Why are businesses looking for an alternative to VMware?
Broadcom’s VMware changes have disrupted licensing models and removed trusted partners from the equation. These shifts are forcing businesses, service providers, and IT teams to search for a cost-effective VMware alternative that avoids per-core fees and proprietary lock-in.
.If you’re evaluating your VMware exit strategy, HorizonIQ delivers a fully managed, production-ready Proxmox platform that helps you migrate away from VMware without disruption. We run our own internal infrastructure on Proxmox, managing hundreds of virtual machines across clustered environments and supporting over 1000 customers. You get the same enterprise-ready platform we trust for our operations.
The VMware alternative you’ve been waiting for
Our managed private cloud runs on Proxmox VE, an open-source hypervisor that supports virtual machines and Linux containers side by side. It’s a flexible, cost-effective alternative to VMware, with predictable pricing, built-in high availability, expert support, and guided migration to help you move with confidence.
Choose your path
Essential Managed Private Cloud
Our most affordable private cloud environment, adapted for small and medium-sized businesses looking to host their web applications, file sharing and storage, confidential workloads, and more.
Available Features
- Three Nodes with 24 Cores/48 Threads Per Node
- 128GB of RAM Per Node (Upgradeable to 4TB)
- 1TB of Hyperconverged Storage (Higher Capacity Options Available)
- Proxmox VE Hypervisor
- 1x HorizonIQ Virtual Firewall – 10Gbps
Advanced Managed Private Cloud
Our best value private cloud environment for small to medium-sized businesses. Optimized to tackle complex problems such big data analysis, distributed storage, backup, CRM/ERP applications, and more.
Available Features
- Three Nodes with 36 Cores/72 Threads Per Node
- 192GB of RAM Per Node (Upgradeable to 3TB)
- 1TB of Hyperconverged Storage (Higher Capacity Options Available)
- Proxmox VE Hypervisor
- 1x HorizonIQ Virtual Firewall – 10Gbps
Ultimate Managed Private Cloud
Our most powerful private cloud environment for small and medium-sized businesses. Optimized for more demanding computing applications such as basic AI modeling, VDI applications, large databases, and more.
Available Features
- Three Nodes with 48 Cores/96 Threads Per Node
- 256GB of RAM Per Node (Upgradeable to 4TB)
- 1TB of Hyperconverged Storage (Higher Capacity Options Available)
- Proxmox VE Hypervisor
- 1x HorizonIQ Virtual Firewall – 10Gbps
Customize Your Private Cloud Your Way
Additional Options
Additional Nodes
Need more than three nodes? No problem! Add as many nodes as your business needs.
High Availability Firewalls
Add a second firewall to create a high availability (HA) pair to decrease the likelihood of downtime.
Load Balancers
Add one or more load balancers to ensure workloads are evenly distributed across your nodes.
Onsite and Offsite Backups
Backup your critical data either to a different physical array at the same site or to one of our offsite locations.
Disaster Recovery
Failover your entire private cloud environment for a disaster recovery environment dedicated just to you.
The cloud solution made just for you
Built for what’s next in virtualization
Leading VMware Alternative
Our fully managed solution is a proven alternative to VMware. Ideal for those looking for an open-source hypervisor and avoid rising VMware licensing costs.
Replace VMware Without Complexity
Easily replace VMware ESXi with a turnkey Proxmox VE platform. No per-core fees, no vendor lock-in.
Secure VMware Migration
Switching platforms shouldn’t be painful. We provide planning, tooling, and hands-on help to migrate from VMware in safe and controlled manner.
24/7 U.S.-Based Support
Whether you’re migrating or running production, our engineers are always available to help day or night.
Compass Portal and API Access
Access your private cloud via the Compass dashboard or API. Monitor performance, manage backups, and scale when needed.
Predictable Costs
Unburden yourself from unpredictable infrastructure costs. HorizonIQ’s managed private cloud is price at a flat-fee for truly predictable costs month over month.
