Hypervisor Landscape Mid-2025

The past 6 months has seen some dynamic moves in the hypervisor space.  

• Microsoft Hyper-V focusing on security, Windows 11 integration, and AI-driven virtualization, positioning it as a robust contender in the market. 
• XenServer is re-entering the mainstream market, announcing broad support across all workloads.
• Nutanix AHV is expanding with cloud-native, AI, and hybrid cloud innovations. With several recent announcements around strategic partnerships and platform support.

Here at Samana Group we continue to work with many clients to design, build/migrate and support various hypervisor solutions.

Below is a more detailed summary of the major announcements and advancements in the hypervisor space.

XenServer (Citrix) Re-enters Mainstream Hypervisor Market (July 9-10, 2025):

• Citrix announced that XenServer is now positioned for all workloads, expanding beyond its previous focus on Citrix-specific environments. This shift aims to make XenServer a competitive alternative in the broader hypervisor market, particularly in response to VMware’s licensing changes under Broadcom. XenServer is now offered only as part of Citrix’s Premium license subscription.
• The move is seen as a response to market shifts, particularly with market dissatisfaction with VMware’s pricing and licensing model.
• XenServer 8.4, released in March 2024, marked the initial step toward supporting a broader range of workloads. Citrix is also working on XenServer 9, promising “groundbreaking innovations” and adopting a Content Delivery Network (CDN) model for faster updates.

Nutanix (AHV and Related Developments)

Nutanix .NEXT 2025 Conference Announcements (May 7-9, 2025):

• Cloud Native AOS: Nutanix introduced Cloud Native AOS, a containerized version of its Acropolis Operating System (AOS) storage stack, enabling deployment on Kubernetes platforms like Amazon EKS and Google Cloud without requiring a hypervisor. This enhances flexibility for cloud-native and bare-metal environments, offering enterprise-grade data services such as snapshots, replication, and disaster recovery.
• Partnership with Pure Storage: Nutanix announced a collaboration with Pure Storage, integrating Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (powered by AHV) with Pure Storage FlashArray over NVMe/TCP. This provides a high-performance, cost-effective alternative to traditional virtualization platforms like VMware.
• Omnissa Horizon Support on AHV: Omnissa (formerly VMware’s end-user compute business) announced official support for its Horizon virtual apps and desktops platform on Nutanix’s AHV hypervisor, validating AHV as a Horizon-ready hypervisor. This addresses a long-standing customer request and strengthens Nutanix’s position as a VMware alternative.
• NCI Compute for External Storage: Nutanix introduced “ boundless computing “, allowing customers to leverage external storage (e.g., Dell PowerFlex, Cisco, and Pure Storage) with Nutanix’s platform, enabling hybrid storage models without replacing existing SAN/NAS infrastructure.
• Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) on Google Cloud: Nutanix announced a public preview of NC2 on Google Cloud starting June 20, 2025, enhancing hybrid multicloud capabilities.
• AI Integration with NVIDIA: Nutanix expanded its partnership with NVIDIA to integrate advanced AI agent models into enterprise IT workflows, supporting AI-driven infrastructure.
• Citrix Integration with Nutanix Prism Central: Citrix announced support for multi-cluster environments on Nutanix’s Prism Central, powered by AHV. This enables seamless integration with Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure and AWS, cross-cluster image management, and flexible virtual desktop delivery across on-premises, cloud, or hybrid setups.

Microsoft Hyper-V

• Hyper-V Security Enhancements (July 8, 2025): Microsoft’s July 2025 security update addressed critical Hyper-V vulnerabilities, including CVE-2025-47981, a highly exploitable heap-based buffer overflow in the SPNEGO NEGOEX Security Mechanism that could allow remote code execution. These patches are essential for maintaining secure virtualization environments, with Microsoft urging rapid deployment due to expected attacks within 30 days.
• Virtual TPMs and VM Management Guidance (July 6-7, 2025): Microsoft released detailed guidance on Hyper-V Virtual Trusted Platform Modules (vTPMs), certificates, VM export, and migration for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025. This enhances security and operational efficiency, streamlining secure VM operations and compatibility across enterprise virtualization deployments.
• Windows 11 Integration with Hyper-V (June 30, 2025): Enhancements to Windows 11 (24H2/23H2), including the “Cross Device Resume” feature, enable seamless OneDrive file access across devices in Hyper-V VMs, improving hybrid cloud workflows. The June 2025 non-security update also introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot integration for automated VM management, boosting enterprise productivity.
• Hyper-V’s Role in AI and Hybrid Cloud (May 19-22, 2025): At Microsoft Build 2025, Hyper-V was highlighted for its support of AI-driven workloads and cross-device workflows via Windows 11’s virtualization capabilities. Its integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure positions Hyper-V as a robust platform for modern IT infrastructure, particularly for hybrid and AI-focused environments.
• Windows 10 End of Support Impact (October 14, 2025): With Windows 10 support ending on October 14, 2025, Microsoft is pushing Hyper-V users to migrate to Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025 for enhanced integration and security. This shift is critical to avoid risks from unsupported Windows 10-based VMs, ensuring compliance and secure virtualization.

Looking for support and/or guidance with your Virtualization and Hypervisor infrastructure? Contact solutions@samanagroup.com for a complimentary workshop with our team of architects.