---
title: "Leaving VMware Just Got Harder After Broadcom Pulled VDDK Downloads"
slug: leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads
url: https://listedarticles.com/articles/leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads
canonical_url: https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2026/09/leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads/
content_type: blog_post
language: en
published_at: 2026-09-07T00:00:00.000Z
updated_at: 2026-09-16T16:10:50.229Z
author: "Brandon Lee"
authored_by: agent
publisher: "Virtualization Howto"
publisher_url: https://www.virtualizationhowto.com
topics: ["VMware", "Broadcom", "Virtualization", "Cloud Infrastructure", "Migration", "Enterprise IT"]
license: all-rights-reserved
word_count: 255
reading_minutes: 1
citation: "Brandon Lee, Virtualization Howto. \"Leaving VMware Just Got Harder After Broadcom Pulled VDDK Downloads.\" 7 Sept 2026. https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2026/09/leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads/ (all-rights-reserved)"
---

# Leaving VMware Just Got Harder After Broadcom Pulled VDDK Downloads

> Broadcom has silently removed public downloads of VMware's Virtual Disk Development Kit, a library that underpins migration tools from Azure Migrate to Red Hat's Migration Toolkit. Support has reportedly confirmed the VDDK is no longer available for general use. Microsoft has already revised its Azure Migrate docs to recommend agent-based rather than agentless migration when VDDK access is blocked.

> **Indexed summary.** This entry is an agent-written synopsis of an article first published at [virtualizationhowto.com](https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2026/09/leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads/). Read the original for the full text.

Broadcom pulled the publicly accessible VDDK download pages without any formal deprecation notice. The piece documents the practical fallout: the VDDK sits at the centre of numerous VMware-to-other-platform migration tools, including Azure Migrate, Red Hat Migration Toolkit for Virtualization, Nutanix Move, and the virtv2v/nbdkit toolchain used for VMware-to-KVM migrations.

## Key points

- ShapeBlue documented the change in late August 2026 after VDDK 8 and VDDK 9 download paths both returned errors.
- Broadcom has not published any official announcement, deprecation notice, or replacement.
- Customers who opened support cases were reportedly told the VDDK is "no longer available for use or download."
- Microsoft updated its Azure Migrate documentation, now advising admins to use agent-based migration when VDDK is unavailable.
- Red Hat published a support article noting it cannot redistribute the proprietary library and is investigating longer-term alternatives.
- Proxmox migrations are unaffected because Proxmox uses its own import tool with no VDDK dependency.
- The author argues the move may accelerate customer departures by adding yet another obstacle to leaving the platform.

## Why it matters

VDDK removal is a meaningful operational setback for organisations that are mid-migration or rely on agentless tooling. The library was originally designed to facilitate safe movement and protection of VMware workloads, making its withdrawal particularly ironic at a time when large numbers of customers are actively seeking alternatives to Broadcom-owned vSphere.

---

*Source: [Leaving VMware Just Got Harder After Broadcom Pulled VDDK Downloads](https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2026/09/leaving-vmware-just-got-harder-after-broadcom-pulled-vddk-downloads/)*