Broadcom removes VDDK downloads, complicating VMware exit for customers

Broadcom has taken down the publicly accessible VDDK download pages that previously hosted the Virtual Disk Development Kit. Support interactions indicate that the removal is intentional and that VDDK is no longer available for general use or download. This action affects both current versions and earlier releases of the kit.

The VDDK is a core component used by numerous migration and conversion tools to read VMware disk formats. Tools like Microsoft Azure Migrate, Red Hat’s Migration Toolkit, Nutanix Move, VMware-to-KVM migration products, virtv2v, and nbdkit all depend on VDDK to access virtual disks. Without the kit, these tools cannot perform disk conversion or migration tasks.

Customers attempting to leave vSphere now face a functional gap in their migration workflows. They must either find unofficial sources, develop custom solutions, or turn to backup and recovery products offered by Broadcom Technology Alliance Partners. Each alternative introduces additional effort, potential licensing costs, and project delays.

Broadcom has not issued any formal notice, deprecation announcement, or guidance about a replacement for VDDK. The lack of communication leaves users uncertain whether the removal is permanent or temporary, complicating planning for long-term exit strategies.

Any process that requires direct access to VMware virtual disks for conversion, migration, or backup will stop working until a viable substitute for VDDK is obtained. This impacts not only one-time migrations but also ongoing replication or disaster-recovery pipelines that rely on the kit.