VMware Tanzu (TKG) Alternative Series (1): Building with a Container Cloud Platform

As enterprises worldwide accelerate toward cloud-native architectures, container platform alternatives and optimization have become focal points for CIOs and technology leaders. With VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) fully entering a subscription-based model, many users have found that costs have surged and operational complexity has increased. Finding a container service platform that serves as a VMware alternative while remaining compatible with the existing Kubernetes ecosystem has become a key issue in digital strategy.

ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform emerged in response. It can directly act as a VMware alternative, offering lower cost, simpler operations, and stronger enterprise-grade capabilities to deliver a stable and efficient cloud-native container solution.

Next, we will introduce in a serialized format the details of ZStack’s VMware alternative solution, including product comparisons, technical characteristics, and industry applications for enterprise reference. Products include virtualization, enterprise cloud, and container cloud.

Challenges Brought by the VMware Tanzu Subscription Model

After Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware and its business strategy changes (ending perpetual licensing, adopting subscriptions, and raising license core counts), enterprise users now face cost surges and supply chain stability risks. Following the implementation of VMware Tanzu’s subscription model, the traditional physical CPU-based license fee has been replaced by a virtual-core subscription. As applications scale, the expansion cost of container clusters increases exponentially, creating long-term IT burdens. VMware’s container services are bundled with its virtualization platform, forcing users to purchase vSphere/VCF subscription packages along with extra container functionality. This model limits flexibility in scaling and procurement.

Additionally, VMware Tanzu’s container functionality and virtualization management belong to different systems, forcing enterprises to maintain multiple tools—especially in multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud scenarios—significantly increasing operational complexity. These issues have made VMware alternatives an urgent need for many IT departments.

ZStack Zaku Container Service as a VMware Alternative

There are two VMware alternative solutions using ZStack Zaku: one is a direct alternative, and the other is a VMware Migration approach integrating ZStack Cloud with the Zaku container service to build a unified VM + container cloud platform, achieving infrastructure modernization.

This article focuses on the first solution—using ZStack Zaku directly as a VMware Tanzu alternative.

By adopting ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform as a VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) alternative, users retain compatibility with the community’s native Kubernetes distribution. Zaku not only maintains compatibility with the Kubernetes API but also provides comprehensive enterprise-grade container features, ensuring a smooth VMware Migration experience.

(ZStack Zaku: Cloud-Native Scenarios for VMware Alternatives (TKG))

VMware Alternative Route: For users running vSphere + Tanzu + network + storage + operations components, the ZStack Cloud + Zaku route can serve as a full VMware alternative.

ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform, as a cloud-native base technology, provides enterprises with a lightweight and cost-effective container service alternative. For users who used VMware Tanzu for application modernization, ZStack provides two seamless alternative strategies:

Capabilities of the ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform

• Full cluster lifecycle management: from creation, upgrades, scaling, and deletion, all processes are automated for simplified operations.
• Unified multi-cluster management: centrally control multiple Kubernetes clusters within one interface to improve resource scheduling and support large-scale deployments.
• Enterprise-level integration: tenant autonomy, CI/CD toolchains, microservice governance, one-click inspections, log collection, and unified monitoring deliver a true enterprise container platform.
• Security governance: through RBAC, network policies, and Pod security strategies, ensuring full multi-tenant security.
• GPU acceleration support: built-in GPU management and scheduling for AI and high-performance computing scenarios.

This VMware alternative solution not only covers all core features of VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid but also brings enhanced scalability and flexibility through cloud-native operational advantages.

Value of Functional Parity and Enhancements

Functional gaps are often enterprises’ biggest concerns when seeking an alternative. ZStack Zaku was designed using VMware Tanzu’s capabilities as a reference and then enhanced further.

In areas such as multi-cluster management, GPU scheduling, and automated operations, Zaku provides more complete enterprise-grade capabilities. Users can centrally manage cross-region clusters while utilizing intelligent scheduling for optimal resource use. With one-click inspection and log collection, enterprises can quickly identify and resolve issues, improving operational efficiency.

