Table Of Contents

• How VMware Structures Infrastructure at the Virtual Layer
• What Kubernetes Brings to Cloud-Native Operations
• VMware and Kubernetes – Comparing the Core Differences
• Storage Becomes the Bottleneck — Here’s How Simplyblock Solves It
• Choosing Between VMware and Kubernetes — Or Using Both
• See Other Comparisons:
• Questions and answers

Modernizing infrastructure often brings up a fundamental question — stick with traditional virtual machines or shift to container orchestration? VMware has long provided stability and control through hypervisor-based virtualization. Kubernetes, on the other hand, is reshaping how applications are built, deployed, and scaled.

This guide compares VMware and Kubernetes across architecture, operations, and use cases — and shows how Simplyblock helps simplify storage across both environments.

How VMware Structures Infrastructure at the Virtual Layer

VMware’s hypervisor model has powered enterprise infrastructure for decades, offering consistent control over compute, network, and storage layers.

Tools like vSphere, vCenter, and NSX make infrastructure management centralized and reliable. But as environments become more dynamic, this tightly coupled architecture can slow down modernization efforts and limit flexibility across hybrid or cloud-native deployments.

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Why VMware Remains Essential for Many Enterprises

VMware continues to lead in sectors where stability and predictability take priority:

• Long-established in regulated industries and mission-critical workloads
• Supports VM isolation and resource governance at the infrastructure level
• Mature integrations across storage, compute, and networking stacks
• Backed by robust enterprise support and ecosystem partners

The Friction That Slows VMware Down

While VMware is stable, it doesn’t align well with fast-paced software development:

• VM provisioning takes time and limits release velocity
• Limited native support for containerization and DevOps
• Complex licensing structure, especially after the Broadcom acquisition
• Infrastructure is often tied to certified hardware vendors

VMware’s Complexity at Scale

At a larger scale or in hybrid cloud setups, VMware can create added architectural overhead:

• Requires full-stack alignment (vSphere, NSX, vSAN, etc.)
• Storage and compute scaling are coupled, reducing flexibility
• Disaster recovery and snapshots tied to vendor solutions
• Multi-cloud operations become more expensive to maintain

What Kubernetes Brings to Cloud-Native Operations

Kubernetes redefines infrastructure as a service — abstracting hardware and automating container orchestration.

It serves as the backbone of modern DevOps practices, enabling teams to build, deploy, and manage containerized applications at scale. With automation, self-healing, and portability built-in, Kubernetes supports faster delivery cycles and more resilient infrastructure across environments.

Why Kubernetes Is Built for App Delivery at Scale

Kubernetes gives teams flexibility and automation from day one:

• Automates deployment, scaling, and recovery of containerized apps
• Enables declarative configuration and infrastructure-as-code workflows
• Integrates seamlessly with observability and CI/CD tooling
• Supports hybrid and multi-cloud environments with native portability

Challenges Teams Face When Adopting Kubernetes

While powerful, Kubernetes adds operational complexity for teams unfamiliar with it:

• Requires specialized platform engineering and SRE skills
• Storage, ingress, and security need external tooling
• Onboarding can be steep for traditional IT teams
• Debugging container behavior demands updated workflows and observability

Where Kubernetes Excels Over Traditional Stacks

Kubernetes thrives in environments where rapid delivery and modular services matter:

• Supports microservices, APIs, and serverless architectures
• Fits well with agile teams and cloud-native delivery models
• Ideal for edge computing and multi-region deployments
• Enables scalable infrastructure for AI, analytics, and event-driven apps

VMware and Kubernetes – Comparing the Core Differences

VMware and Kubernetes may both manage workloads — but they serve vastly different infrastructure goals. Here’s how they compare side by side:

Category	VMware	Kubernetes
Infrastructure Model	Hypervisor-based virtual machines	Container orchestration engine
Control Plane	GUI and CLI tools (vSphere, NSX, vCenter)	API-driven, declarative workflows (YAML, GitOps)
Best Suited For	Legacy systems, compliance-heavy workloads	Modern microservices and dynamic applications
Scaling Behavior	VM- and host-level vertical scaling	Container-level horizontal scaling
Storage Approach	Attached disks via vSAN or SAN/NAS systems	CSI-based dynamic provisioning for pods
Automation Fit	Manual or semi-automated workflows	Fully automated CI/CD, GitOps-first delivery
Modernization Role	Strong for VM migration and hybrid base layers	Essential for cloud-native, developer-led platforms

Storage Becomes the Bottleneck — Here’s How Simplyblock Solves It

VMware and Kubernetes treat storage very differently. VMware tightly couples storage to virtual machines, while Kubernetes expects flexible volumes that adapt to containers that scale up and down constantly. Running both? You’ll need a solution that works seamlessly across both models.

