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CubeCOS

Manage self-hosted cloud infrastructure with ease, seamlessly scaling virtualization, AI, and Kubernetes.

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EXPANSION PRODUCTS

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CubeCMP

Streamlining hybrid cloud management by automating tasks, intelligently allocating resources.
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CubeVDI

CubeVDI delivers comprehensive virtual desktop management, resource allocation, and security protection capabilities.
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Explore all of our Cube products for seamless cloud management.

SOLUTION

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Data Protection

Enterprise-grade protection for your open infrastructure powered by Trilio
VMware Alternative
VMware Alternative

Migrate to an open, enterprise-ready virtualization platform
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Applications

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Case Studies

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Featured CASE STUDIES

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Bigstack Partners with Advantech to Deliver a New AIoT Private Cloud Solution

Advantech integrates Bigstack’s CubeCOS hyper-converged cloud platform operating system to create a comprehensive hardware-software integrated private cloud solution.

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COMMUNITY

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TRUST & SECURITY

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Stay informed on critical security updates and best practices.

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Replace VMware with CubeCOS

Transition from VMware to CubeCOS, an enterprise-ready, open-source platform built on OpenStack, Ceph, and Kubernetes. Enjoy the benefits of per-core licensing and a built-in migration toolkit.

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What is CubeCOS?

CubeCOS is an open-source cloud operating system licensed under Apache 2.0 and built on OpenStack, Ceph, and Kubernetes. It combines virtualization, distributed storage, and container orchestration into one unified platform, providing enterprises with a VMware VCF alternative that avoids per-core licensing and vendor lock-in.

Developed by Bigstack, CubeCOS is available with commercial support and enterprise add-ons, including CubeCMP for hybrid cloud management, CubeVDI for virtual desktop infrastructure, and CubeDPX for cloud native data protection.

Explore CubeCOS Features

CubeCOS vs. VMware vSphere: Feature Comparison

Explore this side-by-side breakdown detailing how CubeCOS and VMware vSphere compare across key architectural capabilities, licensing models, and vendor lock-in risks.

Underlying architecture
Underlying architecture

VMware: ESXi hypervisor, vSAN storage, NSX networking (closed source)

CubeCOS: KVM hypervisor, Ceph distributed storage, OpenStack networking (open source)

Container orchestration
Container orchestration

VMware: Requires separate Tanzu/Kubernetes integration

CubeCOS: Native Kubernetes-as-a-Service on the same infrastructure layer

High availability DR
High availability / DR

VMware: HA is included in vSphere/VCF tiers with DR as a licensed add-on

CubeCOS: HA and DR functionality are built into CubeCOS's core functionalities.

Vendor lock-in risk
Vendor lock-in risk

VMware: Higher - proprietary stack, bundled VCF packaging

CubeCOS: Lower - open source foundation, no mandatory bundling

Licensing model
Licensing model

VMware: Subscription only since Jan 2024; no new perpetual licenses.

CubeCOS: Open source core (Apache 2.0); transparent per-node commercial pricing.

Migration path
Migration path

CubeCOS: Built-in migration toolkit for existing VMware workloads

Bigstack: Open source infrastructure built for the enterprise

  • Enterprise-ready open source platform
    Enterprise-Ready Open Source Platform

    Deploy a turnkey cloud platform with a unified management interface, built-in multi-tenancy, user self-service, and enterprise extensions like VDI and hybrid cloud management.

  • Optimized Total Cost of Ownership
    Lower and Predictable Total Cost of Ownership

    Transparent per-node pricing protects your IT investments and supports long-term business expansion.

  • Resilience and Continuity
    Resilience and Business Continuity

    CubeCOS's distributed architecture delivers built-in high availability, backup, and disaster recovery to meet your uptime requirements.

  • Simplified Lifecycle Management Cube
    Simplified Lifecycle Management

    Single-image deployment simplifies lifecycle operations, making it easier to deploy, scale, and maintain infrastructure consistently across environments.

  • Seamless Migration
    Seamless Migration from VMware to CubeCOS

    Migrate your existing VMware workloads with confidence with CubeCOS’s built-in migration toolkit.

  • Avoid Vendor Lock-In
    Future-Proof with Open Architecture

    Build on a fully open source foundation that ensures long-term control, innovation velocity, and freedom from licensing risks. CubeCOS delivers enterprise features without lock-in, no hidden limitations, and no vendor dependencies.

Modern Solutions to Enterprise IT Challenges

Open VMware Alternative

Open VMware Alternative

CubeCOS is the open and scalable VMware alternative that simplifies the deployment of virtualization, Kubernetes, and OpenStack infrastructure.

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Cloud Service Providers (CSP)

Cloud Service Providers (CSP)

CubeCOS is the open-source platform for CSPs, delivering multi-tenancy, scalability, and open standards for integrations to accelerate growth.

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Cloud Native Workloads

Cloud Native Workloads

CubeCOS integrates Kubernetes natively, allowing clusters to consume OpenStack resources directly.

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Choose the Best Plan for Your Cloud Needs!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is CubeCOS a hyperconverged alternative to VMware?

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Yes. CubeCOS is an open-source cloud operating system licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. It is built on OpenStack, Ceph, and Kubernetes. By unifying virtualization, hyperconverged storage, and container orchestration, it positions itself as an open-source alternative to VMware vSphere for enterprise and carrier-grade deployments.

Can I migrate my existing VMware workloads to CubeCOS?

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CubeCOS has a built-in toolkit designed to migrate existing VMware virtual machines to CubeCOS infrastructure with minimal disruption to production workloads.

What is the difference between CubeCOS and CubeCMP?

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CubeCOS, Bigstack's open-source cloud operating system, is the infrastructure layer built on OpenStack, Ceph, and Kubernetes. CubeCMP is a proprietary add-on built on top of CubeCOS that adds hybrid cloud management and automation capabilities. CubeCOS can be deployed and used independently of CubeCMP.

Does CubeCOS avoid the per-core licensing model used by VMware?

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Instead of per-core or per-socket licensing, CubeCOS uses transparent, per-node pricing. This pricing model is designed to provide MSPs, cloud providers, and enterprises with a more predictable total cost of ownership.

What enterprise features does CubeCOS include?

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CubeCOS includes built-in high availability, backup and disaster recovery, multi-tenancy, and user self-service. Enterprise extensions like CubeVDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) and CubeCMP (hybrid cloud management) are available as additional layers on top of the open source core.

Migrate Today

Request your Infrastructure Freedom Blueprint to explore how CubeCOS’s unified, open platform delivers TCO predictability and the long-term agility required for secure, cloud-native innovation.
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CubeCOS docs

Visit the CubeCOS documentation to discover features, guides, and quick-start tutorials.

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