Organizations considering a VMware exit should also consider alternatives to proprietary networking. Extending infrastructure modernization to networking has the potential to further lower costs and improve flexibility. Why continue paying for expensive, proprietary networking hardware when an integrated, software-defined alternative is available at no extra cost?
The Hidden Costs of Proprietary Networking
Many IT teams have spent years managing networking the traditional way—with dedicated hardware appliances for routing, firewalls, VPNs, and vendor-locked switches. These environments were built assuming that specialized, proprietary hardware was necessary to maintain performance, security, and reliability.
Proprietary networking relies on multiple dedicated appliances, each playing a specific role in the infrastructure. A typical IT environment might include:
- Routers for managing external and internal traffic
- Firewalls for enforcing security policies and filtering traffic
- VPN appliances for remote access and site-to-site connectivity
- Proprietary switches that lock organizations into a single vendor’s ecosystem
Managing this environment necessitates distinct management interfaces, multiple licensing agreements, and firmware updates across various devices. Scaling or implementing changes can be cumbersome, requiring additional licenses or expensive hardware upgrades. Furthermore, proprietary networking often demands specialized vendor-specific expertise, frequently leading organizations to invest in classes and certifications.
Interoperability is another major challenge. Many networking vendors design their hardware and software to work best within their ecosystem, making it difficult—or even impossible—to mix and match solutions from different vendors. This locks organizations into a single vendor’s roadmap and pricing model, reducing flexibility and increasing long-term costs.
The Alternative: VergeOS with VergeFabric
One of the alternatives to proprietary networking is VergeFabric, a SDN solution fully integrated into VergeOS, provides all the core networking functions needed to replace legacy network hardware at no additional cost and without requiring extra resources from physical servers.
Instead of managing separate proprietary networking appliances, IT teams can consolidate routing, firewalling, VPN services, and network segmentation into a software-defined solution that runs natively within VergeOS.
By replacing dedicated network appliances with VergeFabric, organizations gain:
- Integrated routing and traffic management that eliminates the need for standalone routers with BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP support
- Built-in firewalling that provides stateful rule enforcement directly within the hypervisor
- VPN capabilities that support IPSec and WireGuard VPNs without requiring a separate VPN appliance
- Multi-site connectivity that establishes seamless software-defined network overlays between remote locations without complex SD-WAN hardware
- Switching without vendor lock-in that works with any standard Ethernet switch, reducing dependency on expensive proprietary hardware
- Mixed hardware support allowing disparate switches to act as one
No Additional Licensing Fees, No Extra Resource Overhead
Unlike standalone SDN solutions or VMware NSX, VergeFabric is not an add-on, a separate virtual appliance, or a paid upgrade—it is fully integrated into VergeOS, which means:
- No additional software or licensing costs, as all networking features are included as part of VergeOS, which is licensed by server and not by core.
- No resource drain on the physical server hardware, unlike VMware NSX, which requires dedicated SDN controller VMs that consume CPU and RAM
- No complex setup or configuration, as VergeFabric is built into VergeOS and managed through a single interface alongside compute and storage
How VergeFabric Replaces Dedicated Appliances
Considering alternatives to proprietary networking as organizations move away from VMware to lower costs enables them to extend their savings. Proprietary networking often means managing multiple appliances and licensing agreements. VergeFabric eliminates the need for these devices by offering complete networking functionality as a software-defined solution inside VergeOS.
Integrated Routing and Firewalling Without Dedicated Appliances
Instead of relying on a Cisco, Juniper, or Fortinet router, VergeFabric provides fully integrated Layer 3 routing and firewalling with:
- Dynamic routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP
- Stateful firewalling with per-VM and per-VDC rule enforcement
- Network segmentation at both the VM and Virtual Data Center (VDC) level
With VergeFabric natively handling these functions, there is no need for a separate firewall or router appliance, saving both hardware costs and administrative overhead.
Secure VPN Connectivity Without a Dedicated Appliance for VPNs
Many organizations rely on hardware-based VPN appliances, such as Cisco AnyConnect, Fortinet FortiGate, or Palo Alto Prisma Access, to establish secure site-to-site and remote access connections. VergeFabric eliminates the need for standalone VPN devices with:
- Site-to-site VPN using IPSec and WireGuard for secure, multi-location connectivity
- Client-based VPN access for remote workers, enabling secure user connections without extra VPN licensing fees
- End-to-end encryption that ensures traffic between sites is protected without requiring third-party security appliances
SD-WAN Alternative for Multi-Site Networking
VergeFabric is an alternative to SD-WAN solutions for organizations with multiple locations, eliminating the need for proprietary SD-WAN appliances. Features include:
- Software-defined inter-site networking that enables seamless communication between remote data centers without dedicated SD-WAN hardware
- Dynamic routing to optimize traffic flow between locations automatically
- Integrated VPN encryption to secure connections without requiring expensive SD-WAN tunnels
Network Services Without a Separate DHCP or DNS Appliance
Many IT teams rely on dedicated DHCP and DNS servers, such as Windows Server DHCP or Infoblox appliances, for network services. VergeFabric eliminates this requirement by providing:
- A built-in DHCP server for automatic IP address management
- Static DHCP reservations for simplified device provisioning
- Integrated DNS services to reduce dependency on external DNS servers
Since these features run inside VergeOS, there is no need for separate networking appliances or additional virtual machines, further reducing infrastructure complexity.
A Future-Proof Networking Strategy
Proprietary networking locks organizations into expensive, complex architectures that are difficult to scale. VergeFabric provides a future-proof alternative that:
- Eliminates vendor lock-in and reduces costs by using software-defined networking instead of hardware appliances
- Simplifies management by consolidating routing, security, and VPN functions into VergeOS
- Improves security and scalability with built-in firewalling, VPN, and site-to-site networking
- Provides a gradual transition path from hardware-based networking to fully software-defined networking
- Mix hardware from different vendors as needs or relationships change
If your organization plans to move away from VMware, now is the perfect time to rethink your networking strategy. VergeFabric provides a seamless, integrated alternative to proprietary networking without extra cost or resource overhead.
Explore VergeFabric today and see how software-defined networking can transform your infrastructure.
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