Scale Computing CEO Series: VMware Alternatives

The ripple effects of the VMware acquisition by Broadcom at the close of 2023 continues to be felt across the IT world, sparking uncertainty among customers and partners alike. From rising costs to discontinued product lines and shifting roadmaps, many organizations are now reevaluating their reliance on VMware. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your systems, simplifying your IT infrastructure, and saving significant management time, you’re not alone.

In a new video, Scale Computing CEO Jeff Ready, sheds some light on how Scale Computing offers a practical and cost-effective VMware alternative for those who feel trapped in a cycle of escalating costs and operational headaches.

As Jeff notes, many customers have built their VMware-based systems incrementally over time, leading to a tangled “ball of twine” that feels increasingly convoluted, costly, and hard to manage. While the thought of migrating to a new solution can seem daunting, it’s also an opportunity to embrace a simpler, more streamlined future. Scale Computing’s solutions are purpose-built to simplify IT operations, enabling organizations to reduce management overhead by up to 90%.

One of the key concerns for IT leaders exploring VMware alternatives is compatibility. “Can this alternative run my workloads?” is often the first question. Scale Computing answers this with confidence, offering a seamless migration that doesn’t take years of effort. Jeff highlights how the SC//Platform effortlessly integrates with existing systems, from backups to security tools, minimizing disruption and easing the path to modernization.

But the benefits go beyond just functionality. Organizations that make the switch to Scale Computing experience transformative changes in how IT is managed. With a system designed from the ground up to minimize complexity, IT teams are freed from the endless cycle of ‘bolted- on’ fixes and managing siloed systems. As Jeff explains in the video, customers frequently return after a few months to share how Scale Computing’s solutions have “changed their life as an IT person.”

If you’re ready to simplify, reduce costs, and embrace a modernized way to manage your infrastructure, there’s never been a better time to explore your options. Watch the full video to hear directly from Jeff and learn how Scale Computing can transform your IT operations today.

Mann also recognized on CRN’s elite 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs for 2025

INDIANAPOLIS – February 3, 2025 – Scale Computing, a market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named both Scott Mann, Managing Director and Vice President of Scale Computing International, and Kyle Fenske, Director, North American Channel, to the prestigious 2025 CRN Channel Chiefs list, which recognizes the IT vendor and distribution executives who are driving strategy and setting the channel agenda for their companies. Scott Mann was additionally named one of 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs, an elite subset of CRN’s Channel Chiefs list.

The Channel Chiefs list, released annually by CRN, showcases the top leaders throughout the IT channel ecosystem who work tirelessly to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers. The notable 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs list highlights leaders who have achieved remarkable professional and channel accomplishments. Their influence and strategic leadership play a significant role in shaping the future of the IT community, fostering innovation, and supporting the success of solution providers.

Mann has been named a Channel Chief for seven consecutive years for his leadership within the Scale Computing Partner Community. In 2024, he continued to grow Scale Computing’s channel team and spearheaded the company’s growth initiatives across all international markets, while overseeing the global channel. This is Fenske’s inaugural year on the Channel Chiefs list, recognizing him for his integral role in leading Scale Computing’s North American channel activities. Over the past year, Scale Computing achieved record growth in revenue from both existing and net new business and expanded key global partnerships, driven by customers and partners seeking VMware alternative virtualization platforms, edge computing, and AI inference solutions.

“We are very proud of Scott and Kyle for their Channel Chief list inclusion. Both are very deserving of this recognition as they play pivotal roles in our partner community. Scale Computing is a proud channel-first organization and we remain committed to ensuring that our partners find us to be the best and most productive solution in their portfolio. Coming off an incredible 2024, we look forward to continuing to grow our business with our partner community,” said Dave Hallmen, chief revenue officer, Scale Computing.

Registration is currently open for the annual Scale Computing Platform Summit (Platform//2025), the company’s flagship event for IT professionals and partners. The three-day event, held May 13-15, 2025, at Resorts World in Las Vegas, will feature live educational and best practices sessions, dedicated networking opportunities, the Platform//2025 Awards Dinner, training and certification opportunities, and more. Guests can register for the event and view the event agenda on the Platform//2025 website. Special early bird pricing is available through February 14, 2025.

Scale Computing’s channel recognition on the 2025 Channel Chiefs list comes on the heels of the company’s 2024 CRN Annual Report Card (ARC) award win in the Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure category, sweeping all subcategories. The Channel Company also honored the Scale Computing Partner Community with a 5-star rating in the 2024 CRN Partner Program Guide and named Scale Computing Autonomous Infrastructure Management Engine (AIME) a winner of the CRN’s 2024 Products of the Year Awards in the Edge Computing/IoT category.

