Migration · VMware alternative
Migrate VMware to Proxmox – fully managed
Rising license costs, an unclear roadmap, forced subscriptions: since the Broadcom acquisition, many companies are looking for a way out of VMware ESXi. We migrate your environment to Proxmox VE, fully managed – with testing, cutover and a rollback plan.
Starting point
Why so many are leaving VMware now.
The Broadcom acquisition changed the rules: license costs have multiplied in many cases, perpetual licenses were replaced by subscriptions, and smaller partners and customers fall through the cracks. Anyone running an ESXi environment today rarely plans the next renewal without an alternative scenario.
Proxmox VE is that alternative scenario: open virtualization built on KVM, without per-socket license costs, with clustering, high availability, live migration and backup integration as part of the platform. What VMware sells as add-on modules, Proxmox ships out of the box.
Process
How the migration works.
- EXISTING VMWARE ENVIRONMENT. ESXi hosts, vCenter, VMs, network and storage – exactly as they run today.
- ANALYSIS. We capture VMs, dependencies, load profiles and the particularities of the existing environment.
- SIZING. CPU, RAM, storage and network of the target cluster are dimensioned from real load data.
- PROXMOX CLUSTER DESIGN. Architecture, level of redundancy, storage concept and migration order – in writing, at a fixed price.
- BUILD. The new cluster is built in parallel to your existing environment – your operations continue undisturbed.
- MIGRATION. VMs are converted and moved over, including network and storage migration.
- TESTING. Every migrated VM is verified before it goes into production – function, performance, reachability.
- CUTOVER. The switchover happens in a controlled, scheduled window – with a documented rollback plan.
- MANAGED OPERATIONS. From then on we take over: monitoring, updates, backups and a dedicated contact person.
Scope
What moves with the migration.
- Virtual machines: conversion from ESXi to KVM, including disk formats and VM configuration.
- Network migration: VLANs, IP concept and firewall rules are carried over or cleanly rebuilt.
- Storage migration: data moves to redundant Ceph or ZFS storage.
- Backup: a separate backup infrastructure with restore tests is part of the target design – not an afterthought.
- Downtime planning: switchover windows are agreed in advance; where possible, we migrate without interruption.
- Rollback plan: until the cutover succeeds, your existing environment remains untouched and ready to start.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about VMware migration.
How long does a migration from VMware to Proxmox take?
That depends on the number and size of the VMs. Smaller environments are migrated within a few days; larger ones we plan in waves over a few weeks – each running in parallel to your existing environment's normal operations.
How much downtime is there per VM?
The actual switchover typically takes minutes, depending on VM size and method – and is planned in advance. Critical systems are migrated in low-traffic windows of your choosing.
What happens if something goes wrong?
Until the cutover succeeds, your VMware environment remains fully functional. Every migration has a documented rollback plan – if in doubt, we switch back, analyze and repeat the move.
Are all VMs supported?
Practically all common Linux and Windows VMs can be converted. Special cases – such as appliances tied to specific hardware – are identified during analysis, and how to handle them is agreed up front, not in the middle of the migration.
What does the migration cost?
After the analysis you receive a fixed-price quote for the migration and the subsequent managed operations. The initial assessment is free of charge – often the project pays for itself through the VMware licenses you no longer need.
Contact
Get out of the license trap.
Briefly describe your VMware environment. Within one business day you will receive an initial assessment of effort and process – no obligation, free of charge.
Request a migration