Broadcom has officially launched VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, introducing a series of upgrades designed to make private cloud environments easier to manage, more secure, and better suited for today’s dynamic workloads.

The release of VCF 9.0 focuses on helping IT teams build and operate private clouds that work with the speed, simplicity, and scalability users have come to expect from the public cloud. With a new modular architecture, built-in automation tools, and improved visibility into cost and performance, the platform aims to reduce complexity and improve control across the board.

Private Cloud is Making a Comeback

Broadcom’s own research shows that private cloud adoption is on the rise. According to their survey, nearly two-thirds of businesses have moved some of their workloads back on-premises, largely due to unexpected or uncontrolled costs in public cloud environments.

In fact, over 90% of respondents admitted they weren’t getting the full value out of their cloud budgets, and around half said that at least 25% of their public cloud spending went to waste.

Prashanth Shenoy, Broadcom’s VP of Product Marketing, explained this shift as part of a growing trend: a “cloud smart” strategy. “Organizations are starting to place greater focus on private cloud environments when they make more operational and financial sense,” he said.

Making Setup and Day-to-Day Management Easier

With VCF 9.0, Broadcom introduces a unified interface that’s been thoughtfully designed for both IT administrators and developers. The experience is meant to reduce friction when setting up cloud infrastructure and to make everyday tasks more streamlined.

One standout addition is the Quick Start App, which walks teams through configuration, access controls, and log management. Admins also gain deeper visibility into workload behavior, which helps with troubleshooting and ongoing optimization.

Built-in cost tracking tools help users understand exactly how infrastructure is being used. These tools support forecasting, allowing IT leaders to anticipate future resource needs and manage budgets more effectively. The platform also simplifies patching and compliance across multiple clusters, all from a single dashboard.

For developers, the experience has been reimagined as well. Platform teams can set policies, while developers use self-service tools and APIs to request and manage resources. VCF 9.0 supports virtual machines and containers side by side, with Kubernetes services embedded into the stack for modern app development.

“We’re seeing more and more private cloud workloads come in containerized formats,” Shenoy noted. “VCF is built to support those natively.”

Ready for AI and Real-Time Performance Needs

One of the more significant advancements in VCF 9.0 is its ability to run AI and machine learning workloads without a noticeable drop in performance. According to Broadcom, internal tests show the platform can maintain up to 99% of bare metal performance.

Support for live migration using vMotion also means workloads can be moved between systems without downtime—ensuring continuous availability and performance even as infrastructure changes.

Security updates are another key focus. A new dashboard gives IT teams a real-time look at compliance and risk posture. The platform also introduces confidential computing capabilities, including encrypted memory and secure enclaves—features especially valuable for sensitive data running in hybrid environments.

In its own operations, Broadcom used VCF to consolidate from 41 data centers down to just seven, reaching 89% resource utilization. The platform’s new showback and chargeback features help track infrastructure use and map spending accordingly—offering clearer insights into what’s being used and what it costs.

Updates to vDefend and Avi Load Balancer

Broadcom is also rolling out important updates to its vDefend security platform and the Avi Load Balancer.

vDefend now includes self-service microsegmentation, allowing app teams to define specific policies within a secure framework set by security teams. It also brings new capabilities like policy imports, traffic filtering based on location, and site-specific rule settings.

Meanwhile, the Avi Load Balancer now supports multi-tenant configurations and tighter integration with automation tools. Tasks such as scaling and service discovery are handled automatically, and a web application firewall (WAF) is included to meet growing security demands. The platform now supports Kubernetes ingress and the Gateway API, making it ideal for securing cloud-native applications.

Broadcom said these changes help companies meet stricter security regulations, such as the latest PCI requirements, by ensuring all public-facing applications are properly protected.

Preparing for the Future of Hybrid Cloud

The release of VCF 9.0—and the updates to its surrounding platforms—marks a significant step in Broadcom’s effort to deliver a unified, software-based foundation for the modern data center. It’s clear that Broadcom is building not just for today’s needs, but for the growing demand around AI, hybrid environments, and enterprise compliance.

“VCF 9.0 brings public cloud agility into the private data center, without compromising performance, visibility, or control,” Shenoy concluded.

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