Private cloud strategy is emerging as a cornerstone for enterprise modernization in an era defined by artificial intelligence acceleration, data sovereignty and rising operational complexity.

As enterprises face mounting pressure to innovate without compromising control, the appeal of scalable, secure and cost-predictable private cloud platforms has never been greater. VMware Cloud Foundation 9, backed by Broadcom Inc. and an ecosystem of expert partners, is positioning itself as a linchpin technology for this transition. With built-in automation, tighter cross-team collaboration and a maturing framework for aligning IT with business outcomes, VCF 9 reflects a broader industry shift toward cloud architectures that can scale intelligently — without the chaos of bolt-on complexity or unpredictable cost sprawl, according to John Furrier (pictured, left), executive analyst at theCUBE Research.

TheCUBE’s John Furrier discusses private cloud strategy with Broadcom and its partners.

“The AI thing really is important to call out. I know it’s not part of the VCF. It is downstream; it’s a couple of dots to connect,” Furrier said. “All the work being done in private cloud right now is growing into enabling the operational sanity and comfort levels in the AI world, that’s pre-agentic. If you don’t get the platform right, you’re pretty much going to be dead in the water.”

Furrier spoke with experts from Broadcom and its partners at the “Broadcom Delivers the Modern Private Cloud” event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how enterprises are adopting a more deliberate private cloud strategy to manage modernization, AI readiness and cost control, highlighting the role of VCF 9 and trusted partners in enabling scalable, secure and compliant infrastructure solutions. (* Disclosure below.)

Private cloud strategy: Building alignment across platforms and people

Companies are often unsure where to begin modernization efforts, a challenge compounded by siloed teams and outdated processes. That’s where a holistic approach can make a difference, according to Patrick Webb (pictured, right), delivery director, virtualization /HCI/EUC at Ahead Technology Inc., a Broadcom tech partner. He described how mapping technical environments to business outcomes is central to driving momentum.

Ahead’s Patrick Webb talks to theCUBE about overcoming barriers to IT modernization.

“A lot of clients just need help with that first step, like how to get out of the starting block,” Webb said. “What we try to do with our customers is help build that holistic cloud maturity roadmap. A lot of times there’s confusion, there’s misconceptions about those components. We like to remove that for our customers, help enable them and explain that to them and really help them understand the art of the possible and how it fits within their environment.”

From Broadcom’s perspective, enabling that roadmap means aligning current operations with an evolving set of business and infrastructure goals. William Lam (pictured, center), distinguished platform engineering architect for VCF at Broadcom Inc., emphasized the value of structured assessments that dig into not just technology, but also people and processes that may be stuck in decade-old patterns.

“We see these different silo organizations, and we start to see these friction points that get created not because they want to, but it’s just how they have been operating for the past decade or longer,” said William Lam, distinguished platform engineering architect, VMware Cloud Foundation, at Broadcom. “Until the organization actually agrees that this is where they’re at from a starting point … it’s hard to really get to that future Nirvana state if we don’t agree that this is a starting point.”

Here’s theCUBE’s complete interview with Patrick Webb and William Lam:

Unlocking flexibility and value in a shifting cloud landscape

As organizations reexamine cloud roadmaps, a more nuanced private cloud strategy is emerging, one rooted in control, cost predictability and the ability to flex with evolving workloads. Broadcom partners such as Xtravirt Ltd. and Expedient Holdings USA LLC are guiding organizations through this transition, leveraging VCF 9 to simplify operations while enabling long-term innovation.

Xtravirt’s Robin Gardner discusses better meeting the demands of evolving business and IT needs.

“Customers now have an opportunity to explore and to find out what private cloud can mean for them and the opportunities and values it’s going to open up,” said Robin Gardner, strategic services director of cloud at Xtravirt. “The use cases that they had assumed previously, they had to move to public cloud to obtain … they can adopt, pilot and trial the features at a pace that makes sense for them.”

For Expedient, delivering managed services around VCF means meeting enterprise needs that go far beyond infrastructure. Organizations want a partner who can optimize value from the full stack while enabling greater business agility, according to Jon Rosenson, president and chief operating officer of Expedient.

“The outcomes our clients are looking for are agility, availability, cost control and risk mitigation,” he said. “We’re practiced at providing all of those to them.”

Here’s theCUBE’s complete interview with Robin Gardner and Jon Rosenson:

Why cloud rebalancing is reshaping modern IT strategies

As organizations grapple with growing data demands, rising public cloud costs and evolving regulatory pressures, a more intentional private cloud strategy is gaining traction. At the center of this shift is the concept of cloud rebalancing, an effort to match workloads with the infrastructure that best supports performance, security and cost goals.

Interactive’s John Koutsodontis speaks to theCUBE about the growing trend of cloud rebalancing.

“Cloud rebalancing is all about making sure your cloud setup actually works for you, and it’s not just where you put your workloads, but how efficiently they’re running,” said John Koutsodontis, general manager of private cloud services and architecture services at Interactive Technology Corp. Ltd., a Broadcom partner. “Businesses are realizing that moving everything to public cloud without a game plan can lead to either rising costs, security headaches, and/or wasted resources.”

Private cloud is increasingly the destination for mission-critical and data-sensitive workloads. Interactive is supporting customers in realigning their infrastructure to gain resilience, predictability and long-term value, especially in industries with strict compliance needs, Koutsodontis explained.

“Private clouds coupled with a strong MSP offers clear, sort of predictable costs and a smarter resource use, thus avoiding unnecessary spending,” he said. “Private cloud environments can give businesses complete control over security policies, compliance frameworks and workload placements, ensuring data stays local, protected and compliant.”

Here’s theCUBE’s complete interview with John Koutsodontis:

To watch more of theCUBE’s coverage of the “Broadcom Delivers the Modern Private Cloud” event, here’s our complete event video playlist:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the “Broadcom Delivers the Modern Private Cloud” event. Neither Broadcom Inc., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE