What does End of General Support (EoGS) mean?

After EoGS, VMware no longer provides security patches, bug fixes, or hardware compatibility updates for the product. Customers can continue running it, but risk grows over time as vulnerabilities and incompatibilities are not addressed.

What does Technical Guidance (TG) mean?

Technical Guidance is a limited support phase that typically includes self-service knowledge base content and best-effort assistance. No new patches or certifications are provided.

Is it safe to keep running VCF 8 after October 2027?

It may still function, but unsupported systems often face compliance issues, security exposure, and higher long-term costs. Many organizations plan to upgrade or migrate before EoGS to avoid risk.

What are my upgrade options when VCF 8 reaches EoGS?

Options include upgrading to VCF 9.x (if hardware and integrations are compatible), moving workloads to a VMware cloud service (such as VMC on AWS, Azure VMware Solution, or Google Cloud VMware Engine), or evaluating alternative virtualization platforms.

Does this affect vSphere and vSAN separately?

Yes. VCF bundles vSphere and vSAN versions. Their lifecycle dates align closely, but checking each component is important since many clusters may run mixed versions.

How should we prepare for EoGS?

Start with a quick baseline of your current environment: which clusters, OS families, and workloads may be difficult to migrate. From there, plan a roadmap that includes upgrades, replacements, or cloud adoption before the support window closes.

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 8 End of Life Dates

Last updated: September 2025

Summary: VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 8 reaches End of General Support on October 11, 2027 and remains in Technical Guidance until October 11, 2029. After EoGS, no new patches or hardware certifications are provided; Technical Guidance is limited support only. See the lifecycle table below for the official dates and sources.

On this page: Summary • Lifecycle Dates • What To Do Next • VCF 8 EoGS Prep Checklist • FAQ • Sources

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 8 Lifecycle Dates

Product	General Availability	End of General Support (EoGS)	End of Technical Guidance (TG)
VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 8	November 8, 2022	October 11, 2027	October 11, 2029

Download: CSV or JSON

Sources:

VMware Lifecycle Product Matrix (KB 81147): https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/81147
VMware Cloud Foundation Blog: https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud-foundation/2024/07/25/announcing-extension-of-vmware-vsphere-7-x-and-vmware-vsan-7-x-general-support-period

Last verified against VMware KB 81147: 2025-09-23.

What To Do Next

Run a quick readiness baseline (vCenter + backups) to spot legacy OS, long-uptime anchors, and backup gaps.
Confirm hardware & software compatibility for your target release (or destination platform).
Compare upgrade vs migration options to size cost, risk, and timeline.

VCF 8 EoGS Prep Checklist

Preparing for VCF 8 End of General Support can start with a quick Stage-0 baseline, then build into deeper questions and decisions.

Step	Task	Why it matters	Example questions answered
1 - Stage-0 Baseline	Export vCenter inventory CSV	Gives VM/cluster view (OS family, tags, uptime) without agents	Which clusters/OS families are most represented? Which VMs show long uptime?
1 - Stage-0 Baseline	Export backup jobs CSV(s)	Reveals protection posture and anchors that slow change	Which VMs lack backups or have stale/short-retention backups?
1 - Stage-0 Baseline	Join the two CSVs and compute quick flags	Creates an exec-ready snapshot in minutes	Where are the backup gaps, legacy OS cohorts, and long-uptime anchors by cluster?
1 - Stage-0 Baseline	Produce cluster rollups	Focuses leadership on hotspots instead of a VM-by-VM slog	Which clusters are riskiest and why (backups, OS, uptime)?
2 - Frame Next Questions	Filter for high-risk cohorts	Targets decisions to the 20% of scope driving 80% of risk	Which workloads likely resist upgrade/migration without special handling?
2 - Frame Next Questions	Identify quick-win groups	Builds momentum with low-risk moves	Which clusters/VMs look straightforward for cloud VMware or same-hypervisor upgrade?
2 - Frame Next Questions	Flag blocking features or patterns (if observable)	Avoids false starts and rework	Do any tags/notes indicate compliance scope or brittle legacy apps?
3 - Choose Depth	Vendor conversations (licensing/compatibility)	Clarifies cost and feasibility windows	Is renewal vs subscription vs cloud VMware more economical for our footprint?
3 - Choose Depth	Stage-1/2 assessment (dependencies/perf/capacity)	Reduces execution risk; informs wave planning & SLAs	What app/service dependencies shape the migration order and blackout windows?
3 - Choose Depth	Partner engagement for planning/execution	Adds bandwidth and proven runbooks	What’s the realistic timeline, cost, and staffing plan for our chosen path?

Download the checklist: CSV or JSON

Last verified: September 23, 2025

What These Dates Mean

End of General Support (EoGS): After October 11, 2027, VMware will no longer provide new security patches, host-hardware compatibility updates, or official bug fixes for VCF 8.
Technical Guidance (TG): From EoGS until October 11, 2029, support is limited to advisory documentation and self-service resources—not full engineering backports or hardware certifications.

Why This Matters

Compliance & risk: Unsupported systems are often flagged in audits (e.g., PCI, HIPAA, SOX).
Security exposure: Bugs or vulnerabilities discovered post-EoGS may not get fixed.
Feature / hardware compatibility: New CPUs, firmware, or integrations might not be supported or certified.
Cost of delay: Delaying upgrades can lead to higher cost later due to emergency support, emergency migrations, or vendor premium prices.

Key Questions Tech Decision Makers Should Be Asking

Are we currently running VCF 7.x (vSphere/vSAN 7.x) or VCF 8.x in any cluster?
Which workloads / clusters are most exposed to risk (legacy OS, old guest OS, long uptime, weak backup)?
Are we using features like vVols or deprecated storage features that may require redesign?
What is our hardware compatibility for VCF 9.x or newer releases?
When is our renewal or support contract up? Do we have extended support purchased (if available)?
What is our budget and timeline to plan either upgrade → VCF 9.x or evaluate migration to other platforms?

How to Prepare Now

Baseline Readiness Check
Run a quick assessment using vCenter + backups to identify risk exposure: legacy OS, long uptime, backup gaps.
Map Out Upgrade Path(s)
- Upgrade to VCF 9.x (assuming hardware compatibility)
- Evaluate other hypervisor / cloud VMware options
- Identify clusters/workloads/VMs that must move first
Engage Assessment or Partner
For dependency analysis, cost/TCO, wave planning—so you can decide the safest, most cost-effective path.

FAQ

Technical Guidance is a limited support phase that typically includes self-service knowledge base content and best-effort assistance. No new patches or certifications are provided.
It may still function, but unsupported systems often face compliance issues, security exposure, and higher long-term costs. Many organizations plan to upgrade or migrate before EoGS to avoid risk.
Options include upgrading to VCF 9.x (if hardware and integrations are compatible), moving workloads to a VMware cloud service (e.g., VMC on AWS, Azure VMware Solution, Google Cloud VMware Engine), or evaluating alternative virtualization platforms.
Yes. VCF bundles vSphere and vSAN versions. Their lifecycle dates align closely, but checking each component is important since many clusters may run mixed versions.
Start with a quick baseline of your current environment: which clusters, OS families, and workloads may be difficult to migrate. From there, plan a roadmap that includes upgrades, replacements, or cloud adoption before the support window closes.