The VMware and Broadcom shift to VMware Cloud Foundation has created real pressure for IT leaders who rely on NSX. What had been a stable and well-planned networking and security foundation is now tied to bundled subscriptions, forced upgrades, and sudden spikes in operating cost.
Yet NSX itself is still strong.
What changed is the way it is packaged.
Our new whitepaper, “Simplifying NSX Support: Reclaiming Value, Security, and Confidence,” explains how organizations can keep the NSX they trust, strengthen security, and regain control of their roadmap without vendor pressure. Below is an excerpt of the key themes. To learn the full playbook, read the complete whitepaper.
The NSX Licensing Shakeup
What CIOs Need To Know Now
Broadcom’s move to VCF only licensing removes standalone NSX support and forces customers into a larger subscription bundle. This creates immediate challenges for IT teams that built stable NSX environments.
Common impacts include:
- Paying for capabilities that may never be used
- Losing the long-term value of perpetual licenses
- Facing accelerated upgrade timelines
- Allowing vendor priorities to shape internal roadmaps
For enterprises using NSX for routing, segmentation, and security, this disruption can be significant. The whitepaper outlines how Spinnaker Support helps organizations continue running NSX 3.x or NSX 4.x confidently beyond OEM end-of-support dates.
With Spinnaker Support, organizations can:
- Preserve the value of existing licenses
- Stay on proven versions for as long as they need
- Control migration timing
- Maintain stable and predictable operating costs
NSX Is Not Too Complex
It Is Often Just Overbuilt
Early in its life, NSX gained a reputation for being powerful but complicated. In reality, most organizations use a focused set of capabilities that can be designed and supported efficiently.
Typical NSX use includes:
- Tier 1 and Tier 0 routing
- Distributed firewall
- NAT, VPN, and segmentation
- Integration with vSphere
With strong design boundaries and disciplined management, NSX becomes modular, predictable, and easier to operate. The whitepaper explains how Spinnaker Support helps right-size deployments so teams can run NSX without expanding headcount or falling into upgrade cycles that do not deliver value.
Security That Goes Beyond Patch Cycles
NSX plays a central role in many zero trust and micro segmentation strategies. That makes its security posture mission critical.
OEM support continues to rely on patches as the primary defense mechanism. But a patch only approach often leaves serious gaps.
These gaps include:
- Long exposure windows
- Operational risk when rushing updates
- A reactive stance instead of a strategic one
Spinnaker Support uses a more resilient model:
- Vulnerability analysis in context
- Targeted mitigation that reduces risk quickly
- Recommendations aligned to NIST, MITRE, and CVE intelligence
- Ongoing hardening reviews to improve long-term posture
This approach gives customers a stronger and more stable security position between patches, not just after them.
Staying Operational When NSX Fails
When NSX experiences a failure, the impact reaches far beyond networking. Workloads can become unreachable, production can grind to a halt, and security controls can weaken in ways that expose the environment. Because NSX sits at the center of the data center, any disruption can immediately affect business operations.
The whitepaper explains how Spinnaker Support focuses on continuity:
- Immediate access to senior NSX experts
- Isolation of the problem to keep traffic flowing where possible
- Fast remediation based on deep NSX experience
- Clear root-cause analysis to prevent recurrence
Because NSX separates the management, control, and data planes, skilled engineers can often maintain stability even during a failure.
How Independent NSX Support Works
Many CIOs assume NSX must be supported by the OEM. The process described in the whitepaper shows a clear and proven alternative.
Spinnaker Support’s methodology includes:
- A guided environment review
- API driven discovery that maps the entire NSX configuration
- Documented and version controlled changes
- Regular backups and monitoring
- Senior level break fix support
- Independent strategic guidance without vendor influence
This approach gives teams full visibility, reduces operational risk, and provides support they can trust.
Why This Matters for Modern IT Strategy
CIOs need to modernize wisely, control cost, and reduce risk. Broadcom’s licensing changes make that harder for organizations that rely on NSX for stability and security.
The path outlined in the whitepaper helps teams:
- Run NSX without forced upgrades
- Avoid bundled pricing they do not need
- Strengthen security and compliance
- Maintain predictable operating costs
- Build a roadmap that is driven by business needs
Spinnaker Support provides a sustainable way forward for NSX environments.
Explore the Complete NSX Strategy
What you see here is only a portion of the insights. To understand the full methodology, security framework, operational process, and long-term roadmap guidance, read the complete whitepaper:
Simplifying NSX Support: Reclaiming Value, Security, and Confidence
If you would like support evaluating your current NSX architecture, visit spinnakersupport.com/vmware to request a complimentary NSX environment review.
