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Why MSPs and CSPs choose Acronis as their VMware alternative
For MSPs and CSPs, replacing VMware is not only a hypervisor decision. The right platform must increase public cloud profitability, strengthen workload resilience and help providers turn infrastructure into a scalable managed service.
Acronis | VMware | |
Business economics | Build a more profitable IaaS business with lower costs, protected VMs by default and more opportunities to attach managed services. Sample models show 40%+ TCO improvement for service providers and up to 70% cost reduction for end customers. | After Broadcom's acquisition, VMware put greater emphasis on larger enterprise accounts. Many service providers have faced higher virtualization and stack pricing. That pressure hits the bottom line before providers add storage, networking, multitenancy, backup, security and management tools. |
Partner program | Designed for any service provider partner that wants to launch, resell or operate protected IaaS through Cloud, Local or both. Partners can choose a path based on speed, control and margin strategy. | For many service providers, joining or renewing VMware cloud provider access is hard. The path can depend on authorization, invitation, eligibility or working through an approved provider. |
All-in-one solution | Combine hypervisor, software-defined storage, software-defined networking, multitenancy, self-service, backup, DR, security and RMM in one SP-ready platform. | Providers often assemble vSphere, vSAN, NSX, VMware Cloud Director, chargeback tools and third-party protection products to deliver a complete cloud service. |
Ease of launching a public cloud | Launch protected IaaS from Acronis-hosted Cyber Frame Cloud without buying hardware, then use migration paths to bring customer VMware workloads into the new service. | VMware does not provide an equivalent hosted IaaS service that MSPs can activate and resell. Providers typically need to build, host and operate the cloud stack themselves. |
Built-in cyber protection | Package every Cyber Frame VM with built-in backup, disaster recovery, anti-malware, anti-ransomware, EDR / XDR and RMM capabilities. | VMware runs workloads, but full VM protection, recovery, endpoint security and monitoring are not included as a default provider service layer. |
Deployment choice | Use Cloud to capture customer VMware migration demand quickly, use Local to move a CSP-hosted cloud off VMware or use both as the business grows. | VMware is primarily a provider-operated infrastructure model. A hosted resale path, provider-hosted path and hybrid growth path must be assembled separately. |
Native multitenancy | Run multiple customers on shared infrastructure with tenant isolation, delegated access, quotas, usage visibility and per-tenant controls. | Missing in core vSphere: Providers typically need VMware Cloud Director, custom architecture or additional tooling for multitenant self-service. |
Open foundation | Build on optimized OpenStack and KVM with OpenStack-compatible APIs for automation and no proprietary hypervisor dependency. | VMware is a mature proprietary stack, tying providers to VMware licensing, roadmap decisions and platform-specific skills. |
White-label delivery | Offer provider-branded IaaS with customer self-service, tenant controls, usage visibility and PSA-aligned workflows. | Branding, customer portals, billing workflows and service-desk alignment usually require additional products or custom integration. |
Regional and sovereign control | Use Acronis regional infrastructure through Cloud or run Local in the provider data center or colocation facility to control workload location and jurisdiction. | VMware can run locally, but the provider must design the sovereignty model, tenant controls, protection stack and operations process separately. |
A VMware alternative for every vSphere and Cloud Foundation option
Service providers have multiple VMware product options, from vSphere Standard and vSphere Enterprise Plus to VMware vSphere Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation. Below is a practical overview of each option and how Acronis Cyber Frame compares.
Basic VMware virtualization for smaller environments
Option explained:
vSphere Standard is the entry VMware option for running and managing virtual machines on ESXi hosts with vCenter. It fits basic virtualization and consolidation use cases, but it does not deliver a complete service-provider cloud stack on its own.
How Cyber Frame is better:
Cyber Frame gives MSPs and CSPs a ready path to protected IaaS instead of only basic virtualization. Cyber Frame Cloud lets MSPs launch without hardware, while Cyber Frame Local adds multitenancy, self-service, VM protection, usage visibility and provider-branded delivery on SP-controlled infrastructure.
Advanced vSphere for larger virtualization environments
Option explained:
vSphere Enterprise Plus adds advanced vSphere capabilities for larger and more automated VMware environments. It strengthens virtualization operations, but providers still need to add or integrate storage, networking, multitenancy, protection, billing and service workflows to turn it into a cloud offer.
How Cyber Frame is better:
Cyber Frame is designed around the service offer, not only the virtualization layer. It combines compute, storage, networking, tenant controls, migration paths, backup, security and RMM so MSPs and CSPs can sell protected infrastructure with less assembly work.
A broader virtualization and operations bundle
Option explained:
VMware vSphere Foundation is a subscription bundle for customers that want more than standalone vSphere, typically combining advanced vSphere with selected storage and operations capabilities. It can help modernize VMware estates, but it remains centered on VMware infrastructure rather than partner-led managed IaaS.
How Cyber Frame is better:
Cyber Frame is broader for service-provider monetization because it adds Cloud or Local deployment, native multitenancy, customer self-service, white-label delivery, migration workflows and built-in cyber protection. It helps providers package infrastructure as a recurring service, not only refresh the VMware stack.
Full VMware private cloud stack
Option explained:
VMware Cloud Foundation is the broadest VMware private cloud option, bringing together compute, storage, networking, management and lifecycle capabilities for a software-defined data center. It is powerful and mature, but it can be heavy and expensive for providers that need an accessible, margin-focused public cloud business model.
How Cyber Frame is better:
Cyber Frame gives service providers a more cost-effective path to protected IaaS than VCF, with built-in backup, DR, security and RMM for Cyber Frame VMs. It also includes SP-ready features such as customer self-service, PSA integration, tenant controls and partner branding, KVM-based virtualization without VMware stack dependency.
Awards and certifications
Useful resources
EBookBuild a profitable IaaS business with Acronis Cyber Frame
A practical business guide for service providers that want to grow, optimize or launch infrastructure services.
DatasheetAcronis Cyber Frame Cloud – Overview
Modernize your infrastructure with less complexity and greater control.
VideoAcronis Cyber Frame – Demo video
See how to create a tenant in Acronis Cyber Platform (formerly Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud), provision Cyber Frame and set up a basic customer environment step by step.
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