“This year’s honorees exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership that supports solution provider success and fosters growth across the channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, at The Channel Company. “Each of these exceptional leaders has made a lasting channel impact by championing partnerships and designing creative strategies that get results. They’ve set a high bar in the channel, and we’re thrilled to recognize their standout achievements.”

CRN’s 2025 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2025 print issue of CRN® Magazine and online beginning February 3rd at CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

It’s a new year, and with it, we’ve brought together some of our resident product experts and technical evangelists here at Scale Computing to share their insights and offer their forecasts on what trends might shape the edge computing, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), and virtualization market in the year ahead.

1. Frustrations with VMware Mount, Pushing IT Leaders to Seek Modern Alternatives

2024 proved to be a turbulent time for IT as VMware customers faced mounting pressures from licensing complexities, escalating costs, and restrictive product bundles. Broadcom’s acquisition-driven focus on short-term profitability – raising prices, cutting R&D, and changing products to focus on profit and not customer needs – continues to alienate long-time customers and partners. These factors forced some organizations to make hasty decisions to mitigate immediate financial and operational burdens, while others, constrained by resource or timing limitations, began planning longer-term strategies to transition away from VMware.

This dissatisfaction represents more than a momentary shift; it marks the early stages of a broader exodus. Broadcom’s attempts to repair relationships by recalibrating its approach may come too late, as the IT community has grown skeptical of its intentions and more confident in pursuing alternative solutions that emphasize flexibility, innovation, and customer-first priorities.

The growing discontent has not only opened the door for VMware competitors but also stimulated the search for disruptive technologies and operational models. These shifts are likely to drive long-term changes in virtualization, including greater adoption of open-source hypervisors, edge-optimized platforms, and hybrid-cloud solutions.

2. Edge Computing Will Fuel the Next Generation of AI Innovation in the Enterprise

In 2025, edge computing will become a foundational element of AI, shifting how companies collect, process, and analyze data. As AI applications grow more sophisticated and data-intensive, relying solely on cloud-based architectures will prove cost-prohibitive for many organizations. Likewise, the rapid scaling of data from AI applications requires immense computational resources, leading companies to turn to multi-layered edge infrastructures where data processing and storage can occur closer to the point of collection. For industries such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation, this edge-centric approach addresses both financial and operational challenges associated with cloud usage, as companies need to ensure predictable costs while enhancing AI performance.

The unpredictability of cloud costs will continue to be a significant driver in the shift toward edge-based AI processing. Cloud providers often charge based on data transfer, storage, and compute time, all of which scale dramatically with AI’s high CPU and GPU demands. By processing data locally at the edge, organizations can mitigate the volatility of fluctuating costs and reduce their dependency on long-term cloud storage and computation. Furthermore, edge processing enables real-time data analysis, which is becoming increasingly critical in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.

In retail, for instance, edge computing allows stores to leverage AI for real-time inventory management, customer behavior analysis, and even security monitoring without incurring excessive cloud costs. Similarly, in manufacturing, where IoT devices and sensors monitor equipment health, edge-based processing can enable predictive maintenance while reducing latency and dependence on the cloud.

Looking ahead, 2025 will likely see increased investment in multi-layered edge networks that can dynamically support AI workloads. With edge computing addressing both the operational and financial demands of AI applications, a broad cross-section of industries is poised to adopt more robust edge solutions, transforming edge-based infrastructure into a critical enabler of AI-driven innovation.

3. Scalable Solutions at the Edge: ROBOs Will Embrace Containerized Deployments in 2025

In 2025, containerized solutions will become indispensable for remote office/branch office (ROBO) deployments as edge computing takes on a more prominent role in the distributed enterprise. As organizations seek scalable, agile application deployment across numerous locations, containers will provide the ideal lightweight, portable execution environment needed to meet these goals. By encapsulating applications and their dependencies into self-contained units, containerization allows developers and IT teams to create consistent, reliable deployment packages that work seamlessly at the edge. This approach is particularly valuable for distributed enterprises that require rapid deployment, simplified maintenance, and minimal resource overhead across multiple sites.

The success of containerization at the edge parallels that of the public cloud model, which popularized streamlined, application-first approaches to software deployment. Concepts like continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) and DevOps practices shifted focus from infrastructure management to application-centric development. By enabling developers to package applications in universal formats that operate the same way across development, testing, and production environments, containerization simplifies the otherwise complex deployment process.

Industries are already seeing these benefits play out in their edge deployments. In retail, containers allow stores to run localized applications for inventory tracking, customer insights, and real-time analytics, helping reduce reliance on cloud connectivity. Similarly, in healthcare, containerized applications are being deployed in clinical environments to support diagnostics and data processing directly at the point of care. Manufacturing plants, meanwhile, are using containers to standardize and automate processes across facilities, enabling quick updates and reducing the need for specialized infrastructure in each location.

