upgrade.<\/li>\n<li><strong>On-premises ransomware recovery:<\/strong>\u00a0VCF 9.1 includes an isolated recovery vault on customer hardware, pre-validated ReadyNode configurations for cyber recovery, and EDR scans that check workloads for threats before they are restored. The most advanced cyber recovery flows still require the ACC (Advanced Cyber Compliance) add-on.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Live patching:<\/strong>\u00a0On Trusted Platform Module (TPM)-enabled hosts, up to 80% of ESX patches can now be applied without evacuating workloads. That removes the maintenance window for most patches and significantly reduces business disruption during routine security updates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New management plane:<\/strong>\u00a0VCF management services, a separate VCF License Server appliance, and dedicated Fleet lifecycle and SDDC lifecycle components. These replace the old VCF Operations fleet management appliance and Aria Suite Lifecycle. The SDDC Manager UI is deprecated (lifecycle work moves into VCF Operations) and Cloud Builder is fully replaced by VCF Installer, which uses a guided UI and JSON configuration templates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-72000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-800x533.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-500x333.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF9492-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Licensing in 9.1<\/h2>\n<p>VCF 9 is\u00a0<strong>subscription-only<\/strong>\u00a0and licensed through\u00a0<strong>VCF Operations<\/strong>. A single per-core subscription covers vSphere,\u00a0vSAN, NSX, HCX, VCF Operations, VCF Automation, vSphere Kubernetes Service, and VCF Private AI Services. Advanced Services such as ACC, Advanced Security, Load Balancing, and Data Services are sold separately.\u00a0<strong>Perpetual VCF licenses cannot be upgraded to VCF 9<\/strong>, meaning you would need to move to a subscription first.<\/p>\n<p>In<strong> VCF 9.1<\/strong>, <strong>licensing now runs in its own VCF License Server appliance<\/strong> instead of inside VCF Operations. The appliance is auto-deployed during the VCF Operations upgrade. <strong>The customer workflow is unchanged<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>Do I need a new license to upgrade from VCF 9.0 to VCF 9.1?<\/h3>\n<p>No. An\u00a0<strong>active VCF 9 subscription<\/strong>\u00a0covers both 9.0 and 9.1. Two things to confirm:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Does your deployed core count still fit your entitlement?<\/li>\n<li>Are there any Advanced Services you plan to start using that need to be added to your contract?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Do I need a new license to upgrade from VCF 5.x to VCF 9.1?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. The old\u00a0<strong>25-character 5.x license keys do not carry forward<\/strong>. Components move to evaluation mode during the upgrade and are re-licensed through VCF Operations using the new subscription license files. Mixed estates are supported.<\/p>\n<h3>What if I am on a perpetual VCF license?<\/h3>\n<p>Switch to subscription first, then perform the technical upgrade. The commercial conversion often takes longer than the technical work, so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/contact\/\">start it early with your reseller SCHNEIDER IT MANAGEMENT<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Is the upgrade automatic?<\/h3>\n<p>No, it is\u00a0<strong>guided and sequenced<\/strong>. A few specific steps do happen automatically:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The new\u00a0<strong>VCF License Server<\/strong>\u00a0appliance is deployed during the VCF Operations upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The old\u00a0<strong>VCF Operations fleet management appliance is decommissioned<\/strong>; credentials, inventory, certificates, and service accounts are migrated for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>VCF Identity Broker in embedded mode<\/strong>\u00a0is upgraded with vCenter (appliance mode has its own upgrade).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Everything else follows a strict\u00a0component\u00a0order: management components and the management domain first, then the rest of the fleet, and only then,\u00a0<strong>optionally<\/strong>, the workload domains as a Day-N operation.<\/p>\n<h3>What are the upgrade prerequisites?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Active VCF 9 subscription<\/strong>\u00a0that covers the deployed cores after the upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Working\u00a0<strong>VCF Operations<\/strong>\u00a0instance, and\u00a0access to\u00a0<strong>vcf.broadcom.com<\/strong>\u00a0to generate license files.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Supported source version:\u00a0<strong>VCF 9.0.x<\/strong>\u00a0for the in-place 9.1 upgrade, or\u00a0<strong>VCF 5.2.x<\/strong>\u00a0for sequential or skip-level. Earlier than 5.2 must first reach 5.2.x.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Verified\u00a0<strong>backups<\/strong>\u00a0of management components and inventory data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Compatibility check against the 9.1\u00a0<strong>hardware and\u00a0component\u00a0matrices<\/strong>, including ESX hosts, NSX, vCenter, and any Advanced Services already in use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>What changes in the management plane?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Aria Suite Lifecycle, VMware Identity Manager, and Aria Operations for Logs<\/strong>\u00a0have no 9.1 upgrade. Their roles move to the new VCF management services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>SDDC Manager UI<\/strong>\u00a0is deprecated; lifecycle work moves to VCF Operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cloud Builder<\/strong>\u00a0is fully replaced by\u00a0<strong>VCF Installer<\/strong>, with\u00a0a guided\u00a0UI and JSON configuration templates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>vVols<\/strong>\u00a0are deprecated and will be removed in a future release. Plan a migration to\u00a0vSAN, NFS, or FC on the same timeline as the upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Do I have to upgrade my workload domains?<\/h3>\n<p>No. Workload domain upgrades are\u00a0<strong>optional<\/strong>\u00a0and can be staged after the management domain of the respective VCF instance reaches 9.1.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-71768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-800x533.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-500x333.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/03\/Office-People-DSCF7712-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>Ready to plan your move to VCF 9.1?<\/h2>\n<p>As a leading\u00a0<strong>Broadcom partner<\/strong>, SCHNEIDER IT MANAGEMENT supports your organization making the most of your VMware environment.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/contact\/\"><strong>Contact our Broadcom expert team today<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0optimize your VMware licensing and maximize the return on your investment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<p><em>Official Broadcom VCF 9.1 upgrade documentation:\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/techdocs.broadcom.com\/us\/en\/vmware-cis\/vcf\/vcf-9-0-and-later\/9-1\/deployment\/upgrading-cloud-foundation.html\">https:\/\/techdocs.broadcom.com\/us\/en\/vmware-cis\/vcf\/vcf-9-0-and-later\/9-1\/deployment\/upgrading-cloud-foundation.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>VCF Business Services console:\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/vcf.broadcom.com\/\"><em>https:\/\/vcf.broadcom.com<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>VCF 9.1 Solution Brief (April 2026):\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-04-10-Update-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-9-1-Solution-Brief.pdf\">https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-04-10-Update-VMware-Cloud-Foundation-9-1-Solution-Brief.pdf<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>VCF 9.1 FAQ (May 2026): <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-04-13-Website-VCF-9.1-General-FAQs.pdf\"><em>https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/05\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-04-13-Website-VCF-9.1-General-FAQs.pdf<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On\u00a0May 25, 2026, Broadcom announced VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1 reached general availability. Release 9.1 is a feature update to VCF 9.0 that strengthens AI infrastructure, ransomware recovery, and the management plane significantly. Learn about new features, licensing changes and frequently asked questions in this article. &nbsp; What is new in 9.1 NVMe memory tiering:\u00a0A new [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":47363,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[683,270],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-broadcom","category-vmware"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73561"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73741,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73561\/revisions\/73741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}