Windows Server Summit | From VMware to the cloud
Krähe mit HutBroadcom's licensing policy and its treatment of partners must be considered questionable, to say the least.
This article is not intended to be a rant about Broadcom or VMware. However, the question of whether switching to a different solution might be a good step is already on your mind. This article provides an overview of the options for switching to a Microsoft-based platform.
Overview
Microsoft offers the following options for migrating a VMware environment to another platform, depending on whether the platform will be operated in the cloud or locally in the future.
Azure VMware Solution
Official overview: Azure VMware Solution | Microsoft Azure
Azure VMware Solution is a VMware infrastructure running within the Azure platform. It allows you to expand your own VMware data center and seamlessly move virtual machines between environments.
Microsoft handles all licensing. All systems can be moved without any changes, and all previously used management tools continue to function. This is the simplest approach, as the virtualization solution remains the same and is ideal for quickly replacing on-premises hardware.
Azure IaaS and PaaS
Another approach is the gradual rebuilding of systems and applications using native Azure services. This approach is generally better because it leverages the core advantage of the cloud (using cloud services on demand instead of continuously running traditional VMs/servers).
However, this approach understandably involves significantly more effort and is therefore not suitable for scenarios requiring a rapid replacement. Azure Migrate can be used as a free tool to evaluate suitable target services.
Azure also offers a converter solution to convert VMware VMs to Azure-native VMs.
Azure Local
Official overview: Azure Local | Microsoft Azure
If you want to continue running your systems locally but are impressed by the structure and handling of Azure, you can essentially bring Azure into your own data center. The product has had many names – Azure Pack, Azure Stack, Azure Stack (HCI, Hub), and now Azure Local.
This involves purchasing pre-configured and pre-installed hardware from one of the well-known manufacturers (Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc.) and installing it ready for operation in your data center, allowing you to start using it (or migrating) immediately.
Existing Windows Server licenses can also be used for Azure Local, provided they have Software Assurance.
Windows Server
Finally, there is also the option of switching to Windows Server virtualization, specifically Hyper-V. Solutions like Virtual Machine can convert VMware virtual machines to Hyper-V virtual machines, allowing for quick migration to the new platform.
The environment can be managed via Windows Admin Center, which can be used either natively or via Azure Arc.
Existing Windows Server licenses can be reused for installation on native hardware, so no new licenses need to be purchased.
Additional information
Official video: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/event/windowsserver-events/migration-and-modernization-from-vmware-to-the-cloud/4397266
Overview of all articles: Windows Server Summit in a nutshell
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