Virtualization Migration Checklist: Migrating from VMware vSphere to Other Platforms

Since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, significant changes have occurred in the enterprise virtualization landscape. Rising licensing costs and uncertainty regarding future technical service support plans are forcing enterprises to rethink their deployment strategies and find new solutions to replace VMware.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, EU regulators recently required European cloud service companies to submit evidence proving that Broadcom’s modification of licensing terms following its $61 billion (approximately 423.723 billion RMB at current exchange rates) acquisition of VMware in 2023 has caused them irreversible damage. This move typically signals that the EU may launch a formal investigation; if a violation is determined, Broadcom may face a fine of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.

The escalation of EU scrutiny stems from a series of licensing policy adjustments implemented by Broadcom after acquiring VMware, including the cancellation of perpetual licenses in favor of a subscription-based charging model. In April 2024, the European Commission stated that it had begun soliciting information from the market regarding policy changes following Broadcom’s acquisition. This request for evidence collection indicates that regulators are conducting an in-depth investigation into cases where complainants are calling for urgent intervention. As a result, VMware alternative has turned into a key goal for IT managers. They must weigh strong performance against steady running costs.

Deciding to step away from a familiar system is a big strategic move. It affects every part of the business. Product compatibility and staff O&M training are just a few of the factors to consider. This article provides a brief checklist for IT executives evaluating new systems, highlighting the key elements required for a smooth transition from vSphere to a brand-new environment.

Navigating the Shift: Why Organizations Need to Migrate VMware Workloads

The choice to migrate VMware setups comes from a desire for independence and budget management. Companies deal with possible rises in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Meanwhile, the field is warming up to flexible cloud options with clear price tags.

When building a choice list, the aim is to pick a fix that cuts down on switchover hassles. This means doing a full check of existing assets and app input-output needs. A good VMware migrate plan calls for a target system that is not only less expensive. It also needs to be more efficient. Plus, it should manage current tasks where virtual machines and container apps work side by side.

Evaluating Migration Mechanisms: Live Migration vs. Cold Migration

One of the toughest parts of leaving an old system is shifting data and processing power. A solid replacement must give adaptable tools for moving things. These tools should fit various service level agreements (SLAs).

Ensuring Zero Downtime with Live Migration

Live migration sets the top mark for key apps. Here, the virtual machine keeps handling user needs. At the same time, its memory bits and disk status get moved over. For critical business applications, such as those in banks, that cannot afford any downtime, this smooth live migration ability is a must. Leading systems do this by repeatedly matching “dirty pages” until the difference is tiny. Then, they switch over in a flash.

Cold Migration: A Safe Bet for Non-Critical Workloads

Conversely, cold migration remains a safer strategy for non-critical workloads or development environments. The VM is powered off before the move, ensuring absolute data consistency without the overhead of synchronizing active memory states. This eliminates the risk of data corruption during transit. A comprehensive platform should allow you to choose between hot and cold strategies based on the specific sensitivity of each workload.

Business Continuity: Matching VMware vMotion and SRM Capabilities

Any real player in the virtualization game must match the top uptime levels from old tools.

Dynamic Resource Scheduling (Equivalent to vMotion)

For a long time, VMware vMotion has shaped task movement. It lets admins shift active setups across machines for upkeep or load balancing. This skill to move running items without stopping is basic. When looking at a fresh system, check that it backs dynamic resource planning. This stops slowdowns without needing manual fixes.

Automated Disaster Recovery (Replacing SRM)

Disaster recovery (DR) forms the next key support. In the past, VMware SRM (Site Recovery Manager) handled auto recovery over sites. Your picked VMware alternative needs to bring its own DR tools. These include timed data copying and switchover planning. The new setup should ease DR challenges. Thus, it makes strong uptime easy without costly extra licenses.

Data Sovereignty and Security: The Role of Backup & Restore

High availability keeps systems going. Yet, backup & restore make sure data can be brought back. The “3-2-1” backup rule fits any setup, no matter the core software.

