Tottenham Hotspur, a professional soccer team in the Premier League, has reported a reduction of over 85% in licensing fees by transitioning from VMware to Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) Morpheus VM Essentials (VME) virtualization software. The team has not disclosed the specific VMware products previously used or the amount paid to Broadcom.
This week, Tottenham confirmed to The Register that it has migrated its stadium’s server, storage, and networking infrastructure to HPE solutions via HPE’s hybrid cloud management platform, GreenLake. The transition is supported by VME and HPE’s OpsRamp software for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, according to Rob Pickering, Tottenham’s CTO. HPE is managing the hybrid cloud services.
The soccer organization is nearing completion of a broader redesign of its stadium’s data center and network infrastructure. The data center features six aisles and utilizes HPE’s ProLiant Compute Gen12 server hardware and Alletra Storage MP. HPE has indicated that Tottenham is employing solutions such as HPE Morpheus software and HPE OpsRamp software to enhance management of a complex, multi-site environment while modernizing virtualization platforms and decreasing operational costs.
Pickering stated, "We’re at the right time of our replacement cycles to be looking at those decision points." He noted that the hypervisor has traditionally been viewed as a less exciting purchase, and he expressed concerns about VMware's recent decisions under Broadcom's ownership.
Pickering emphasized that Morpheus VME offers capabilities that surpass those of VMware, stating, "In many ways, it’s more capable." He also highlighted that the migration was driven by significant savings, with the organization saving "north of 85 percent" in licensing fees compared to its previous reliance on VMware.
The CTO remarked that the move was not solely about cost savings, indicating that integration with AI operations is crucial. He stated, "If [virtualization is] not built into a broader AI operation stack, the value is even lower again." Pickering explained that having a unified operational stack is more valuable than merely switching vendors, although he acknowledged the substantial savings involved.
Looking ahead to 2025, Pickering mentioned that Tottenham's technology team would consist of about 35 individuals, emphasizing the importance of AI operations in proactively identifying and addressing faults without human intervention.