{"id":3467,"date":"2026-02-27T18:13:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/?p=3467"},"modified":"2026-03-02T16:49:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T11:19:14","slug":"vmware-broadcom-licensing-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/27\/vmware-broadcom-licensing-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"VMware Under Broadcom: A Strategic Guide for Hosting Companies Navigating the Licensing Transition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/litigation\/europes-cispe-challenges-broadcoms-69-billion-vmware-deal-eu-court-2025-07-24\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Broadcom acquisition of VMware<\/a>&nbsp;,&nbsp;&nbsp;completed in November 2023,&nbsp;has triggered one of the most consequential shifts in enterprise virtualization economics in years.&nbsp;What seemed&nbsp;like&nbsp;just another corporate acquisition quickly turned into a wake-up call&nbsp;that&#8217;s&nbsp;still echoing through data centers today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are running a hosting company,&nbsp;you&nbsp;have&nbsp;probably spent&nbsp;the last year trying to make sense of the new licensing landscape.&nbsp;You&#8217;re&nbsp;not alone. The changes have been nothing short of seismic, and many companies are still piecing together what it all means for their bottom line.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s&nbsp;cut through the noise and break down exactly&nbsp;what&#8217;s&nbsp;happened, and more importantly, what you need to do about it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Acquisition That Changed Everything<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The timeline tells the story. Broadcom closed its $69 billion acquisition of VMware in November 2023.&nbsp;Within weeks, the announcements started rolling in. By early 2024, the VMware everyone knew had fundamentally changed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom&nbsp;didn&#8217;t&nbsp;waste time putting its stamp on things. The company moved quickly to reshape VMware&#8217;s entire business model, and hosting companies found themselves scrambling to understand the new rules of the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regulatory scrutiny has followed these changes: European cloud provider group CISPE has legally challenged the EU\u2019s approval of the VMware acquisition, arguing that the new licensing terms harm competition across cloud services.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Changed: Technical Licensing Shifts Explored<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For hosting companies, this&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;just a licensing update.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;a margin-impacting business event.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At&nbsp;Nuventure, we work exclusively with hosting providers&nbsp;navigating exactly&nbsp;these transitions:&nbsp;from licensing audits to hybrid redesigns and managed infrastructure optimization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0unsure how these changes affect your margins, it may be time for a strategic infrastructure review.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/49TPIvA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/49TPIvA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/before-and-after-broadcom-Nuventure-Blog.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3468\" style=\"width:739px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Elimination of Perpetual Licenses<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom ended the sale of perpetual VMware licenses in early 2024. While existing perpetual licenses continue to function,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/broadcomaudits.com\/vmware-licensing-changes-explained-2025-2026-update-for-enterprises\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support and maintenance from VMware cannot be renewed<\/a>&nbsp;once they expire,&nbsp;driving customers into subscription contracts if they want ongoing support and updates.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact:<\/strong>&nbsp;Capital expenditure (CapEx) budgeting for licensing is effectively gone; everything must now be planned as recurring operational expenditure (OpEx).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Subscription-Only Contract Model<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All VMware products today,&nbsp;from&nbsp;vSphere to&nbsp;vSAN&nbsp;,&nbsp;require subscription licenses that are&nbsp;term-based (typically 1-3 years, sometimes longer). There is no longer&nbsp;an option&nbsp;to buy software once&nbsp;and own&nbsp;indefinitely.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why this matters for hosting companies:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Subscription fees are recognized as an ongoing cost.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Renewal timing becomes a&nbsp;strategic financial planning point,&nbsp;not a trivial administrative date.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Late renewals may carry penalties or restrictions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Per-Core Licensing vs. Per-Socket<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most significant technical changes has been the shift from&nbsp;per-socket&nbsp;licensing to&nbsp;per-core&nbsp;licensing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Under the old model:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>One license covered a CPU socket regardless of&nbsp;core&nbsp;count.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Under Broadcom\u2019s model:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Each&nbsp;individual physical core&nbsp;must be licensed.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Licenses are sold in fixed packs (commonly 32-core packs), and certain minimums apply even if you&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;use that many cores.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong>\u00a0A dual-socket server with 32 cores per CPU now requires\u00a0licensing for\u00a064 cores, often sold as two 32-core\u00a0packs,\u00a0\u00a0a\u00a0radical shift from older licensing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Bundling and SKU Consolidation<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Bundling-model-Nuventure-blog.jpg\" alt=\"Bundling model - Nuventure blog\" class=\"wp-image-3469\" style=\"width:481px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Rather than selling products individually (vSphere,&nbsp;vSAN, NSX, etc.), Broadcom now sells them in a small set of&nbsp;<strong>bundled offerings<\/strong>&nbsp;such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>(with optional add-ons)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Standalone SKUs are mostly retired.