📋 Executive Summary
Broadcom's acquisition-driven strategy has transformed the licensing landscape for VMware, Symantec, and CA Technologies. VMware's perpetual licenses were discontinued overnight, replaced by core-based subscriptions with multi-year commitments and aggressive minimums. Symantec and CA products are being pushed into new bundles and subscription terms.
CIOs must treat Broadcom like an audit-prone mega-vendor — on par with Oracle or Microsoft — and fortify their SAM practices accordingly. A proactive SAM program will enable enterprises to adapt to Broadcom's rules, avoid overspending, and negotiate from a position of data-driven insight.
📑 Table of Contents
Broadcom's 2024 Licensing Shift & Why SAM Matters
Broadcom's approach emphasizes long-term subscriptions and predictable revenue, often at the expense of flexibility. VMware's perpetual licenses were discontinued, replaced by core-based subscriptions with multi-year commitments. Similarly, Broadcom has rationalized Symantec and CA product offerings, pushing customers into new bundles.
✅ Immediate CIO Actions
- Elevate SAM priority — Recognize SAM as mission-critical under Broadcom's new model. Communicate heightened compliance risks to executive stakeholders.
- Understand new terms — Have licensing experts dissect Broadcom's 2024 license terms for VMware, Symantec, and CA products. Identify key changes (core-based metrics, multi-year commitments, subscription-only).
- Baseline your assets — Immediately inventory all Broadcom-acquired software in use. Document current entitlements and map them to actual deployments.
- Invest in SAM readiness — Allocate resources (team, tools, budget) to strengthen SAM capabilities for Broadcom software. Treat Broadcom as you would Oracle — assume an audit will come.
- Plan for audits — Implement an internal audit schedule for Broadcom software. Ensure the organization can quickly gather evidence of license usage and entitlements.
SAM Guidance for VMware Under Broadcom
🖥️ Tracking Core-Based VMware Licensing
Under Broadcom, VMware licensing is now primarily based on CPU cores rather than CPU sockets. Each physical CPU is counted as at least 16 cores (even if the processor has fewer), and Broadcom requires a minimum of 72 cores for any VMware order. Even a single 8-core server now requires paying for 72 cores of licensing.
SAM teams should leverage vCenter Server to track deployed CPU cores. vCenter maintains an inventory of all ESXi hosts including physical CPUs and cores per host. Integrate vCenter data with your SAM database so that core counts for every cluster are current.
Account for hyperthreading: VMware defines licensing in physical cores (2 vCPUs = 1 core when hyperthreading enabled). Track the difference between active and subscribed cores — companies may have "excess" licensed cores if environments don't match 16-core pack bundles neatly.
Key Action: Schedule monthly reports on CPU core counts from vCenter and compare against purchased subscriptions. Monitor vCenter's license portal for non-compliance indicators — Broadcom will notice overuse at renewal or audit time.
📁 Preserving Legacy VMware Entitlements (ROBO, Bundles)
Many enterprises have historic VMware licenses acquired before Broadcom — ROBO kits, vCloud Suite bundles, NSX enterprise agreements, or promotional SKUs. Retain and catalog all proof of entitlement for these pre-Broadcom licenses.
Broadcom's SKU simplification means some legacy entitlements have no direct equivalent. VMware's ROBO licensing allowed a fixed number of VMs per remote site for a flat price — a model with no 1:1 replacement under Broadcom's per-core subscriptions. Historical license records become vital negotiation leverage.
Centralize all pre-acquisition license documents in your SAM repository: license agreements, VMware license keys, support renewal quotes, SKU lists from past ELA deals. Flag any legacy VMware products marked as End-of-Sale (vSphere Enterprise, vCloud Director, etc.).
Warning: Continuing to run an EOL VMware product might mean you can't upgrade without moving to a new Broadcom bundle with cost implications. SAM teams should present these scenarios to the CIO in advance.
📦 Navigating Broadcom's Simplified VMware SKU Portfolio
Broadcom reduced VMware's portfolio from 150+ SKUs to just 4 primary offerings: Cloud Foundation, vSphere Standard, vSphere Enterprise Plus, and add-ons. Advanced functionality (vSAN, NSX) is now included in bundles or sold as add-ons rather than standalone products.
Create an internal license mapping matrix: list each VMware product your organization uses and determine which new bundle or add-on it falls under. Update your CMDB/asset registry with new product names, versions, and SKU codes (e.g., "VSP-STD-SUB" vs. old "VS6-STD-P").
