Broadcom turned your VMware renewal into a board-level line item. The exit: an open, Kubernetes-native platform that runs your VMs, containers, storage and networking on hardware you own — no per-core tax. Ænix delivers it two ways — a turnkey product you run, or our engineers building it with you.
Pairs with: Ænix Private Cloud Platform for a turnkey private cloud, or Build a Private Cloud when you want us to design and stand it up to your spec. Both run on Cozystack — open source, Apache 2.0.
Where you are right now
- The VMware/Nutanix renewal is up 2–5× and the CFO is asking why.
- You need VMs and Kubernetes on the same platform, not two silos.
- “Sovereign” and “data-residency” requirements are landing on your desk.
- You can run virtualization, but a production KubeVirt/Kubernetes build is a skills and risk question.
- You want an exit that doesn’t trade one lock-in for another.
What you’re actually trying to do
Replace the hypervisor layer without re-platforming the business overnight: one multi-tenant platform that runs your existing VMs (KubeVirt), gives teams managed Kubernetes, and keeps storage and networking software-defined — on your hardware, under your control. The licence line Broadcom was eating becomes budget you redeploy, not a subscription to a different vendor.
Two ways Ænix helps you
1. Run a turnkey platform. Ænix Private Cloud Platform is a complete private cloud on the open-source Cozystack core: VMs, managed Kubernetes, managed databases, object storage, observability, multi-tenancy — with enterprise SLA. You operate it; we support it.
2. Build your own, with our team. When you want a platform tuned to your estate and processes, Cozystack is the framework and Ænix is your outsourced engineering team: we design the architecture, run the VMware migration, and stand up a private cloud you own. This fills the KubeVirt/Kubernetes gap without a hiring cycle.
Either path ends with the platform — and the skills — in your hands.
Quick facts
- What it is: an open, Kubernetes-native platform (VMs via KubeVirt + containers + storage + networking) that replaces vSphere/Nutanix.
- Who it’s for: Heads / VPs / Directors of Infrastructure running a VMware or Nutanix estate.
- Licence: Apache 2.0 — no per-core/per-socket licensing.
- Status: built on Cozystack, a CNCF project (Sandbox since 2025-02-28; Incubating application in due diligence).
- Typical timeline: a 14- or 28-day fixed-price assessment, then a 3–12 month platform build. Moving a VMware estate, including planning and migration waves, takes about 8–12 months for ~100 VMs and 18–24 months for ~1,000 VMs.
- Common pitfall: treating the exit as VM-only and discovering backup, observability and CI/CD still depend on the old stack.
Why infrastructure leaders pick Ænix
- We created the platform. Ænix created Cozystack and co-maintains it — you get the authors as your delivery and support partner, not a reseller.
- No hyperscaler bias. We recommend (and operate) the architecture that meets your constraint, including fully on-prem.
- Sovereignty is structural. Your hardware, your jurisdiction, your cluster-level access — not a contract clause. Engineering teams in the EU and Central Asia; EU contracts through AENIX s.r.o. (Czech Republic).
FAQ
Can we keep our existing VMs? Yes. KubeVirt runs your VMs alongside containers on the same platform, so you migrate workloads on your schedule rather than rewriting them.
Is this just OpenStack or Proxmox under a new name? No. Cozystack is a single Kubernetes-native framework for VMs, containers, managed databases, storage and networking — multi-tenant and built for operators. See the honest VMware alternative comparison.
We don’t have a Kubernetes team. Can we still do this? That’s the build-with model — Ænix acts as your engineering bench, builds the platform, and trains your team to operate it.
How fast can we show a result? A discovery call scopes a low-risk first workload. After a 14- or 28-day assessment, the platform build takes 3–12 months depending on scope. Moving a VMware estate, including planning and migration waves, takes about 8–12 months for ~100 VMs and 18–24 months for ~1,000 VMs.
What does it cost versus VMware? The per-core licence line disappears (Apache 2.0). You pay for support and/or the build engagement. We model the delta with you on the call.
Start with a 30-minute discovery call
Free, no prep. We confirm fit, look at your current estate, and tell you whether the turnkey platform or the build-with engagement matches your situation.
Ænix created Cozystack, a CNCF Sandbox project (Incubation application in due diligence) under Apache 2.0, and co-maintains it with maintainers from other companies. On it, Ænix builds three platforms that combine rather than exclude each other: Ænix Public Cloud Platform, Ænix Private Cloud Platform and Ænix AI Platform.