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact:<\/strong>&nbsp;You&nbsp;pay for&nbsp;more than you&nbsp;need,&nbsp;a tactic that simplifies Broadcom\u2019s go-to-market,&nbsp;but&nbsp;may&nbsp;inflate costs for hosting companies that only need specific components.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Real Cost Impact on Hosting Providers<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Analyst\u00a0and industry reports suggest that renewal costs for some organizations have risen dramatically:\u00a0in some\u00a0cases,\u00a0between 200% to over 1,000%, depending\u00a0on workload size and contract history.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3600\" height=\"2400\" src=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/VMware_Cost_Escalation_With_Impact_HighRes_Fixed.png\" alt=\"VMware_Cost_Escalation_With_Impact\" class=\"wp-image-3470\" style=\"width:662px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Illustrative cost index comparison showing reported VMware renewal increases under Broadcom\u2019s subscription model. Actual impact varies by infrastructure size and contract structure.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These increases come from:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Subscription vs perpetual cost differences&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Per-core pricing&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Bundled licensing requirements&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Minimum&nbsp;core count constraints&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Mandatory multi-year deals&nbsp;in many cases.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For hosting environments with many mid-sized nodes, the move can be budget-breaking if not proactively planned.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Channel and Partner Disruption\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom has also revamped VMware\u2019s partner programs, significantly&nbsp;shrinking&nbsp;the pool of authorized partners and leading to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/pro\/a-bulldozer-named-broadcom-hits-cloud-service-providers-after-another-major-blow-against-vmware-partners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">partner exits or reassignment<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has several implications for hosting companies:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Fewer reseller options:&nbsp;reduced competition.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Less choice for procurement and support services.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Partner relationships&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;relied on may no longer exist.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These changes&nbsp;aren\u2019t&nbsp;just&nbsp;noise,&nbsp;they affect<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>pricing leverage,&nbsp;contract flexibility, and&nbsp;support availability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Technical Compliance and Usage Considerations<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Minimum&nbsp;Core Counts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom at one point implemented minimum core-count licensing rules (e.g., minimum 72 cores per order),&nbsp;which forced significant over-licensing for modest deployment,&nbsp;although some of these rules have since been adjusted or challenged in practice.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Support on Perpetual Licenses<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Existing perpetual licenses are still usable, but lack of&nbsp;renewable support exposes organizations to security, compliance, and risk issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impact on SMB and Edge Deployments<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Smaller hosting companies and SMBs report a disproportionate cost increase due to minimums and high entry points. Many of the legacy \u201cEssentials\u201d retail SKUs are&nbsp;discontinued&nbsp;or hard to source.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When to Consider Alternatives&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/pro\/vmware-woes-continue-as-experts-predict-virtualization-giant-to-lose-35-percent-of-workloads-in-three-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Industry analysts and market observers<\/a>&nbsp;note that some customers are actively evaluating other platforms due to cost and licensing dissatisfaction:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Gartner predicts possible workload erosion as customers explore alternatives.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Case studies show enterprises migrating to&nbsp;virtualisation&nbsp;alternatives like&nbsp;Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, slashing VMware licensing fees.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Common alternatives being considered:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Proxmox&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Nutanix (AHV)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Hyper-V&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>KVM\/Cloud-native platforms&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Public cloud VMs where licensing is included&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, migration is not&nbsp;trivial&nbsp;,&nbsp;it carries&nbsp;operational, training, and compatibility considerations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Practical Action Checklist for Hosting Companies<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>Conduct a detailed inventory of current VMware usage.&nbsp;<br>Count cores, sockets, workloads, and existing perpetual vs subscription entitlements.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>Calculate renewal costs under the new model.&nbsp;<br>Model per-core pricing based on current hardware realities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>Review contractual terms closely.&nbsp;<br>Look for renewal windows, auto-renewals, penalties, and minimum-term commitments.