VMware to Azure Local — hybrid infrastructure modernisation
Professional services firm, 60 staff · Professional services
A firm facing VMware renewal pressure needed to modernise without a six-figure consultancy quote. On-prem workloads, remote access requirements, and strict uptime expectations during migration.
The problem
VMware licensing costs were climbing. Internal IT lacked Azure Local experience. Previous cloud pilot had stalled. Leadership needed a credible path forward with documented rollback and minimal downtime.
Constraints
- — Business hours operations — limited maintenance windows
- — Hybrid required — not everything could move day one
- — Existing MSP relationship — needed complement, not conflict
Approach
Step 1
Assessment
Inventory of VMs, dependencies, storage, and network. Identified wave 1 candidates and co-existence architecture for Azure Local.
Step 2
Design
Hybrid design with Azure Local for targeted workloads, network segmentation, backup strategy, and staged cutover plan with rollback at each wave.
Step 3
Build & validate
Deployed Azure Local cluster, migrated workloads in three waves, validated DR and runbooks, trained internal IT on day-two operations.
Deliverables
- Azure Local cluster — deployed and validated
- Migration runbooks per workload wave
- Backup and disaster recovery tested
- Cost comparison vs VMware renewal
Results
- Renewal cost
- Avoided six-figure VMware renewal trajectory
- Downtime
- Zero unplanned outage during migration
- Documentation
- Full runbooks — internal team can operate
- Follow-on
- Fractional CTO retainer for roadmap
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