NFVIS-for-UC is limited to supported Cisco UC applications and hardware; it is not a general VMware replacement.
Cisco describes NFVIS-for-UC as an environment for supported Unified Communications applications, including selected releases of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Expressway. It is built on Linux/KVM and is not intended to host arbitrary workloads.
In 2024, VMware ended availability for several perpetual licenses and standalone products, moving the portfolio to subscriptions and bundles including VCF, VVF, vSphere Standard, and Essentials Plus. NFVIS-for-UC does not replace that portfolio: it is limited to supported Cisco UC applications.
Cisco supports NFVIS-for-UC, Nutanix AHV, and VMware ESXi for UC applications. Supported applications and hardware differ, so compatibility must be checked for the exact release.
Before selecting a platform, compare application compatibility, included components and licensing terms, migration effort, and dependence on a specific vendor.