Broadcom has announced new initiatives to expand the open, extensible ecosystem surrounding VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF). These initiatives include an expanded hardware certification program, an open networking strategy, and new open source community contributions. Broadcom says these efforts aim to give customers and partners greater flexibility to build, deploy, and manage private cloud infrastructure in data centers and at the edge.
The key technical updates include the launch of VCF AI ReadyNodes—a certification process for servers pre-validated for artificial intelligence (AI) model training and inference using next-generation CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators. Supermicro will be one of the first partners to certify AI ReadyNode systems. Broadcom is also enabling Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) partners to self-certify ReadyNodes through its Technology Alliance Program, promising full interoperability and lifecycle management for VCF deployments. For edge use cases, Broadcom will support new edge-optimized servers targeting industrial, defense, retail, and other remote applications, allowing deployment of private cloud infrastructure close to data sources.
Broadcom’s new open networking initiative streamlines modern private cloud networking by unifying network fabrics through standards-based Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) networking. This approach is designed to improve interoperability, simplify operations, and allow for multi-vendor hardware flexibility. It specifically aligns VCF with Cisco’s Nexus One fabric, using a standards-based VXLAN EVPN control and data plane to enable consistent, reliable data center network architectures.
VMware Cloud Foundation Networking (formerly NSX) now also integrates the open-source Software for Open Networking in the Cloud (SONiC) network operating system. Broadcom states that SONiC enables cost reductions by running on commodity hardware; its modular, containerized design boosts upgrade agility and network automation using native API support.
In open source, Broadcom reports continued contributions to the Kubernetes ecosystem as a top-five long-term contributor to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, including work on projects relevant for scalable AI workloads. VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service (VKS) has recently achieved the Certified Kubernetes AI Conformant Platform milestone, supporting interoperability and standardization for enterprise AI environments.
Paul Turner, Chief Product Officer, VMware Cloud Foundation Division at Broadcom, stated, “The momentum behind VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 is undeniable. It’s a platform that’s redefining how organizations approach their private cloud journey, offering a consistent operating model that spans data centers to the edge.” Ismail Sayeeduddin, Vice President, Business Development at Supermicro, added, “This milestone gives customers a clear migration path from previously certified Supermicro systems in the VMware certification program to the latest fully validated and optimized GPU solutions that help eliminate the cost and complexity of AI adoption.”
Yaniv Fdida, chief product and technology officer for OVHcloud, said, “Broadcom’s open certification program for VCF Ready hardware supports our vertical integration strategy, enabling us to self-certify our server systems for VMware Cloud Foundation.” Caitlin Anderson, Corporate Vice President, Americas Sales at Intel Corporation, noted, “Broadcom’s expansion of the ReadyNode certification program accelerates the deployment of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 on Intel Xeon 6 platforms.” Steve Savage, chief operating officer at SNUC, said, “Through self-certification of extremeEDGE as part of Broadcom’s expanded ReadyNode program, we will deliver our edge innovations faster, helping our mutual customers across industrial manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and the federal government maximize the value of AI.”
Murali Gandluru, Vice President, Data Center Networking at Cisco, noted, “Cisco’s foundational work in VxLAN EVPN, backed by the industry’s most comprehensive IETF standards authorship, reflects our long-standing commitment to open networking.” Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of Cloud and Infrastructure at the Linux Foundation, stated, “VMware by Broadcom has been a long-time contributor to CNCF and continues to play a key role in supporting core projects like Kubernetes.”
Source: Broadcom
