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Another year brings another wave of VMware product lifecycle changes. As Broadcom continues to shape the portfolio, several VMware components reach their End of Technical Guidance in 2026. This phase marks the final stage with no more patches, updates, or technical assistance beyond self-help resources.
Staying on supported versions keeps your environment secure and eligible for full support. This rundown covers the major dates, affected products, and practical next steps. Planning ahead avoids surprises and lets you take advantage of newer capabilities.
Skip right to the Full-Year 2026 End of Technical Guidance Table below for all the dates
Why Pay Attention to VMware EOL Dates in 2026?
End of Technical Guidance means Broadcom stops providing fixes, even for critical issues.
Upgrading often unlocks better performance, tighter security, and lower long-term costs.
Which VMware Products Face EOL Risks This Year?
The list spans Horizon components, disaster recovery tools, networking, and more. Dates spread across the calendar, so check your inventory early.
Early-Year Highlights: January to March
Kicking off 2026, several App Volumes and Dynamic Environment Manager releases from late 2022 hit EOTG in January. Container Service Extension 4.2 follows soon after.
February brings the curtain down on multiple SD-WAN releases (5.0 through 5.4). If you still run these, migration planning should already be underway.
March sees Cloud Director extensions for Data Solutions and Object Storage Extension reach end of support, alongside 2303 builds of App Volumes and DEM.
NSX-T Data Center 3.x
One of the bigger networking impacts arrives in April when NSX-T 3.x loses all support. Customers should have moved to 4.x by now, but if not, prioritise this upgrade to maintain policy and security features.
For details on the NSX lifecycle, check the official Broadcom knowledge base.
Horizon 8 and Related Components
Horizon environments see several older entitlements end throughout the year:
Horizon 8 2203
April marks the end for this early 2022 release.
Horizon 2206
July follows suit for the mid-year drop.
Horizon 2209
October closes out the 2022 line.
App Volumes and Dynamic Environment Manager follow similar patterns across their 22xx and 23xx builds. Horizon DaaS 9.2.0 also wraps up in April.
VMware Tools Older Releases
June ends guidance for Tools 10.3.x, while September concludes 11.0.x. Keeping Tools current is straightforward and prevents compatibility issues with newer hosts.
Site Recovery Manager and vSphere Replication
October is busy for disaster recovery. Multiple versions of Site Recovery Manager (8.6, 8.7, 8.8) and vSphere Replication (8.6, 8.7, 8.8) all reach EOTG on the 11th. Organisations relying on these for failover should validate plans against supported releases.
Understanding VMware Support Phases
Here’s a quick reference table of the standard phases:
Phase | Duration (typical) | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
General Support | 5 years | Full updates, patches and phone support |
Technical Guidance | 2 years | Critical security fixes only, self-help |
End of Technical Guidance | Final | No further assistance |
Full-Year 2026 End of Technical Guidance Table
Product | Version/Build | EOTG Date |
|---|---|---|
App Volumes / DEM | 2212 | 2026-01-12 |
Container Service Extension | 4.2.0 | 2026-01-19 |
SD-WAN Orchestrator/Controller/Gateway | 5.0 – 5.4 | 2026-02-28 |
Cloud Director Data Solutions Extension | 1.4 | 2026-03-01 |
Cloud Director Object Storage Extension | 3.0 | 2026-03-15 |
App Volumes / DEM | 2303 | 2026-03-30 |
Horizon 8 | 2203 | 2026-04-05 |
NSX-T Data Center | 3.x | 2026-04-07 |
Horizon DaaS | 9.2.0 | 2026-04-27 |
VMware Tools | 10.3.x | 2026-06-30 |
App Volumes / DEM | 2306 | 2026-07-06 |
Horizon | 2206 | 2026-07-19 |
VMware Tools | 11.0.x | 2026-09-19 |
Site Recovery Manager / vSphere Replication | 8.6 – 8.8 | 2026-10-11 |
App Volumes | 2309 | 2026-10-19 |
Horizon | 2209 | 2026-10-20 |
Dynamic Environment Manager | 2309 | 2026-10-26 |
Recommended Actions Before EOL Hits
Take these steps to stay ahead:
- Inventory current versions across your estate
- Map dependencies (especially vSphere compatibility)
- Test upgrades in a lab environment
- Engage your Broadcom or partner account team for migration assistance
- Document any custom configurations
FAQ
What happens after the VMware End of Technical Guidance?
No further patches or technical assistance are provided. You’re on your own for troubleshooting and security issues.
How do I confirm exact dates for my VMware products?
Visit the Broadcom Product Lifecycle portal and filter by VMware components.
Are there extensions available?
Broadcom rarely offers extensions beyond published dates, unlike some past VMware practices.
Will third-party support options work?
Some vendors offer extended support, but compatibility with future vSphere releases isn’t guaranteed.
Final Thoughts
2026 looks quieter than recent years for major hypervisor changes, but the volume of Horizon, NSX, and disaster-recovery components retiring keeps upgrades on the agenda. Acting early reduces risk and positions you for newer features and efficiencies.
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