Simplyblock delivers high-performance, unified block storage that removes the friction from managing hybrid infrastructures.

Storage Behavior in VMware Workloads

Storage inside VMware environments is optimized for virtual machine density — but not flexibility.

• Datastores and vSAN volumes are tied to VM provisioning
• Scaling storage often involves expanding compute nodes
• Vendor lock-in and hardware requirements reduce agility
• Performance tuning depends on proprietary stack integrations

Kubernetes Demands a Storage Model That Moves Fast

To support scalable, low-latency Kubernetes storage, your backend must handle high churn, dynamic volumes, and frequent pod reassignments.

• Persistent storage is provisioned using Kubernetes-native CSI drivers
• Ideal backends support snapshots, cloning, and automated volume scaling
• Stateful services like Kafka or ClickHouse rely on steady throughput and low-latency I/O
• Storage must decouple from compute to scale independently across pods and clusters

Vela by Simplyblock is purpose-built for workloads like PostgreSQL on Kubernetes, Kafka, and other persistent data platforms

How Simplyblock Simplifies Both Stacks

Whether you’re running containers or VMs, Simplyblock provides one storage layer that works across environments.

• Built on NVMe-over-TCP for ultra-low latency and high throughput
• Compatible with VMware vSphere and Kubernetes CSI integrations
• Offers snapshotting, replication, and thin provisioning
• It’s a software-defined block storage solution that reduces infrastructure complexity while supporting dynamic environments

Choosing Between VMware and Kubernetes — Or Using Both

VMware and Kubernetes aren’t direct replacements — they support different parts of the infrastructure journey. But companies often move from one to the other over time, or run them in parallel during modernization.

• Use VMware for legacy apps and regulatory-heavy environments. Use Kubernetes for speed, automation, and container-native platforms.

Use both if you’re transitioning in phases and need consistent storage across stacks. If you’re considering a VMware replacement, Simplyblock ensures you don’t have to compromise on performance or portability.

See Other Comparisons:

Take a look at how these platforms measure up:

• OpenStack vs OpenShift
• VMware vs OpenShift

Questions and answers

What are the key differences between VMware and Kubernetes?

VMware provides a hypervisor-based solution that is ideal for managing virtual machines and traditional workloads, offering control over compute, network, and storage resources. In contrast, Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform designed to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, offering more agility and flexibility for cloud-native operations.

Why should I choose VMware over Kubernetes for my organization?

VMware is ideal for environments requiring stability, predictability, and extensive support for legacy applications, especially in regulated industries. It excels at managing virtual machines, with strong integration across storage, compute, and networking, and is backed by a well-established ecosystem of enterprise solutions.

When is Kubernetes the better choice over VMware?

Kubernetes is more suited for modern, dynamic environments where speed, automation, and scalability are critical. It is perfect for microservices architectures, DevOps-driven workflows, and cloud-native applications, especially in multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud scenarios. It offers horizontal scaling, faster application deployment, and integration with CI/CD pipelines.

Can I run VMware and Kubernetes together?

Yes, many organizations run VMware and Kubernetes in parallel as part of their hybrid infrastructure. VMware can handle legacy applications, while Kubernetes powers modern cloud-native applications. With solutions like Simplyblock, organizations can use a unified storage platform across both environments, enabling seamless storage management.

How does Simplyblock improve storage across VMware and Kubernetes?

Simplyblock provides a unified storage solution that works across both VMware and Kubernetes environments. It uses NVMe-over-TCP for high-performance storage with low latency, ensuring seamless integration with both VMware’s vSphere and Kubernetes’ CSI driver. It simplifies storage management with features like dynamic provisioning, snapshots, replication, and high availability across both platforms.