Introduction
With Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, many organizations are rethinking their virtualization strategies. Reports indicate that customer dissatisfaction with Broadcom’s approach has driven thousands of VMware customers to seek alternatives—most notably, Nutanix. At the .NEXT conference, Nutanix CEO Rajiv Ramaswami confirmed that the company has seen a significant influx of migrations, with “thousands” of customers moving from VMware to Nutanix. If your organization is considering a similar move due to concerns over pricing, licensing changes, or strategic direction, this guide provides a step-by-step roadmap to execute a smooth and effective migration.
What You Need
- A clear understanding of your current VMware environment, including virtual machines (VMs), storage, networking, and licensing costs.
- Nutanix evaluation resources: access to Nutanix documentation, trial licenses, and possibly a Nutanix proof-of-concept (PoC) environment.
- Migration tools: Nutanix Move, VMware vCenter Converter, or third-party tools for VM conversion.
- Skills: Familiarity with hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) concepts and Nutanix AOS (Acropolis Operating System).
- Budget: Allocate resources for potential downtime, training, and professional services if needed.
- Stakeholder buy-in: Executive support and clear communication with end-users.
Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Step 1: Assess Your Current VMware Setup and Identify Dissatisfaction Points
Start by thoroughly auditing your existing VMware infrastructure. Document every VM, its resource allocation, storage needs, and networking configuration. Also, evaluate the specific reasons driving your dissatisfaction with Broadcom’s VMware strategy. According to Nutanix CEO Rajiv Ramaswami, many customers point to Broadcom’s licensing changes and reduced support levels. Compare your current costs and pain points to Nutanix’s offerings. This step ensures you have a clear baseline and confirms that migration is the right decision.
Step 2: Evaluate Nutanix as a Migration Target
Research Nutanix’s platform, including its hyper-converged architecture, built-in storage, and simplified management. Visit Nutanix’s official resources for technical documentation. Set up a small trial environment or request a proof-of-concept from Nutanix. Test migration of non-critical workloads to measure performance, ease of use, and compatibility. As Nutanix claims tens of thousands of customers, many from VMware, you can also reach out to existing users or review case studies to validate the platform’s suitability for your workloads.
Step 3: Plan the Migration in Phases
Create a detailed migration plan that breaks the move into manageable phases. Prioritize workloads: start with non-production VMs (development, test) to minimize risk. For each phase:
- List VMs to be migrated.
- Allocate Nutanix cluster resources (compute, storage).
- Define cutover windows and rollback procedures.
- Communicate timelines to affected teams.
Include a pre-migration checklist that covers network connectivity, firewall rules, and compatibility of any custom scripts or integrations.
Step 4: Prepare the Nutanix Environment and Migrate VMs
Deploy the Nutanix cluster(s) according to best practices—configure storage containers, networking, and security policies. Use Nutanix Move (a free tool) to perform live migrations of VMs from VMware to Nutanix. For cold migrations, export VMs from vCenter and import them into Nutanix using the AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor) image import feature. Monitor the migration logs and test each VM after transfer to ensure it functions correctly. If you encounter issues, consult Nutanix support or community forums.
Step 5: Validate and Optimize Post-Migration
After moving all VMs, run comprehensive validation tests: check application performance, data integrity, and network latency. Use Nutanix’s built-in analytics to identify resource bottlenecks. Tweak VM sizing, storage policies, and backup schedules. Update your disaster recovery plan to reflect the new Nutanix environment. Finally, decommission the old VMware infrastructure only after you’re confident that the migration is stable.
Tips for a Successful Migration
- Start small: Move a handful of low-risk VMs first to build confidence.
- Leverage Nutanix’s partnership programs: Many customers have received migration assistance from Nutanix or its channel partners.
- Factor in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Compare VMware licensing under Broadcom vs. Nutanix subscription models—initial savings may be offset by training costs.
- Train your IT team: Certify team members on Nutanix platform administration (e.g., NPP, NCP) to reduce reliance on external consultants.
- Monitor industry trends: As more VMware customers migrate (Nutanix claims thousands), stay updated on new tools and best practices.
- Communicate early and often: Keep stakeholders informed of progress and any downtime to manage expectations.
By following these steps and tips, you can navigate the VMware-to-Nutanix migration efficiently, addressing the dissatisfaction that Broadcom’s acquisition has sparked while taking advantage of Nutanix’s robust hyper-converged platform.