As part of our ongoing efforts to innovate and deliver the best possible solutions for our customers, we are constantly evolving our products and solutions to cater to the changing needs of our customers. This includes re-evaluating the way the capabilities of our products are consumed and aligning our solutions with customer needs. As a result, we are announcing the End of Support (EoS) for VMware Smart Assurance, effective February 2, 2024.
What’s Changing
VMware Smart Assurance, comprising the M&R reporting module, Smarts monitoring module, and Network Configuration Manager, will no longer be available for new purchases. The support and transition plan of each component is different and is outlined below.
M&R Reporting Module
The capabilities of the M&R reporting module will be available through VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance. Existing customers with an active support contract, until the contract expires or the end of extended support which is scheduled to be December 2025 (subject to change), will continue to receive the following:
- Support services
- Fixes for product defects and security vulnerabilities
- Access to the M&R reporting module with its current capabilities
The feature and capability enhancements will not be added to the M&R reporting module.
Smarts Monitoring Module
The capabilities of the Smarts monitoring module will be available through the Domain Manager component of VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance. Existing customers with an active support contract will receive:
- A seamless upgrade to the Domain Manager component of VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance
- Device certifications, free of charge, through the Domain Manager component of VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance
- Support services
- Fixes for product defects and security vulnerabilities
The feature and capability enhancements will continue to be added to the Domain Manager component of VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance.
Network Configuration Manager
The capabilities of Network Configuration Manager will be discontinued and will not be available through any other products. Existing customers with an active support contract, until the contract expires or the end of extended support which is scheduled to be December 2028 (subject to Broadcom management approval), will receive the following:
- Support services
- Fixes for product defects and security vulnerabilities
No feature and capability enhancements will be added to Network Configuration Manager.
What can you do?
If you’re currently using VMware Smart Assurance, we request you to review the FAQs below to gain a better understanding of this change. For a personalized discussion and guidance on how to transition to a solution that meets your business needs, please reach out to your dedicated account team from VMware by Broadcom or your preferred partner representative. They will work with you to explore how VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance for MSPs can help you achieve your goals and address any questions or concerns you may have.
FAQs
- What are the changes to perpetual licenses?
As part of our transition to subscription-based licensing and a simplified product portfolio, all renewals for Support and Subscription for perpetual offerings have been discontinued, effective immediately.
- Can customers continue to use their perpetual licenses?
Yes, customers can continue to use perpetual licenses that they have already acquired.
- Can customers still purchase and add additional perpetual licenses?
No, new perpetual licenses will not be available for purchase owing to the discontinuation of perpetual licenses. Instead, customers can opt for subscription licenses to supplement or replace their existing perpetual-licensed installations.
- Can customers renew their SnS contracts after today?
No, perpetual licensed products will no longer be eligible for SnS contract renewals effective immediately. VMware by Broadcom will work with customers to help them “trade in” their perpetual products in exchange for the new subscription products, with upgrade pricing incentives. Customers can reach out to their VMware by Broadcom account team or partner representative for more information.
- Will customers have to submit their perpetual licenses to VMware by Broadcom when they “trade-in” their products for transitioning to subscription?
No, VMware by Broadcom does not require customers to submit their perpetual licenses when they “trade in” their products for transitioning to subscription.
- Will VMware by Broadcom continue to provide support for active SnS contracts?
We will honor our contractual commitments and continue to provide support for active SnS contracts until their expiration. Additionally, customers can apply for extended support for the M&R Reporting Module and Network Configuration Manager components beyond their contract expiration, until the end of extended support periods for respective components as noted above. Refer to the details on Broadcom Software Extended Support here.
- What will happen to customers’ existing perpetual licenses with active SnS contracts when their SnS contracts are up for renewal?
When your SnS contracts are up for renewal, you can work with your VMware by Broadcom representative or preferred partner to assess your requirements and align them with VMware by Broadcom’s updated product portfolio.
- What can customers with perpetual licenses do now to prepare?
This is an excellent time for customers to evaluate their current VMware Smart Assurance setup. We recommend that customers take this chance to review their perpetual license inventory, including refresh cycles and renewal dates, and explore the updated subscription options from VMware by Broadcom. For more information, customers are encouraged to reach out to VMware by Broadcom or their preferred partner representative.
- What are the specific replacement products (component by component) that will be available for customers to transition to?
Please refer to the following table for details.
| Products/Components no longer available (all editions and pricing metrics) | Transition Product available?(Y/N) | Transition Product and Feature(s) |
| VMware Smart Assurance – M&R | Y | VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance – Grafana for reporting VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance – Collectors |
| VMware Smart Assurance – Network Configuration Manager | N | N/A |
| VMware Smart Assurance – Smarts | Y | VMware Telco Cloud Service Assurance – Domain Managers |
