The VMware cost calculator on aenix.io is a free interactive tool that estimates how much an organization can save by moving VMware/VCF workloads to an open Apache 2.0 platform after Broadcom’s licensing changes. Built by Aenix, the team behind the CNCF project Cozystack, it takes four inputs — CPU cores, current VMware cost per core per year, Aenix support cost per core per year, and one-time migration cost — and returns annual VMware spend, net annual saving, the three-year net delta after migration, and migration payback time. It targets infrastructure, finance and procurement teams scoping a VMware exit. The target platform, Cozystack, carries no per-core or per-socket license fee, so the recurring license line VMware charges disappears and only support plus a one-time migration remain.
A VMware cost calculator turns Broadcom’s renewal into a number you can act on. Enter the CPU cores in your estate and what you pay per core today, and it shows the annual cost, the net saving if you move to an open Apache-2.0 platform, the three-year delta after migration, and how fast the migration pays back. Built by Ænix — the team behind Cozystack.
Calculate your VMware exit savings
The license line you pay VMware/Broadcom disappears on an open platform (Apache 2.0, no per-core fee). What remains is support and the one-time migration — both modelled above. For a deeper, workload-level model, use the cloud repatriation TCO worksheet.
How the calculation works
- VMware cost per year = cores × VMware cost per core/year.
- Ænix support per year = cores × Ænix support per core/year (the platform itself is Apache 2.0).
- Net saving per year = VMware annual − Ænix annual.
- 3-year net saving = net annual × 3 − one-time migration cost.
- Payback = migration cost ÷ monthly net saving.
VMware cost per yearCores × cost per core/year
compared with
Ænix support per yearApache 2.0 platformNo per-core fee
yields
Net saving3-year netPayback time
These are deliberately simple inputs so the output is defensible. A full TCO includes power, hardware refresh, staff and the workloads you keep in the cloud — we model those with you on a call.
Turn the number into a plan
Ænix is the team behind Cozystack — a CNCF project (Sandbox today; Incubating expected late summer 2026), Apache 2.0. Ænix commercializes it as Ænix Platform as three platforms on one engine — Public Cloud, Private Cloud and AI — that combine rather than exclude each other.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official VMware or Broadcom calculator?
No. It is an independent estimator built by Aenix to compare VMware/VCF spend against an open Apache 2.0 platform. Enter your own renewal figures for an accurate result.
What cost per core should I enter?
Use your current VMware/VCF subscription cost divided by the number of licensed cores. If you only have a total renewal figure, divide it by your core count to get the per-core number.
Does the target platform really have no license cost?
Cozystack is Apache 2.0 with no per-core or per-socket license fee. You pay only for support and/or the build engagement, both of which are editable in the calculator.
Do I have to migrate every workload to see savings?
No. Savings apply only to the workloads that move; some workloads are better left where they are. The VMware migration page covers sequencing and what to keep in the cloud.
What does Aenix charge for the platform?
The Cozystack platform is free under Apache 2.0. Aenix sells the productized Ænix Platform plus support and services, with tiers starting at Basic 1,250 USD per month for 10 nodes, then Standard, Plus, and Enterprise (custom).
Can Aenix validate the numbers the calculator produces?
Yes. A 30-minute discovery call produces an honest, workload-level TCO that accounts for migration cost, support, and the workloads that should stay in the cloud.
