VMware vSphere 9.0 Revealed: Why Staying on Old Versions Could Destroy Performance

by Davoud Teimouri · 10/07/2025

VMware vSphere has long been the foundation of enterprise virtualization. Now, with VMware vSphere 9.0, VMware is taking another leap forward to support modern workloads like AI/ML, GPU-intensive applications, hybrid cloud, and containerized environments.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:

What’s new in VMware vSphere 9.0
Major feature enhancements and architectural changes
Licensing changes and the move to subscription
How vSphere 9 compares to vSphere 8 and 7
The differences between VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9 and VMware Virtual Foundation (VVF) 9
Supported and unsupported hardware from major vendors
Real-world migration scenarios
Troubleshooting FAQ
Best practices for upgrading

This post is my first one after a few very difficult months, following the loss of my father. I hope I can get back on track and continue the path I was on. Let’s dive in.

VMware vSphere 9.0
VMware vSphere Foundation 9.0

On This Post:

Introduction to VMware vSphere 9.0

VMware vSphere 9.0 is the latest release of VMware’s industry-leading virtualization platform. It delivers improved performance, stronger security, and better management for both traditional VMs and next-gen workloads like containers and AI/ML models.

The vSphere 9 release continues VMware’s push to make your on-premises infrastructure more cloud-smart, integrated, and resilient.

Major New Features in vSphere 9.0

Scalability Improvements

VM Size Limits: Now up to 1,024 vCPUs and 24 TB RAM per VM on supported hardware.
Clusters: Scale up to 128 hosts per cluster, supporting approximately 12,000 VMs.
AI-driven DRS 2.0: Dynamic resource balancing powered by AI algorithms for improved performance and power efficiency.

Security Enhancements

Native Key Provider Plus: Now FIPS 140-3 compliant for improved encryption.
Confidential Computing: Supports AMD SEV-SNP and Intel TDX for stronger workload isolation.
Immutable Snapshots: Protect against ransomware with tamper-proof VM snapshots.
Policy-based Compliance: Built-in compliance templates for PCI-DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and more.

AI & GPU Optimizations

vGPU Multi-Tenancy: Improved resource sharing for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.
AI/ML Zones: Designate specific zones within clusters for AI workloads.
Tanzu AI Toolkit: Integrate Kubernetes-based AI pipelines seamlessly.

Lifecycle & Management

Lifecycle Manager 2.0: Unified ESXi and firmware updates.
Rolling vCenter Upgrades: Reduce downtime during upgrades.
Enhanced HTML5 UI: Faster, mobile-friendly admin interface.

Licensing Changes in VMware vSphere 9

VMware vSphere is available in two standalone editions, VMware vSphere Standard and VMware vSphere Enterprise Plus, and is also included as a component in VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware vSphere Foundation. Note that vSphere Standard and vSphere Enterprise Plus are only available as versions up to the 8 Update 3 release. Currently, vSphere 9.0 features are only available as part of VMware vSphere Foundation 9.0 and VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0.

You can find more information on this document: vmw-datasheet-vsphere-product-line-comparison

Comparing VMware vSphere 9 to Previous Versions

Same as previous releases, VMware vSphere 9.0 can provide more capacity and hosting larger workload compared to earlier versions, let’s review some changes in features and capabilities:

Feature	vSphere 7	vSphere 8	vSphere 9
Max VM vCPUs	768	896	1,024
Max VM RAM	12 TB	16 TB	24 TB
Max Hosts per Cluster	96	96	128
DRS Version	Classic	Enhanced	AI-driven
Confidential VMs	Limited	AMD SEV	AMD SEV-SNP & Intel TDX
Lifecycle Manager	Baseline Updates	Cluster Images	Images + Firmware
Licensing	Perpetual/Subscription	Hybrid	Subscription-first

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9 vs VMware Virtual Foundation (VVF) 9

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9

Full software-defined data center (SDDC) stack: vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and vRealize Suite.
Built for hybrid cloud, advanced automation, and enterprise scale.

VMware Virtual Foundation (VVF) 9

New, lightweight offering: vSphere 9 plus vSAN.
Excludes NSX and full vRealize stack.
Simpler and more cost-effective for edge, branch, or SMB environments.

Aspect	VCF 9	VVF 9
Target	Private/hybrid cloud, enterprise scale	Branch, SMB, edge
Networking	NSX included	Optional or excluded
Automation	Full SDDC Manager	Basic vCenter only
Kubernetes	Fully integrated	Basic Tanzu
Cost	Higher	Lower

Supported and Unsupported Hardware

Let’s review supported and unsupported hardware from some major vendors:

Supported Hardware

Dell EMC: 15th/16th Generation PowerEdge servers.
HPE: Gen10 Plus and Gen11 ProLiant.
Lenovo: ThinkSystem SR650 V2, SR630 V2+.
Cisco: UCS M6 and newer.
Supermicro: X12 and X13 motherboards.

Unsupported or Deprecated

BIOS-only servers (UEFI required).
1 GbE NICs with deprecated drivers.
Older RAID controllers without VMW_PV drivers.
CPUs lacking virtualization extensions.

Tip: Always update your BIOS and firmware before upgrading ESXi.

Realistic Migration Scenarios

Small Business (<5 Hosts)

Validate all hardware on the VMware Compatibility Guide.
Upgrade vCenter first.
Use Lifecycle Manager for rolling upgrades.
Consider moving to VVF 9 if you don’t need full NSX or advanced automation.

Mid-Market (~20 Hosts)

Build a pilot cluster and test upgrades.
Roll out cluster image–based upgrades.
Use maintenance mode and rolling updates to minimize downtime.
Upgrade VM hardware and VMware Tools after host upgrades.

Large Enterprise (50+ Hosts)

Stage a test environment that mirrors production.
Pilot upgrades on a subset of hosts.
Use Cluster Image + Firmware upgrades via Lifecycle Manager 2.0.
Automate with Ansible or vRealize Orchestrator.
Evaluate moving to VCF 9 for full SDDC automation and hybrid cloud.

Troubleshooting FAQ

Q: Can I run older ESXi versions with vSphere 9 vCenter?
Yes, but only supported short-term. Upgrade vCenter first, then hosts.

Q: Why won’t my RAID controller show up?
It may lack supported drivers. Check the HCL and vendor firmware updates.

Q: Why are my old license keys invalid?
vSphere 9 requires subscription entitlements. Legacy perpetual keys won’t activate new features.

Q: The vCenter upgrade failed the pre-check.
Check plugin compatibility and resolve all warnings. Incompatible plugins commonly block upgrades.

Best Practices for a Smooth Upgrade to VMware vSphere 9.0

Test upgrades in a lab environment.
Upgrade vCenter before ESXi hosts.
Use Cluster Image for consistent host configurations.
Back up all workloads and configurations.
Schedule maintenance windows with clear communication.
Have rollback and recovery plans ready.

Conclusion

VMware vSphere 9.0 lays the groundwork for modern workloads with better performance, security, and cloud integration — but requires careful planning for licensing, hardware, and operations.

If you’re preparing to upgrade, it’s essential to assess your infrastructure, check compatibility, and plan a phased rollout.