VCF 4.3 EOL Oct 2023: 3 Options to Consider

VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3 End of Life

On October 31, 2023, VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 4.3 reaches its End of Life (EOL) and End of Active Support. This deadline also applies to version 4.3.1, the latest release in this specific line. Because VCF 4.3 is not a Long-Term Support (LTS) release, organizations relying on it must plan their next steps to maintain security, compliance, and operational stability.

With approximately nine months remaining, IT infrastructure managers have sufficient time to execute one of three realistic paths: upgrade to a supported release, negotiate extended support with the vendor, or transition to a third-party maintenance provider.

Assessing Your Three Options

1. Upgrade or Migrate

Upgrading to a newer, actively supported version of VMware Cloud Foundation is the traditional path.

• Cost Profile: High. Requires licensing for the new version, potential hardware upgrades to meet new system requirements, and significant engineering hours.
• Risk: Moderate. Upgrades carry operational risks, including downtime and compatibility issues with existing integrations.
• Timeline: 3 to 6 months. Planning, testing, and execution demand dedicated resources.
• Best Suited For: Environments under active development that require new features, performance enhancements, or strict adherence to standard vendor lifecycles.

2. Vendor Extended Support

If you cannot upgrade before the October 31 deadline, VMware may offer extended support contracts.

• Cost Profile: Very High. Vendor extended support typically carries a steep premium over standard maintenance and often increases in cost year-over-year.
• Risk: Low operational risk, but high budget risk.
• Timeline: 1 to 2 months for contract negotiation and approval.
• Best Suited For: Organizations that are actively migrating off VCF 4.3 but need a short-term, 6-to-12-month stopgap to remain compliant while the migration finishes.

3. Third-Party Support

Transitioning to an independent maintenance provider allows you to keep VCF 4.3 running safely past the vendor's EOL date without forced upgrades.

• Cost Profile: Low. Third-party support typically costs 50% to 70% less than standard vendor maintenance, with no premium penalties for EOL software.
• Risk: Low. You maintain your current stable environment with no operational disruptions, backed by SLA-driven issue resolution and security guidance.
• Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks for onboarding and auditing.
• Best Suited For: Highly stable workloads that perform as needed, environments entering a maintenance phase, or organizations seeking to reallocate IT budget from forced upgrades to strategic initiatives. Read more about our coverage for VMware.

Decision Checklist

To determine the best path for your VCF 4.3 deployment, evaluate the following:

• Is this environment undergoing active feature development, or is it a stable, legacy workload?
• Do we have the internal engineering bandwidth to execute an upgrade before October 31, 2023?
• Is the cost of a forced upgrade or vendor extended support justifiable for this specific infrastructure?
• Are we planning to migrate away from VMware Cloud Foundation entirely within the next two years?

If extending the lifespan of your current deployment aligns with your infrastructure strategy, third-party maintenance offers a secure, cost-effective alternative to vendor deadlines. Reach out to our team to contact us and discuss a custom support plan for your VMware environment.