---
name: vmware-getting-started
title: Getting started with VMware
description: VMware for IBM Cloud® Classic infrastructure provides a virtualization platform that abstracts processor, memory, storage, and networking resources to create multiple Virtual Servers on a single physical server. Multiple physical servers can be clustered together to create a private cloud.
last-updated: 2026-01-28
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Getting started with VMware
{: #vmware-getting-started}

VMware for IBM Cloud® Classic infrastructure provides a virtualization platform that abstracts processor, memory, storage, and networking resources to create multiple Virtual Servers on a single physical server. Multiple physical servers can be clustered together to create a private cloud.

IBM Cloud® provides the unique capability for customers to provision dedicated Bare Metal Servers upon which they can deploy their own VMware-based private cloud. For example, you can enable the creation of a hybrid cloud where on-premises VMware-based servers, tools, and processes can be extended into the public cloud.

| Get started |
|------------------|
| 1. Learn about [VMware and IBM Cloud](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?topic=vmware-about-vmware&format=markdown#about-vmware). |
| 2. Review [licensing options](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?topic=vmware-license-options-vmware&format=markdown#license-options-vmware) and [storage options](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?topic=vmware-vmware-storage&format=markdown).|
| 3. If you want to deploy a basic single-site VMware environment in an IBM Cloud® data center, see [Getting Started with VMware vSphere overview](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?topic=vmware-nsx-overview&format=markdown#nsx-overview). |
{: caption="Getting started with VMware in IBM Cloud®" caption-side="top"}

## Next Steps
{: #vmware-what-next}

After you configured a basic environment, you can [manage licenses](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware?topic=vmware-manage-vmware-licenses&format=markdown).