Watch for bundle component overlap — if you purchase Cloud Foundation (which includes vSAN), don't also separately count a vSAN license. Tag entitlements as "Broadcom Bundles" with included sub-components in your SAM tool.
Critical Change: Under Broadcom, letting support lapse on a subscription essentially means losing the license — you cannot legally use subscription software without an active subscription. Manage renewal calendars diligently.
🛡️ Ensuring VMware Audit Readiness
Broadcom is widely expected to take a much tougher stance on VMware license compliance. Enterprises should assume a VMware audit or true-up request will happen within the next couple of years.
Implement regular internal audits: Each quarter, run a compliance check — total licensed cores vs. actual cores in use, plus any additional features that may have their own licensing. Maintain a comprehensive repository of license evidence (purchase records, activation codes, deployment data, architecture diagrams).
Run scripts to capture usage metrics — export vCenter licensing tab data or use PowerCLI scripts to list hosts and CPU counts. Archive with timestamps as point-in-time proof. Strictly control new deployments: adding ESXi hosts, enabling features, or spinning up vCenter instances should trigger a SAM review.
Expert Recommendation: Engage a VMware licensing specialist for a mock audit and optimization review. They can spot mismatched license keys or opportunities to convert to a more cost-effective bundle.
🛡️ Need help navigating Broadcom's VMware licensing changes? Our independent advisors provide audit defense and negotiation support.
Broadcom Advisory →SAM Best Practices for Symantec & CA
Symantec Endpoint & Security Software
🔐 Endpoint & Device Tracking
Maintain accurate counts of deployed endpoints and users for all Symantec security products. Most are licensed per device or per user. Use Symantec's management consoles (cloud portal or on-prem SEPM) for real-time data on devices reporting in vs. licenses applied.
Set up automated monthly exports of "devices in use vs. licenses installed." Symantec Encryption Management Server includes a built-in license dashboard that warns if you exceed the count — leverage these early warning systems.
Key Practice: If IT deploys endpoint protection to 500 new laptops, SAM should immediately know to true up licenses if only 400 are available. Integrate security console reports into SAM processes.
📋 Renewals & Bundled Security Suites
SAM should own the calendar for Symantec renewals. If an endpoint security subscription lapses, agents may stop receiving updates. Start renewal discussions early — Broadcom strictly enforces renewal dates and may refuse to renew for small customers, instead pushing new licenses at higher cost.
Track bundled security suites carefully: DLP modules may come as part of a suite, or proxy/web security services might be combined. Know exactly which components you're entitled to under any bundle. Avoid deploying a component you think you have but isn't included in your edition.
Optimization Opportunity: By tracking the full bundle, SAM can highlight unused components that could be leveraged for more value or dropped at renewal for cost savings.
🔑 Legacy Symantec Perpetual Licenses
If your company purchased Symantec products before Broadcom with perpetual rights (e.g., perpetual SEP with annual maintenance), Broadcom's model is moving everything to subscription. Broadcom honored existing perpetual licenses as long as maintenance fees were paid.
SAM should identify these perpetual licenses and treat them as a separate category. Decide strategically whether to keep them (sufficient for a segment of users without needing new features) or convert to newer subscriptions.
Watch Out: Broadcom might say version "X+1" is only available to subscribers, effectively forcing a move. Coordinate with security team — any major version upgrade should go through SAM to ensure license entitlements cover the upgrade.
CA Technologies (Mainframe & Enterprise DevOps)
🖥️ Mainframe SAM Practices
CA mainframe products (CA 7 Workload Automation, CA DB2 tools, CA Endevor) are typically licensed by mainframe CPU capacity — MIPS, MSU, or defined capacity units. SAM should work with the mainframe capacity planning team to capture current utilization metrics.
If a CA product license allows usage on an IBM z/OS LPAR up to 500 MSUs, monitor if peak usage has exceeded that threshold. Mainframes produce detailed SMF records — use these for license compliance reports.
Broadcom's Mainframe Consumption Licensing (MCL) program offers usage-based subscriptions across their mainframe portfolio. If you adopt MCL, track actual usage versus committed baseline for value assessment and true-up readiness.
Best Practice: Centralize all CA mainframe license contracts and metrics in one system. Document each product's metric, quantity, which machines/partitions it covers, and renewal dates.
⚙️ CA Enterprise DevOps & Distributed Tools
For CA Automic Automation, CA APM, CA Rally (Agile Central), and CA Service Management — identify how each is licensed: named users, concurrent users, server-based, or agent-based. Broadcom has likely converted many to subscription.
Ensure an inventory of where each tool is deployed and how many users or agents are configured. Align with application owners to gather numbers regularly.