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>Assess whether required features in bundles align with your needs.&nbsp;<br>Many hosting companies are paying for features they never use.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>Explore alternative hypervisor\/virtualization solutions.&nbsp;<br>Assess trade-offs in migration complexity vs. long-term licensing cost structures.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li>Engage with partners\u00a0early,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0wait until renewal notices arrive.\u00a0<br>Options may be limited if left to\u00a0last\u00a0minute.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-39-4.png\" alt=\"Practical action checklist for hosting companies\" class=\"wp-image-3471\" style=\"width:382px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How&nbsp;Nuventure&nbsp;Helps Hosting Providers Navigate This Transition<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. VMware License Audits<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We assess your existing VMware model and their financial and operational impact under Broadcom\u2019s revised licensing framework to help you plan proactively&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Renewal Strategy Modeling<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We model 1-year vs 3-year vs hybrid subscription scenarios.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Alternative Platform Assessment<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We evaluate&nbsp;Proxmox, AHV, Hyper-V, KVM, and cloud-native options based on:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Performance impact&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Operational retraining cost&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Licensing structure&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Customer SLA risk&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Hybrid Infrastructure Strategy<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all workloads need to&nbsp;migrate. We help define:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What stays on VMware&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What moves&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What gets containerized&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Managed Support &amp; Operational Optimization<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For hosting companies without internal infrastructure management maturity, we provide:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Infrastructure management&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Patch management&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Capacity planning&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Cost optimization&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Closing Thoughts: The New Reality<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom\u2019s licensing overhaul&nbsp;represents&nbsp;not just a pricing shift,&nbsp;but a&nbsp;strategic rearchitecting of how VMware delivers value and captures revenue. For hosting companies, that means&nbsp;higher costs, more complexity, and less flexibility, unless proactive steps are taken.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the opportunity lies in understanding this shift deeply:&nbsp;backed by research, technical knowledge, and strategic planning,&nbsp;to make informed decisions rather than reacting to renewal cycles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you&nbsp;optimize&nbsp;existing VMware deployments, negotiate smarter terms, or even diversify platforms, the key is&nbsp;being informed and proactive;&nbsp;and basing decisions on data, not hearsay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/services\/managed-services-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nuventure<\/a>, we understand that these licensing changes&nbsp;aren&#8217;t&nbsp;just technical&nbsp;challenges,&nbsp;they are business challenges that&nbsp;impact&nbsp;your profitability and your ability to serve your customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you need help auditing your current usage,&nbsp;optimizing&nbsp;your licensing costs, exploring alternative platforms, or implementing a hybrid infrastructure strategy,&nbsp;we&nbsp;have&nbsp;been there and done that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;have to figure this out alone. Our managed services team specializes in helping hosting companies like yours make smart infrastructure decisions that protect your margins while&nbsp;maintaining&nbsp;service quality.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Broadcom\u2019s changes&nbsp;aren\u2019t&nbsp;temporary,&nbsp;they&nbsp;represent&nbsp;a structural shift.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The question&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;whether costs will change.&nbsp;<br>It\u2019s&nbsp;whether&nbsp;you will&nbsp;respond reactively or strategically.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Request a Licensing Audit&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Explore&nbsp;a Hybrid Strategy&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nuventureconnect.com\/services\/managed-services-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Let\u2019s build an infrastructure strategy<\/a>&nbsp;that protects your margins,&nbsp;not erodes them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The&nbsp;Broadcom acquisition of VMware&nbsp;,&nbsp;&nbsp;completed in November 2023,&nbsp;has triggered one of the most consequential shifts in enterprise virtualization economics in years.&nbsp;What seemed&nbsp;like&nbsp;just another corporate acquisition quickly turned into a wake-up call&nbsp;that&#8217;s&nbsp;still echoing through data centers today.&nbsp; If you are running a hosting company,&nbsp;you&nbsp;have&nbsp;probably spent&nbsp;the last year trying to make sense of the new licensing landscape.&nbsp;You&#8217;re&nbsp;not alone. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":3472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[292],"tags":[319,320,293],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>VMware Broadcom Licensing Changes: Strategic Guide for Hosting Companies<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Broadcom\u2019s VMware acquisition has reshaped licensing with per-core pricing, subscription-only models, and bundled SKUs. 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