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VMware exit programme

Respond to VMware licensing changes with a costed plan and a controlled move to cloud, alternative hypervisors or Azure Local.

Typical timing
4 weeks to decide; 3–9 months to exit
Engagement
Phased programme
Delivery framework
User researchDiscoveryAlphaBetaLive
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Objective

Since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, licensing changes have sharply increased costs for many organisations. This programme compares the realistic options — renegotiate, move to public cloud, adopt an alternative hypervisor, or run a hybrid platform such as Azure Local — and then executes the chosen route.

You may need this if

  • A VMware renewal quote well above the previous contract
  • Pressure to commit to a multi-year subscription bundle
  • Uncertainty about the best alternative for your workloads
How it runs

Activities, step by step

The plan follows our delivery framework. Steps that do not apply to this kind of work are left out rather than padded.

  1. 02 · Discovery3–4 weeks

    Options appraisal

    • Virtual machine inventory and licence position
    • Options costed over five years, including migration effort
    • Recommendation with a decision timeline ahead of renewal
  2. 03 · Alpha3–4 weeks

    Proof of platform

    • Target platform built
    • Representative workloads converted and tested
    • Backup, monitoring and operations validated
  3. 04 · Beta2–6 months

    Migration waves

    • Workloads moved in dependency-ordered waves
    • Rollback preserved until each wave is signed off
    • Licence footprint reduced as hosts empty
  4. 05 · Live2–4 weeks

    Decommission

    • Remaining VMware hosts retired
    • Operations documentation and training
    • Savings reported against the appraisal

Deliverables

What you keep at the end.

  • Options appraisal and five-year cost comparison
  • Target platform design and proof of platform
  • Migrated workloads and decommissioned hosts
  • Savings report

Outcomes

What it is built to change.

  • Licence cost brought back under control
  • A platform choice made on evidence, not deadline pressure
  • Reduced dependency on a single vendor

Often combined with

Every engagement starts with a 45-minute working session with the SME who would own the work. No deck.

Discuss VMware exit programme