Venturing Away From VMware? What You Need to Know
Late last year, Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware kicked off a chain of events that resulted in a number of changes within the cloud services industry. Eye-popping price increases top the list: Recent reports show some customers are paying up to 10 times more for the same services post-acquisition.
Not surprisingly, new data reveals more than half of current VMware customers are seeking alternatives. If you’re one of many organizations looking for other options or ways to migrate from VMware to the cloud, here’s a clear path forward.
How’d we get here?
Historically, VMware provided the service of operating virtual servers on one physical server, expanding their processing capabilities and creating improved data segmentation. For many companies, this operational model met their needs at a predictable price point.
However, with the Broadcom acquisition and price changes looming for many customers, organizations are either looking to transition away from VMware’s services or are locked into their existing contracts, unsure what future costs will be. I’m here to tell you: If you’re hesitant, don’t wait until price hikes hit. Even if your organization wasn’t looking to migrate to the cloud before the acquisition, a cloud migration could be the cost-saving measure your company needs.
If you’re considering your options, these five steps are a great place to start.
1. Take a strategic approach
If you’re looking for choices on how to move your organization off of VMware, you might be considering HyperV instead. Why not transition from one virtualization service to another?
That’s a tactical solution, but it may not be your best bet long-term. A transition to the cloud can better facilitate and support your business’s future growth. On the cloud, the ability to scale your resources empowers you to quickly and cost-effectively respond to shifts in the market and develop new products or services. Take a look at the trajectory of your business over the next few years and assess whether the cloud might be a better fit for your operational goals.
2. Make the dollars make sense
I understand if you haven’t been hit with a price hike yet, the cloud can appear to be more expensive on paper. But you would be wise to ask: How much time and effort is being spent managing on-prem infrastructure? When evaluating the cloud, keep in mind that private cloud services require you to pay for on-premises hardware and management, which raise their own challenges.
But on the public cloud, you’ll be untethered from the financial burden of paying for on-prem needs — freeing up the budget to pay for services that are meaningful for your company and elevate your business.
3. Transition with the right team
If you’re at the point where you’re considering a migration from VMware to AWS, you might have a few questions. And I’ll be honest: The process can be complex.
You could have your on-prem teams learn how to work on the cloud through the process of trial and error. Or, you could work with a team that has a deep understanding of the cloud — and has been around long enough to remember the unique challenges of on-prem management. At JetSweep, our teams are well-versed in these migrations and prioritize sharing our knowledge with clients on why we do things. It’s our priority to ensure your organization’s ongoing success even after your cloud migration is complete.
4. Calm your nerves
Many organizations are cautious in executing a cloud migration, especially if they’re nervous about security. It’s an understandable concern, but let me paint a picture of how security works with on-prem vs. cloud-based environments.
Let’s say your data exists in a room.
With on-prem data management, there is one door into the room, typically through a centralized network firewall. Your developers and IT team don’t need to maintain constant vigilance to prevent someone from coming through the door — the security team will know if it happens. This feels pretty secure, because you know where the door is.
If that room exists in the cloud, suddenly, there can be a lot of doors, which can make it feel like anyone can enter at any time. If you don’t understand how to lock them, plenty of people can give the knob a jiggle and enter.
Luckily, these doors are well-known to us here at JetSweep. We’re here to help you keep them locked tight by ensuring correct configuration and setup during your migration.
5. Kick off your migration
If you have a VMware contract expiring in a year or two, I would encourage you to review what other options are available. Considering you’re reading this post, it seems like you’re already considering a move to the cloud.
We have years of experience migrating companies large and small, and are ready to hear your questions and concerns — so ready, in fact, that we offer free assessments and cost analysis so you understand exactly what might be involved. As an AWS Consulting Partner, we also have funding available for new workloads in AWS.
Make the move from VMware
We’re familiar with VMware migration challenges, and because of our ongoing relationship with AWS, they often recommend JetSweep’s migration services to VMware customers looking to make the jump. Whether it’s a lift and shift approach or a total modernization of your data management, we’re ready to help you implement the specific solutions appropriate for your business.