Still Running VMware ESXi?

Does this business still need VMware?

VMware was often exactly the right answer when an SME needed hardware consolidation, easier recovery, application separation and hardware independence. Some of those benefits remain valid. The question is whether the extra infrastructure layer still provides enough value today.

• Ageing ESXi version or physical host
• VMware support renewal, licensing or subscription changes
• Windows Server lifecycle or server refresh
• Single host running multiple virtual machines
• Business continuity review or untested recovery
• Cyber Essentials remediation or change of IT provider

A VMware renewal or hardware refresh is a good time to ask whether the architecture should be renewed as well.

What has changed?

For Microsoft-centric SMEs, Hyper-V may be a simpler architecture. Modern BCDR platforms may provide local or cloud virtualisation during a recovery event. Applications may now have SaaS or hosted alternatives. A physical design may sometimes be cleaner, but it also creates more hardware failure domains.

Production virtualisation and disaster recovery are no longer necessarily the same design decision.

The Altitude decision framework

• Keep: VMware remains justified and supported.
• Simplify: Move suitable Windows workloads to Hyper-V.
• Separate: Run selected workloads on physical servers where appropriate.
• Migrate: Move applications to cloud, SaaS or specialist hosting.
• Retire: Remove workloads and infrastructure no longer required.

Virtualise because virtualisation solves a problem — not because virtualisation was already there.

The single-host problem

Five virtual machines on one physical host are still five workloads depending on one physical host. Virtualisation provides flexibility; resilience comes from redundancy, backup, replication, recovery infrastructure and tested recovery.

Modern BCDR platforms such as Datto SIRIS can provide local or cloud virtualisation for protected workloads during a recovery event, subject to the product and configuration. Datto is one example of a broader BCDR architecture, not a universal recommendation. Disaster-recovery virtualisation is a bridge back to production, not a substitute for designing production properly.

What the service delivers

• VMware inventory covering hosts, ESXi versions, VMs, hardware, storage and networking
• Support, licensing, workload, hardware and backup / BCDR reviews
• A KEEP, HYPER-V, PHYSICAL, CLOUD, SAAS or RETIRE decision for each workload
• Migration planning covering sequencing, downtime, dependencies, rollback and testing
• Decommissioning of obsolete hosts, VMs, accounts, monitoring, backup jobs and licences
• Updated infrastructure and recovery documentation

The Altitude VMware exit process

1. Discover — understand what exists.
2. Challenge — ask whether every workload and layer is still required.
3. Design — choose the simplest supported target.
4. Protect — verify backup, recovery and rollback.
5. Migrate — move workloads in a controlled project.
6. Verify — test services and recovery.
7. Remove — safely decommission obsolete VMware infrastructure.

A VMware migration isn't finished until the old environment is safely removed.

Security and Cyber Essentials

Removing VMware does not improve security if every old administrator account, unsupported server and bad firewall rule moves with it. The review includes ESXi patching, management exposure, privileged access, MFA where applicable, segmentation, logging, backup security, unsupported guests, Windows patching and endpoint protection.

Current supported VMware is compatible with Cyber Essentials. Unsupported in-scope software may create problems; the answer is to keep in-scope software supported and patched, not to remove VMware automatically.

Related Altitude services

• Windows Server Upgrade & Replacement Projects
• Microsoft 365 Backup and Recovery
• Security Assurance Services
• Cyber Essentials Manchester
• Microsoft 365 Support Manchester

VMware ESXi migration in Manchester and the North West

Altitude supports VMware ESXi review, VMware to Hyper-V migration, server virtualisation, VMware replacement and legacy infrastructure projects for businesses in Manchester, Greater Manchester and the wider North West of England.

Fixed project pricing is available once the existing VMware environment and target architecture have been reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Is VMware ESXi still supported?

VMware remains a current enterprise virtualisation platform. Support depends on the product, version, licensing arrangement, hardware and vendor terms.

Should small businesses still use VMware?

Sometimes. It may still make sense where VMware-specific capability, scale, support or application certification justifies the additional layer.

Should we migrate VMware to Hyper-V?

Possibly. Hyper-V can be sensible for mainly Windows workloads with limited VMware-specific dependencies. The whole design needs comparing.

Can VMware VMs be moved to Hyper-V?

Yes, depending on the guest, application, storage and target design. Conversion, backup and restore, clean rebuild and application migration are possible approaches.

Can we remove VMware completely?

Sometimes. Workloads may move to Hyper-V, physical servers, cloud or SaaS, while some VMs may retire. Removal is not automatic.

Does virtualisation provide high availability?

No. Virtualisation alone does not create high availability. Resilience comes from redundancy, backup, replication, recovery infrastructure and tested recovery.

Is VMware required for Cyber Essentials?

No. Current supported VMware can be compatible with Cyber Essentials. Unsupported in-scope software should be supported and patched.

How much does VMware migration cost?

Fixed project pricing is available once the hosts, VMs, applications, hardware, licensing, backup, downtime and target architecture have been reviewed.

Can Altitude review our VMware environment first?

Yes. Start with a scoped review and receive a recommendation to keep, upgrade, simplify, separate, migrate or retire.