Native Backup & Restore Capabilities

A better cloud system gives built-in backup features linked right into the control screen. As you migrate VMware tasks, the new space must allow detailed recovery. This means pulling back single files, not just whole VM copies.

Compliance and Data Protection

Data control rules are getting stricter. So, the system must show plainly where backups sit. Seek out setups with ongoing data guarding (CDP) to shrink the recovery point objective (RPO). This way, vital business info stays checkable and safe. It also keeps a firm rule-following stance during the switch.

ZStack: Let Every Company Have Its Own Cloud

In the worldwide hunt for a system blending business-level power with easy handling, ZStack stands out as a strong choice. Its goal is to “Let Every Company Have Its Own Cloud.” ZStack brings a ready-to-use cloud solution that cuts down the usual hassle of making private and mixed clouds.

From Virtualization to AI Infrastructure

ZStack goes beyond just swapping virtualization. It acts as a forward-thinking AI product provider. It sees the growing need for artificial intelligence. So, ZStack launched the ZStack AIOS platform (ZStack AIOS). With the platform’s intelligent GPU planning and resource control, ZStack AIOS helps enterprises achieve better AI services, including compute management, model services, and application services. This lets companies create their own controlled AI clouds. In turn, it readies their setup for the coming years of tech growth.

Global Recognition and Proven Reliability

ZStack’s reliability has gained widespread industry recognition. Gartner named ZStack as a Representative Vendor in its Market Guide for Server Virtualization, solidifying its position as a VMware alternative. Currently, ZStack serves over 5,000 enterprise customers across more than 30 countries and regions. Among them, over 1,000 large-scale customers have completed the replacement and migration from VMware to ZStack. These customers cover critical sectors including finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, transportation, education, healthcare, and scientific research.

Seamless Migration Experience

To ease the change, ZStack offers strong V2V (Virtual-to-Virtual) move tools that make shifting tasks simple. These tools support agent-free live migration. Thus, businesses can swap systems with little effect on daily work. If you aim to drop TCO, break free from hardware ties, or set up a solid backup & restore plan, ZStack gives a tested, standard route to a fresh, self-run cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions About VMware Migration

Q: What is the most critical factor when choosing a VMware alternative?

A: The top factor is the mix of TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and feature match. You want a VMware alternative that cuts licensing and running costs a lot. At the same time, it should deliver core features like strong uptime, live migration, and solid safety. A system that demands a full redo of your team’s skills or hardware will likely wipe out savings from software fees.

Q: Can I perform a live migration from VMware to another platform without downtime?

A: Yes. However, it relies on the target system’s skills and the move tools picked. Strong systems like ZStack back V2V tools for live migration (or almost no stoppage move). They sync data while the source VM runs. Then, they switch over right away. Still, for big data stores with lots of trades, teams often set a short upkeep slot for a full data match.

Q: How does the new platform handle backup & restore compared to legacy tools?

A: New cloud systems often make backup & restore a core part, not an extra. Old setups might need pricey outside add-ons for simple tasks. In contrast, systems like ZStack build in backup parts. These handle step-by-step backups, quick recovery, and far-site copying. This tie-in eases the full data guard plan. It also lowers admin work.

Q: Is there a functional equivalent to VMware SRM for disaster recovery?

A: Yes. While VMware SRM is a specific product, the concept of automated disaster recovery is standard in enterprise-grade alternatives. You should look for platforms that offer “Disaster Recovery as a Service” capabilities or built-in cross-site replication. These features allow you to configure active-passive or active-active data centers, ensuring that if one site fails, the other can take over the workloads automatically.

Q: When should I choose cold migration over live migration?

A: You should choose cold migration for non-critical workloads where data consistency is absolute, and a maintenance window is acceptable. Cold migration is generally less complex and carries a lower risk of data corruption because the workload is static during the transfer. It is often the preferred method for bulk migrations of development servers or when moving large databases, where transactional integrity during a VMware vMotion-style transfer might be a concern.