Additionally, containerized solutions provide a universal framework that mitigates the complexities of managing edge sites with varying architectures. Edge operators can build multi-architecture packages that support a variety of CPU architectures, reducing compatibility issues and allowing organizations to optimize deployments for cost and performance. Furthermore, the layered nature of container images minimizes data transfer needs, as only updated layers are downloaded during deployment, addressing the challenges of limited or costly connectivity often faced at the edge.

With standardized observability and monitoring capabilities, containers offer ROBO environments a robust mechanism for maintaining application health and functionality across all sites and 2025 will see organizations continue to embrace containerized solutions as they look to improve the resilience and agility of their edge environments.

4. IaC and Kubernetes Bring Cloud-Like Simplicity to the Edge in 2025

In 2025, edge computing will mature to offer the same simplicity, flexibility, and agility traditionally associated with today’s popular public cloud platforms, transforming how organizations deploy low-latency, localized applications. With advancements in edge infrastructure and management practices, developers will increasingly be able to build and manage edge applications as easily as they do in the public cloud, paving the way for innovative services in industries that demand real-time data processing and minimal latency.

A critical enabler of this transformation is the adoption of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles at the edge. By extending IaC practices to edge environments, DevOps teams can leverage automated, version-controlled deployments for remote infrastructure, streamlining configuration and reducing deployment times. This approach enhances consistency, simplifies management, and allows for rapid scaling, even in highly distributed environments. As a result, edge computing is evolving to mirror the programmability and efficiency that made cloud platforms so successful, empowering organizations to maintain consistency across diverse environments without introducing further complexity.

Kubernetes is also gaining traction as a key technology that enables edge orchestration. As more enterprises seek to deploy applications at the edge, Kubernetes provides the scalability, reliability, and orchestration capabilities needed to manage distributed workloads. While challenging to implement, Kubernetes at the edge offers a unified platform for containerized applications, allowing organizations to standardize deployments and streamline management across both cloud and edge infrastructures.

Together, the principles of IaC and Kubernetes orchestration are set to transform the edge from a fragmented set of isolated nodes into a cohesive, cloud-like environment. By combining automation with robust orchestration, edge computing will support a growing range of applications that demand low latency, including IoT, augmented reality, and autonomous systems.

5. Edge Computing Fuels the Expansion of Computer Vision Beyond Retail in 2025

In 2025, edge computing will usher in a variety of innovative use cases for computer vision, driving adoption across industries beyond its retail origins. The ability to process visual data locally at the edge enables real-time decision-making and enhances operational efficiency in scenarios where latency and bandwidth constraints would otherwise hinder AI applications. While 2024 marked a turning point for computer vision in retail – powering innovations like automated checkout, personalized shopping experiences, and loss prevention – we believe 2025 will see this technology flourish in sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing, where the demand for real-time insights is accelerating.

Healthcare providers are poised to leverage computer vision at the edge for applications like diagnostic imaging, patient monitoring, and surgical assistance. By processing visual data locally, hospitals and clinics can make faster, data-driven decisions, enhancing patient outcomes while maintaining compliance with stringent data privacy regulations. Similarly, logistics companies will deploy edge-enabled computer vision to optimize warehouse operations, track inventory in real time, and improve last-mile delivery efficiency. These capabilities reduce delays and errors, ensuring smoother supply chain operations in a world increasingly reliant on rapid, reliable deliveries.

Manufacturing will also benefit from the marriage of edge computing and computer vision, enabling advancements in quality control, predictive maintenance, and worker safety. Smart cameras integrated with edge infrastructure can improve the identification of defects on production lines, monitor equipment health, and detect potential hazards, all in real time. Across all these sectors, the shift to edge-powered computer vision reduces reliance on cloud infrastructure, making the technology more cost-effective and accessible for enterprises.

Scale Computing has been named to CRN’s Cloud 100 list for 2025 in the Cloud Infrastructure category! The annual list recognizes the top cloud computing powerhouses in the IT channel, and we’re proud to be among those delivering the most innovative and partner-centric cloud infrastructure solutions to partners and customers globally.

Simplifying Hybrid Cloud with Scale Computing Platform

As businesses increasingly embrace the advantages of both public and private clouds, hybrid cloud solutions have become critical for IT departments everywhere. Scale Computing Platform (SC//Platform) brings the simplicity of hyperconverged infrastructure to the cloud, delivering a hybrid cloud solution built for organizations of every size.

A compelling alternative to the complexities of traditional cloud architectures, SC//Platform boasts a self-healing platform that’s built for simplicity, high availability, and scalability. This means you can deploy applications autonomously in your data center or at the network’s edge, wherever your data resides. This versatile approach empowers your IT department to design the ideal hybrid cloud solution for your unique needs.