This demonstrates that adopting an alternative is not merely about maintaining existing functions—it’s about achieving improvement beyond equivalence.

Comprehensive Compatibility with APIs and the Kubernetes Ecosystem

ZStack Zaku’s core engine fully follows Kubernetes standards, offering 100% API compatibility. All native Kubernetes applications and tools—including Helm Charts, Operators, and CNI/CSI plugins—can operate seamlessly on Zaku.

Enterprises can perform VMware Migration without changing application architecture or redesigning toolchains. Existing DevOps workflows continue uninterrupted, reducing technical barriers and downtime risks. For organizations seeking a Kubernetes container platform alternative, Zaku provides the perfect balance of compatibility and extensibility.

A Smooth VMware Migration Path

When implementing a VMware Migration, the primary concern is smoothness. ZStack Zaku provides cluster configuration import/export tools and workload migration guides, supporting phased transitions to avoid business disruption.

This gradual migration model allows enterprises to start small and expand gradually, ensuring safe and reliable migration. For organizations performing VMware Migration, this approach minimizes technical risk. Existing workloads deployed on TKG can be progressively and securely migrated to Zaku-managed clusters.

Advantages of the ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform

Compared to VMware Tanzu, ZStack Zaku demonstrates clear advantages in multiple aspects:

• Cost optimization: free from VMware’s subscription constraints. Compared with Tanzu’s per-core model, ZStack Zaku allows flexible licensing by CPU/vCPU as needed.
• Operations simplification: unified access and modular architecture hide container complexity.Better productization: designed to simplify user experience, Zaku minimizes learning costs and ensures production-grade stability with built-in scheduling and health checks.
• Enterprise-grade functions: disaster recovery, automated operations, and real-time monitoring ensure consistent platform reliability.
• Open compatibility: full adherence to Kubernetes standards and compatibility with its ecosystem.
• Future adaptation: GPU acceleration and AI integration enable intelligent compute environments.

These advantages address VMware subscription pain points while empowering enterprises to advance confidently in cloud-native adoption.

Typical Application Scenarios

• Financial services: high availability architecture and strict security policies ensure critical business systems’ reliability.
• Manufacturing R&D: multi-cluster Kubernetes management improves compute utilization and delivery efficiency.
• Public services and energy: centralized scheduling reduces O&M workload and improves continuity.
• AI and large models: GPU scheduling combined with AI platforms supports high-concurrency training and inference tasks.

ZStack: Let Every Company Have Its Own Cloud

Founded in 2015, ZStack specializes in next-generation cloud infrastructure software covering virtualization, enterprise cloud platforms, container platforms, distributed storage, hyper-converged infrastructure, and multi-cloud management.

Amid AI and cloud-native trends, ZStack launched its AI infrastructure platform integrating with virtualization and containers to help enterprises build efficient and flexible intelligent computing centers.

With its comprehensive products and solutions, ZStack has enabled over 4,000 enterprises worldwide across industries such as government, telecom, finance, energy, transportation, education, healthcare, and manufacturing. In VMware alternative programs, ZStack has already served over 1,000 customers across more than 30 countries and regions.

FAQ

Q: Why are more enterprises looking for VMware alternatives?

A: Rising subscription costs and increasing complexity in multi-cloud management drive enterprises to seek cost-effective VMware alternatives that simplify operations.

Q: Can ZStack Zaku fully match VMware Tanzu’s container functions?

A: Yes. Zaku supports the native Kubernetes API and provides multi-cluster management, CI/CD, microservices governance, inspection, logging, and monitoring—making it a full-featured VMware alternative.

Q: Will VMware Migration affect current business operations?

A: No. ZStack offers migration tools and phased guides to ensure smooth VMware Migration without service disruption.

Q: What are the biggest advantages of ZStack Zaku compared with VMware Tanzu?

A: Lower cost, easier maintenance, richer features, and stronger support for AI and GPU-based computing scenarios.

Q: Which industries benefit most from the ZStack Zaku Container Service Platform?

A: Finance, manufacturing, energy, public services, and AI R&D—all benefit from its high stability and compute capabilities.