---
name: vmwaresolutions-vs_deletinginstances
title: Deleting Flexible instances
description: As of 17 July 2025, new automated installations of Red Hat® OpenShift® for VMware® are no longer available for new or existing deployments of VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instances. You can still use or delete your existing Red Hat OpenShift for VMware automated installations until 16 July 2026. The service will no longer be available from 17 July 2026.
last-updated: 2025-10-24
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmwaresolutions?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.

# Deleting Flexible instances
{: #vs_deletinginstance}

As of 17 July 2025, new automated installations of Red Hat® OpenShift® for VMware® are no longer available for new or existing deployments of VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instances. You can still use or delete your existing Red Hat OpenShift for VMware automated installations until 16 July 2026. The service will no longer be available from 17 July 2026.
{: deprecated}

When you delete a VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Flexible instance, the VMware® product licenses and the VMware ESXi™ servers are released.

Because of resource dependencies, the ESXi servers in your instance might not be released until the end of the IBM Cloud infrastructure billing cycle. At the end of the billing cycle, which is typically 30 days, the instance deletion is completed.

CONTENT:

Whenever possible, add ESXi servers by using the IBM Cloud® for VMware Solutions console because changes that you make on the VMware vSphere® Web Client are not synchronized with the VMware Solutions console. Therefore, add ESXi servers to vCenter Server only for on-premises ESXi servers or ESXi servers that you don't manage in the VMware Solutions console.
{: important}

The instance remains in **Deleting** status and the monthly ESXi servers are available for the remainder of the account monthly billing cycle. After the billing cycle ends, the status of the device changes from **ACTIVE** to **RECLAIM** until the reclaim process completes which can take days or weeks into the following month.

After the ESXi server reclaim process completes, the instance deletion is completed.

You can review the next account invoice to confirm that you are no longer billed for the deleted instance. From the IBM Cloud console, click **Manage > Billing and usage** and click **Invoices**.

## Procedure to delete Flexible instances from the Resources page
{: #vs_deletinginstance-procedure1}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click **Licensing and metering > Add-on services** from the left navigation panel.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic** table, find the Flexible instance to delete.
3. Click the **Delete** icon ![Delete icon](../../icons/delete.svg "Delete") next to the **Status** column.
4. In the **Delete instance** window, enter the instance name to confirm, and click **Delete**.

   The instance status is changed to **Deleting**. When the instance is deleted successfully, the instance components are released, and the instance status is changed to **Deleted**.

## Procedure to delete Flexible instances from the instance details page
{: #vs_deletinginstance-procedure2}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click **Resources > VCF for Classic** from the left navigation panel.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic** table, click the Flexible instance to delete.
3. Click **Actions** at the upper right of the instance details page and click **Delete instance**.
4. In the **Deleting instance** window, click **Delete**.

   The instance status is changed to **Deleting**. When the instance is deleted successfully, the instance components are released, and the instance status is changed to **Deleted**.

## Related links
{: #vs_deletinginstance-related}

* [Procedure to order Flexible instances](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmwaresolutions?topic=vmwaresolutions-vs_orderinginstances-procedure&format=markdown)
* [Viewing Flexible instances](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmwaresolutions?topic=vmwaresolutions-vs_viewinginstances&format=markdown)
* [Managing virtual servers](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/virtual-servers?topic=virtual-servers-managing-virtual-servers&format=markdown)
* [Getting help and support](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmwaresolutions?topic=vmwaresolutions-trbl_support&format=markdown)