Renewals: Broadcom bundles multiple CA products into single renewals ("Mainframe portfolio renewal"). While this simplifies contracting, keep internal records per-product. If you drop a product later, you'll need to know its portion of the bundle cost for negotiations.
Selecting & Using SAM Tools for Broadcom Software
| SAM Tool | Strengths for Broadcom | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Flexera One / FlexNet Manager | Mature SKU recognition library; specific license metric templates for VMware core-based models; integrates with vCenter via API; strong SKU and product use rights libraries updated for Broadcom's 2024 changes; custom metrics for CA mainframe models | Requires SAM admin expertise; best for complex, heterogeneous environments with multiple vendors |
| ServiceNow SAM Pro | Integrated with CMDB and IT workflows; direct CMDB → SAM compliance pipeline; automated workflow triggers (e.g., threshold alerts); can pull mainframe MIPS from CIs; single platform for ITSM + SAM | May need manual setup for Broadcom-specific metrics (72-core minimum); check content library for latest Broadcom SKU codes |
| Snow License Manager | Strong discovery capabilities; integrates with vSphere for host/cluster details; user-friendly dashboards showing "Compliant" or "Over-licensed" status; usage tracking for user-based apps; combines manual data with discovered data | Mainframe tracking may require add-on module; ensure Snow research team updates are applied for Broadcom portfolio changes |
✅ SAM Tool Configuration Checklist
- Discovery & Inventory — Ensure the tool detects all Broadcom software: server software (CA app servers, SEPM), client software (Symantec agents), and infrastructure (ESXi hosts). Don't forget network appliances (Blue Coat ProxySG) that may need manual entry.
- Entitlement Import — Load all Broadcom purchase records. Use SKU import for Broadcom/VMware SKUs so the tool knows exactly what each entitlement represents. For older CA products, create custom license records with the right metric.
- License Reconciliation Rules — Adjust metrics to reflect Broadcom policies (e.g., VMware 72-core minimum, 16-core per-CPU floor). For user-based licenses like Symantec proxy, manually update user counts.
- Integrate with CMDB & Procurement — When new Broadcom software is purchased, immediately log it. When new systems are deployed (via CMDB), ensure SAM tool receives notification.
- Reporting — Configure dashboards for "Broadcom VMware License Position" (total cores in use vs. licensed), "Symantec Endpoint Compliance" (devices vs. licenses), and trend reporting to spot approaching limits.
Governance & Cross-Functional License Management
Establish a Governance Board
Form a subcommittee under IT governance focusing on VMware/Symantec/CA license management. Include SAM manager, IT ops (data center, security, mainframe), procurement, legal, and finance. Meet quarterly to review Broadcom license use, risks, and remediation decisions.
Centralize Entitlements
Store all Broadcom contracts, license keys, and entitlement information in one location. Update every time you purchase more licenses. Maintain a high-level summary document with snapshot of all Broadcom entitlements, covered sites, quantities, and expiration dates.
Involve Procurement & Legal
Broadcom's contracts often include auto-renewal clauses, strict late penalties, and non-transferability provisions. Legal should review all terms. Procurement should negotiate renewal terms 90+ days in advance. Address M&A implications — licenses may not automatically transfer.
Finance Partnership
Broadcom subscriptions create predictable annual costs but require budgeting for renewals. Finance should understand renewal calendars and potential cost increases. Build a contingency budget for potential audit settlements or true-ups.
Treat Broadcom with the same diligence historically reserved for Oracle and Microsoft. Broadcom's stringent compliance approach, combined with the massive cost of VMware environments, makes SAM governance a board-level concern. The overarching principle: proactive management is exponentially cheaper than reactive audit defense.
Conduct internal license audits for Broadcom software at least twice a year. Simulate a Broadcom audit: gather deployment evidence, reconcile with entitlements, and address any overuse immediately. Use internal audits as a governance tool to maintain visibility, control costs, and demonstrate due diligence.
Broadcom Advisory Services
Frequently Asked Questions
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Navigate Broadcom's Licensing Changes
Our independent advisors help enterprises manage VMware, Symantec, and CA licensing — from audit defense to contract negotiation and optimization.
Fredrik Filipsson
Fredrik Filipsson brings 20+ years of enterprise software licensing expertise, including experience working directly for IBM, SAP, and Oracle. He has helped hundreds of organizations — including numerous Fortune 500 companies — navigate vendor licensing changes, defend against audits, and optimize software costs across Broadcom, Oracle, Microsoft, SAP, and IBM portfolios.