VMware Cloud on AWS

Flexible Subscription for VMware Cloud on AWS

VMware Cloud on AWS keeps customers at the forefront by helping them accelerate their hybrid cloud journey. It provides a proven Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) stack running on bare metal AWS EC2 instances so that customers can take advantage of cloud infrastructure and native cloud services while significantly reducing their total cost of ownership of IT infrastructure.

Customers managing on-premises environments are looking for financial flexibility by moving from a capital expense (CAPEX) to an operational expenditure (OPEX) model to align with their organization’s financial planning and analysis strategy. And that’s why they typically choose the hybrid cloud strategy. But, while moving to the cloud, customers are also looking to purchase commitments that will accommodate their changing business needs. And to provide customers with true flexibility, in 2021, we introduced a new subscription option to purchase VMware Cloud on AWS hosts- A Flexible Subscription for VMware Cloud on AWS.

Since the launch of VMware Cloud on AWS, VMware Cloud on AWS hosts could be consumed on-demand or as a 1-year or 3-year standard subscription. Subscription purchasing options were tied to a region and instance type for the entire duration – without the ability to change or modify any dimensions of the commitment.

To provide customers more flexibility, we introduced Flexible Subscription pricing for VMware Cloud on AWS. With the introduction of the new subscription offering, now customers can exchange their flexible subscriptions to fit their evolving business needs.

Some of the details of the Flexible subscription option are as follows:

  • Customers can purchase flexible subscriptions for i3.metal or i3en.metal instance types. As per the change in their business needs, they can terminate their existing flexible term subscription (1-year or 3-year commitment) early and utilize the remaining value to purchase a new 1-year or 3-year flexible subscription. Please note: To take advantage of this option, customers must buy a new flexible 1-year or 3-year term commitment, paid upfront. Previously purchased non-flexible 1-year or 3-year subscriptions cannot be adjusted.
  • Some of the examples of flexible subscription exchange use cases are:
    • Flexibility to change subscription for different instance types: Customers can purchase a new term commitment for a new instance type. This is useful if customers want to use existing subscription funds for a different use case where another instance type is more optimal for their business. E.g., Initially, customer X purchased a 3-year flexible subscription for the i3.metal instance type. But after 1-year, they feel the need for the i3en.metal instance type due to the majority of storage-intensive workloads. Now, they can exchange the existing subscription for a new 1/3-year subscription by using remaining funds from existing subscription.
    • Flexibility to change subscriptions for different AWS regions: Customers can purchase a new term commitment for a different AWS region. This is specifically useful for the customers if they would like to utilize existing subscription funds for scaling IT infrastructure in a new region as per their business needs, such as footprint expansion in new regions, regional business growth, etc. This even applies to customers who are unsure where they’ll need their hosts located in the future.

Please note: Flexible Subscription for i3.metal instance type is available for purchase through VMware direct/ VMware partners/ AWS Resell route to market. The flexible subscription option for i3en.metal instance type is available for purchase through VMware direct/ VMware partners route to market only. The flexible subscription option is available only for 1-year or 3-year term commitments only.

How does it work?

  • On the VMware Cloud console, while creating a subscription, customers can choose Flexible Subscription for i3.metal or i3en.metal instance type as shown below:
  • After purchasing a flexible subscription, when a change in the flexible subscription is needed, a customer will file an exchange request
  • The customer will select a new full-term 1-year/3-year VMware Cloud on AWS subscription to be exchanged for their existing Flexible Subscription.
  • The remaining value of the existing Flexible subscription will be calculated.
  • The remaining value of the current Flexible Subscription will be deducted from the price of the new full-term 1-year/3-year year subscription.
  • Their Flexible Subscription will be cancelled and a new subscription will become active.

Please note: To take advantage of this option, customers must buy a new flexible 1-year or 3-year term commitment, paid upfront. Previously purchased non-flexible 1-year or 3-year subscriptions cannot be adjusted.

What’s Next?

Get flexibility in your hybrid cloud journey with the new Flexible Subscription. Please check VMware Cloud on AWS pricing page to see the Flexible subscription pricing:

Also, you can calculate how much the Flexible subscription will cost you by using our Pricing calculator page.

And if you would like to get more information related to VMware Cloud on AWS, here are some more valuable resources for you:

Aditi Pandey

Aditi Pandey is a Senior Product Marketing Manager for VMware Cloud on AWS at VMware, Inc. She has over six years of product marketing experience working in the IT industry,…

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