Benefits of the Scale Computing Platform

Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll reap with a hybrid cloud deployment powered by Scale Computing:

• Flexibility: Scale Computing empowers your IT team with unparalleled flexibility. You can seamlessly scale your computing resources up or down to perfectly match your workload demands. This ensures you can adapt to changing business needs, conquer peak usage periods, and optimize resource allocation.
• Seamless Management: SC//Platform allows you to connect and manage all your virtual machines through a single, intuitive user interface, regardless of their location — on-premises or in the cloud. This streamlined approach simplifies operations and minimizes the learning curve, even during critical events like disaster recovery.
• Robust Data Security: Our hybrid cloud solution allows you to control your company’s critical data and applications by maintaining them on-premises, while offloading anonymized or less private data to a private or public cloud for big data and analytics use. This approach ensures compliance with relevant industry regulations and provides a crucial layer of security for sensitive information.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Our hybrid cloud architecture helps optimize IT spending by dynamically allocating resources. You’ll minimize upfront capital expenditures and maximize the return on your IT investments.
• Simplified Networking Across Multiple Sites: Scale Computing’s innovative technology, including HyperCore Edge Fabric and Open vSwitch/VxLAN, simplifies networking across multiple locations. This means you can effortlessly manage multiple virtual LANs and configure them on a per-VM basis within SC//HyperCore. This capability extends to managing multiple on-premises instances, streamlining disaster recovery failover/failback processes, and enabling live migration between on-premises and cloud-based instances for a seamless hybrid cloud experience.

INDIANAPOLIS – January 22, 2025 – Scale Computing, a market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced record growth for 2024. The company saw an increase in software sales of over 45% year over year (YoY), and more than doubled its number of new customers over the last year. Business accelerated throughout the year, and in Q4 the company saw software sales up 77% and new logos up 350% from the year-ago period. Customers and partners seeking VMware alternative virtualization platforms, edge computing, and AI inference solutions drove these record increases.

“2024 was an extraordinary year for Scale Computing. We currently see an unprecedented opportunity to enable the best outcomes for our customers and partners as they navigate the industry disruption caused by Broadcom and VMware. Scale Computing Platform (SC//Platform) provides a major upgrade to VMware by providing a hypervisor alternative while simultaneously enabling edge computing and AI inference at the edge,” said Jeff Ready, CEO and co-founder of Scale Computing. “So our partners and customers get a two-for-one: a solution to today’s Broadcom problem, and a technology roadmap into the future of edge and AI. Each quarter this past year, we have exceeded our highest growth forecasts, reaching record profitability on record demand. We anticipate this accelerated growth to continue in 2025 as we remain focused on delivering cutting-edge technology and world-class service to our customers and partners.”

Former VMware customers are choosing Scale Computing as their virtualization offering of choice. SC//Platform reduces downtime by up to 90% and decreases total costs by up to 40% compared to VMware. Customers interested in switching to Scale Computing can save up to 25% with current promotions while implementing solutions that deliver simpler management, integrated backup and disaster recovery, built-in high availability, and effortless scalability. To learn more, please visit the Scale Computing website to learn about its VMware alternative solutions.

In Q4, Scale Computing launched the SC//Fast Track Partner Promotion, offering new partners a free hyperconverged edge computing system to experience the company’s award-winning technology firsthand and accelerate partner onboarding. The company also announced a new partnership with 10ZiG, to provide managed, secure, and flexible Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). By combining 10ZiG’s Modernized, Managed, Secure Thin & Zero Client hardware and software solutions with SC//Platform, organizations can achieve unparalleled cost efficiency, enhanced security, and exceptional scalability. Recently, Scale Computing opened registration for its third annual flagship event for IT professionals and partners, Scale Computing Platform Summit (Platform//2025), occurring May 13-15, 2025 in Las Vegas.

Other key Q4 2024 awards and recognitions include:

• CRN named Scale Computing Autonomous Infrastructure Management Engine (AIME) the winner in the CRN 2024 Product of the Year Awards in the Edge Computing/Internet of Things category.
• Scale Computing earned the 2025 TrustRadius Buyer’s Choice Award
• CRN recognized Scale Computing on its Edge Computing 100 list for the fifth consecutive year.
• Data Center Intelligence Group named Scale Computing a Top 5 VMware vSphere Alternative in all three of its Enterprise Global, Enterprise US, and SMB/Edge DCIG reports.
• Scale Computing was recognized as an Established Vendor in the 2024 Gartner® Voice of the Customer.
• G2 awarded Scale Computing 60 Badges in its G2 Winter 2025 Report, including a Leader badge in the Server Virtualization category.
• Data Center Dynamics honored Scale Computing with the Edge Data Center Project of the Year award in the recent 2024 DCD>Awards for its work with established convenience store and fuel chain, Royal Farms.