AWS for VMware Migrations

VMware has been a leading provider of data center virtualization services for years. Many of the world’s biggest companies still rely on VMware hypervisors to create and manage virtual machines across massive IT footprints. Its industry dominance is a big reason why VMware’s acquisition was a critical issue for many.

As a result, many IT executives are exploring alternative solutions. According to some research, 74% of VMware customers are evaluating other options, including migrating VMware workloads to Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Companies have business and technical reasons for considering moving away from VMware. On the business side, IT teams could use the uncertainty of the acquisition as an excuse to consolidate systems, improve sustainability, mitigate risk, and lower costs. On the technical side, migrating from VMware could lead to less technical debt, better security, improved scalability, and higher IT productivity. Many organizations are also coming up on end-of-life dates for critical hardware and software or need to modernize legacy applications.

Interestingly, we’ve realized that current VMware customers aren’t just looking for alternatives; they want proven strategies and clear guidance on what a path forward could entail. Fortunately, AWS has the answers and capabilities to address the concerns and pain points tied to VMware solutions. With more than 100 Availability Zones, 300 security features, 200 purpose-built offerings, and a thriving partner ecosystem, AWS is the best landing spot for VMware customers.

The Road from VMware to AWS

VMware customers can migrate mission-critical workloads to AWS in several ways. Those with limited time and urgent technical needs can execute a fast lift-and-shift migration to Amazon EC2. Companies can also take more time to re-platform to containers and managed databases or refactor legacy applications to take advantage of serverless infrastructure and DevOps best practices. The right strategy will differ from business to business.

One of the more common questions companies have is how to migrate successfully if there’s a lack of cloud migration experience in-house. AWS offers a wide range of training and support to address skill gaps and build confidence going into a VMware migration to AWS. IT professionals can enroll in self-paced digital training or instructor-led courses, as well as work with AWS partners with proven migration expertise.

Use the AWS Tools

The AWS Application Migration Service is a compelling option for teams with bigger, more complex migration projects. It allows organizations to convert source servers, including VMware-based VMs, to run natively on AWS. It also simplifies modernizations and gives IT teams full access to AWS services upon completion of the migration.

Furthermore, AWS is making it easier for VMware users to understand their current financials related to using VMware services and how that might change on AWS. For example, the Optimization and Licensing Assessment (OLA) is a complementary program for discovering opportunities to reduce costs related to compute, storage, and licensing. It also provides suggestions on how to optimize capacity.

After conducting an OLA, teams have more information to use when deciding whether to execute a migration internally or engage an AWS partner like ClearScale. The OLA can also provide clarity on the best migration path (i.e., lift-and-shift, replatform, refactor, etc). Additionally, AWS is providing funding opportunities and incentives specifically for VMware users to help facilitate the transition to the cloud. These funding opportunities decrease migration risk and increase the potential ROI of such a big change in IT architecture.

Companies of all sizes with varying degrees of cloud experience can find success by leaning on AWS’ support and broader partner ecosystem. With the uncertainty surrounding the acquisition of VMware, now is the time to see whether migrating to AWS makes sense. The good news is that IT teams have everything they need to overcome the biggest pain points and move forward with confidence.

Learn More

Learn more about AWS for VMware migrations in our eBook, A Strategic Guide to Your VMware Transition to the Cloud. You can also visit our VMware migration service page to see how ClearScale can provide a tailored migration path for your company.