Companies switching from VMWare should expect high-cost high-risk journey

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Gartner study says moving from VMware could take 18-48 months
7-10 staff could have to scope out solutions for a whole month
If you want to migrate, consider doing it now

Experts have revealed the costly and risky journey involved with migrating away from VMware as unhappy customers continue to seek alternative solutions.

Changes brought on by Broadcom since its acquisition of the virtualization firm a little over a year ago have left many customers with bigger bills following the bundling of certain products and the discontinuation of others.

However, moving away from the company comes with its own risks, and it might not be cheaper than VMware after all.

Moving away from VMware won’t solve your woes

A new report entitled ‘Estimating a Large-Scale VMware Migration’ published by Gartner found migration projects could take 18-48 months for large organizations (2,000+ employees) with more than 100 servers. It also found that each virtual machine could cost between $300 and $3,000 to change.

Moreover, just the initial scoping process could cost companies around seven to 10 workers for up to a month.

The problem stems from the need to disentangle VMware services – it offers networking, storage and management tools as well as security and disaster recovery solutions that aren’t always offered as full ecosystems by other providers.

Given the scale of the work involved, many VMware users have not started planning their migrations despite intentions to do so. In September 2024, we reported that more than half (52%) of VMware customers were looking to switch providers, however apprehension around security and support was already noted then.

Earlier in 2025, VMware was called a solution “for those who can afford it.” Seven in 10 customers looking to jump ship were seeking KVM-based and Xen-based hypervisor alternatives.

Despite the challenges, Gartner advises those who wish to do so to start planning for migrations sooner rather than later in order to avoid further price hikes.

Via The Register

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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!