Your worry-free infrastructure
See what we manage so you can focus on what matters
Private cloud node setup and hypervisor configuration
OS patching and updates
Hardware maintenance and operations
Firewall setup and rule configuration
Monitoring and oversight
DR environment setup (optional)
Virtual machine creation and management
Application deployment and management
Backup scheduling (optional)
You
Why More VMware Users Are Moving to Proxmox
Proxmox VE vs VMware vSphere
| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware vSphere |
|---|---|---|
| VM Types | VMs + Containers (LXC) | VMs only |
| Cluster Manager | Built-in Proxmox Cluster Manager | vCenter Server (add-on VM) |
| Underlying OS | Debian GNU/Linux | VMkernel OS (Proprietary) |
| Kernel Updates | Linux-based updates with live kernel patching | Host drain and maintenance |
| SDN Integration | Built-In OVS / VXLAN | NSX add-on required |
| Firewall Integration | Host-level + VM level | NSX add-on required |
| Backup and Recovery | Proxmox Backup Server | Veeam (3rd Party) |
| Custom Hooks / Scripts | Pre/Post Start/Stop per VM/CT | Limited to vSphere lifecycle events |
| Infrastructure as Code | Ansible, Terraform, CLI wrappers | Ansible, Terraform |
| Kubernetes | Requires KubeVirt or Rancher | Requires Tanzu Add-On |
Your Trusted Partner for VMware Migration
With over 20 years of experience managing VMware environments, we understand the complexities of enterprise virtualization. That expertise uniquely positions us to help businesses transition smoothly from VMware to modern platforms like Proxmox. As both a Proxmox Gold Partner and a Pinnacle Partner with VMware by Broadcom, we offer fully managed private cloud solutions built on proven, single-tenant architecture. Whether you’re planning a migration or optimizing existing infrastructure, our team is here to provide the security, reliability, and simplicity you require.
Hybrid Cloud.
Made Easy.
Take the reins with infrastructure in a box
Need an unmanaged solution?
Infrastructure in a Box offers the unmanaged private cloud solution you crave. Deploy a highly customized environment, meticulously tailored to your unique needs.
While unmanaged, you’re not alone. Our team remains available to provide critical support and guidance whenever you need it.
Learn MoreDive deeper
Explore FAQs
A private cloud is a computing environment dedicated to a single customer. Unlike public cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, it does not share the underlying hardware with other customers.
We offer three tiers of managed private cloud to cover the most common business needs. Essential is best for web hosting and non-critical workloads. Advanced suits big data and storage use cases. Performance is ideal for AI, machine learning, and demanding workloads.
Private cloud gives you dedicated performance, better compliance, and freedom from noisy neighbors. It’s scalable and secure, tailored to your business.
HorizonIQ private cloud is single-tenant and fully managed. Unlike public cloud, you get flat monthly pricing and 100% dedicated performance without shared infrastructure.
We currently support Windows, Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, and Red Hat. HorizonIQ uses Proxmox VE for virtualization.
Each private cloud node includes 10Gbps uplink with 10TB of outbound bandwidth. All inbound bandwidth is free. Overages are billed based on actual usage.
Yes, all private cloud environments are customizable. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
HorizonIQ requires a minimum of 3 nodes per private cloud. Each Proxmox cluster supports up to 32 nodes, and you can deploy multiple clusters as needed.
HorizonIQ handles the setup and maintenance of hardware, Proxmox VE, and firewall rules. We monitor your environment 24/7 and patch supported OSes. You manage your data and applications.
Yes, with our Spend Portability program, you can adapt your infrastructure and add nodes anytime.
Yes, load balancers are available for any of our private cloud tiers. Contact us for options and pricing.
Proxmox MPC uses hyperconverged single-tenant storage by default. HorizonIQ can also provide SAN storage on request.
Yes, we offer offsite backups in our Chicago and Phoenix regions for VMware workloads, with Proxmox support coming soon.
Your VMware exit strategy starts here
Broadcom’s roadmap may not fit yours. Let HorizonIQ help you plan and execute a smooth migration from VMware to Proxmox.
Contact us to
learn more
Your infrastructure doesn’t need to be expensive, complex, or proprietary. HorizonIQ’s fully managed Proxmox platform is the VMware replacement you can rely on.