Cisco is preparing to release its own lightweight hypervisor as an alternative to VMware, targeting customers who run Cisco’s on-premises calling applications and want to avoid the cost and complexity of full private-cloud stacks.
The new platform, called NFVIS-for-UC, builds on Cisco’s existing Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure Software (NFVIS) and focuses exclusively on collaboration workloads such as Unified Communications Manager (UCM). Cisco positions it as a purpose-built solution rather than a general-purpose virtualization platform.
Cisco Offers a VMware Alternative After Licensing Changes
Cisco’s move comes as enterprises reassess virtualization strategies following VMware’s licensing and packaging changes under Broadcom ownership. Many customers who use VMware only to support calling infrastructure now face higher costs tied to bundled private-cloud offerings.
By introducing NFVIS-for-UC, Cisco gives those customers a simpler path forward. The hypervisor delivers only the features required to run Cisco Calling applications, without the overhead of managing a full virtualization ecosystem.
Cisco does not market NFVIS-for-UC as a VMware replacement for all workloads. Instead, it targets organizations that virtualize only Cisco collaboration software.
What NFVIS-for-UC Does — and What It Doesn’t Do
NFVIS-for-UC runs as a special edition of Cisco’s existing NFVIS platform, but Cisco treats it as a distinct product with separate licensing and management.
The hypervisor supports only Cisco core calling applications and runs exclusively on Cisco-approved appliances such as the BE6000, BE7000, and CE1400V series. It does not support third-party virtual machines, customer workloads, or general compute use cases.
This narrow focus allows Cisco to tightly control performance, compatibility, and support. Cisco provides end-to-end coverage across hardware, hypervisor, and applications, which reduces operational risk for regulated or mission-critical environments.
Built for Stability, Not Cloud-Scale Virtualization
Cisco designed NFVIS-for-UC for stability and predictability rather than scale-out cloud flexibility. The platform reserves dedicated CPU cores and memory for the hypervisor layer and enforces strict placement rules for application virtual machines.
That design appeals to telecom-style IT teams that value deterministic behavior over dynamic resource sharing. It also fits air-gapped and compliance-heavy deployments where simplicity and vendor accountability matter more than multi-tenant flexibility.
Cisco explicitly limits the platform to collaboration workloads, signaling that NFVIS-for-UC will not evolve into a general private-cloud competitor.
Nutanix AHV Support Expands the Strategy
Alongside NFVIS-for-UC, Cisco continues to expand support for Nutanix AHV as another VMware alternative. Cisco plans broader AHV adoption for on-premises calling deployments in 2026, but only on Cisco Compute Hyperconverged with Nutanix hardware.
Together, NFVIS-for-UC and Nutanix AHV give Cisco customers two non-VMware paths, depending on whether they want a hyperconverged environment or a tightly scoped, appliance-based model.
Why VMware Is Unlikely to Push Back
Cisco’s hypervisor strategy does not directly challenge VMware’s core market. VMware now focuses heavily on customers willing to adopt its full Cloud Foundation stack, including networking, storage, Kubernetes, and cloud-native tooling.
NFVIS-for-UC targets a niche that VMware increasingly deprioritizes: customers who need virtualization only to keep legacy or specialized workloads running. For those users, Cisco’s approach removes the need to justify a full private-cloud investment.
Cisco’s upcoming hypervisor release gives on-premises calling customers more control at a time of rising virtualization costs. Organizations that depend on UCM can continue running supported, virtualized environments without committing to expensive cloud-scale platforms.
NFVIS-for-UC will not suit every enterprise. But for customers who value simplicity, long-term support, and predictable performance, Cisco’s home-brew hypervisor offers a clear alternative as VMware’s focus shifts upmarket.
Cisco plans to make NFVIS-for-UC generally available in early 2026, signaling a long-term commitment to on-premises collaboration infrastructure rather than a temporary stopgap.
