VMware to end support for third-party virtual switches

VMWare vSphere allows users to finally support third-party virtual switches.

Virtual switches allow you to handle traffic generated by virtual machines. They were part of vSphere for years because it makes sense to have a virtual switch to connect virtual machines instead of sending traffic from a crowd to a physical switch over and over again.

VMware's first effort in this area was modest. The Cisco Nexus 1000V, however, was best regarded and adopted as reasonably widely adopted. IBM and HPE also have virtual switches.

Over the years, VMware has made better efforts: the vSphere Distributed switch is now considered a rival to the Nexus 1000v. VMware also offers VMware vSphere Standard switch. There is also open Linux vSwitch Foundation.

A VMware spokesman said the reason for this change is that some users are more committed to third-party virtual switches. "The VMware native virtual switch implementation has become the de facto standard for more than 99% of vSphere customers today," said the spokesperson.

"The strategy is to invest in the priorities of our customers and simplify the platform to create the best and safest possible experience."

This also involves some pain for those who use third-party virtual switches because they will have to migrate away from them every time VMware will provide its next vSphere upgrade. If the current form is carried out, it will take time next year.

Perhaps more significantly, this week saw rumors arise suggesting that Cisco is working on an IOS decoupled from the hardware output. If this rumor is true, it would set the cat among the pigeons if vSphere did not do well with the future virtual versions of the various Cisco switches.

And then there's the question of the lock. An employee of a hyperconverti systems provider who supports multiple hypervisors and asked for anonymity, believes that some users feel it's worth considering a multi-hypervisor strategy to make sure they are unrelated to VMware virtual switches.