VMware Exit
“We're locked into VMware and the costs keep rising”
Broadcom's acquisition changed everything. Licensing costs are increasing. Support models are shifting. You need a path out, but re-architecting every workload isn't realistic.
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Your VMware workloads run on AWS without re-architecting.
VMware Cloud on AWS gives you a migration path that preserves your existing VMs while gaining AWS scalability, pricing, and ecosystem. Move at your own pace.
Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware changed the economics for every VMware customer. Licensing models are shifting. Costs are increasing. Support is being restructured. The platform your business depends on is becoming more expensive and less predictable.
You need a path out. But the alternatives aren’t straightforward.
The VMware migration dilemma
Option one: re-architect every workload as cloud-native. This is the “right” answer technically, but it takes years, costs a fortune, and requires skills your team doesn’t have yet. Meanwhile, VMware licensing costs keep rising.
Option two: lift-and-shift to another hypervisor. This trades one lock-in for another without solving the underlying problem.
Option three: VMware Cloud on AWS. Your existing VMs run on AWS infrastructure, managed with the same VMware tools your team already knows. No re-architecture. Minimal downtime. And a path to modernise individual workloads when you’re ready.
How we approach VMware migrations
We’ve helped businesses move from on-premises VMware to VMware Cloud on AWS with minimal disruption to production operations.
Assessment first. We map your VMware estate. Workloads, dependencies, licensing, and costs. To build a business case that’s specific to your situation. Not a generic TCO calculator.
Live migration. VMware HCX enables live VM migration with near-zero downtime. Workloads move while users continue working. No maintenance windows required.
Modernisation at your pace. Once on AWS, you can modernise individual workloads. Containerise, go serverless, adopt managed databases. Whenever the business case is clear. No pressure, no artificial timeline.
What's usually in the way
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Re-architecting everything is too expensive
Rebuilding every VM as cloud-native would take years and cost more than the VMware licensing increase. You need a pragmatic middle ground.
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Can't afford downtime during migration
Your VMware workloads run production applications. Users depend on them daily. A migration that requires extended downtime isn't acceptable.
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Team knows VMware, not AWS
Your operations team has years of VMware expertise. A migration to native AWS services would require retraining everyone simultaneously, while keeping production running.
What we resolve
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VMware Cloud on AWS. Lift and shift, then modernise
Move your VMs to VMware Cloud on AWS without re-architecting. Your existing tools and processes work immediately. Modernise individual workloads at your own pace.
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Live migration with minimal downtime
HCX enables live VM migration with near-zero downtime. Production workloads move without users noticing. No maintenance windows. No weekend cutovers.
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Your team's VMware skills stay relevant
VMware Cloud on AWS runs the same vSphere, vSAN, and NSX your team already knows. They manage workloads the same way, but on AWS infrastructure.
“Our entire VMware estate has been seamlessly migrated to AWS, saving thousands per year and giving us access to innovative cloud-native technology.”
CTO , Hospitality SaaS, 75 employees
Frequently asked questions
What does a VMware exit on AWS look like?
VMware Cloud on AWS for workloads you want to keep VM-shaped. Native AWS migration for workloads that benefit from re-platforming. We assess each workload, propose the right path, and migrate at your pace. No big-bang cutover.
How long does a VMware migration take?
A small estate (50-100 VMs) typically takes 8-12 weeks once dependency mapping is done. Larger estates run 3-6 months in waves. The initial dependency analysis is the variable; the migration itself is well-trodden ground.
Will our VMware tooling and processes still work?
Yes for VMware Cloud on AWS. Your vCenter operations, your runbooks, your existing automation all carry over. For workloads that move to native AWS, we run them in parallel until your team's confident with the AWS equivalents.
What about Broadcom licensing? Do we still pay it?
During the transition, yes. It's the trade-off for moving in-place rather than re-architecting. But the AWS-side costs are predictable, and once workloads move to native AWS over time, the VMware footprint shrinks. We model the multi-year cost path before you commit.
Can we keep some workloads on-premises?
Yes. Hybrid is a valid endpoint, not a failure. We'll tell you honestly which workloads belong where, design the network so both sides work together, and document the cost and risk trade-offs. Pragmatism beats purity.
Ready to take the next step?
No obligation, just a clear conversation about where you are and what's possible.