What the VMware on AWS Changes Mean for Your Business

As of April 30, 2024, VMware Cloud on AWS is no longer resold by AWS or its channel partners. The service will continue to be available through Broadcom. 

This blog post dives into what this change means for both current users and prospective cloud adopters to understand what lies ahead and how to best plan your next steps.

Why Is VMware on AWS No Longer Directly Sold by AWS?

The decision to phase out VMware Cloud (VMC) on AWS stems from Broadcom’s strategic review following its acquisition of VMware. 

While VMC has been a preferred choice for many due to its similarity to on-prem VMware environments, it comes at a higher cost compared to native AWS solutions. This presents a pivotal opportunity for businesses to reassess and realign their cloud infrastructure for greater efficiency and innovation.

Immediate Impact on Current Users

For enterprises currently relying on VMware on AWS, this change raises immediate concerns regarding the continuity of services and support. AWS has assured current customers that while new purchases will be halted, existing deployments will continue to be supported according to existing agreements. Companies must now consider their contracts' lifecycle and the support terms, focusing on any implications for service renewals or expansions.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the real-world effects of the VMC changes once it is time for your contract renewal:

• Cost Increases
  • Customers have been reporting licensing cost increases of 3-10X
•  Identity
  • No new MFA configurations can be made.
  • No modifications to existing MFA configurations can be made.
  • No new VMware accounts can be created.
• Commerce
  • You will no longer be able to create, renew, upgrade, self-service purchase, or take any action on subscriptions from within the VMware Cloud Services portal. Read-only subscription information will be shown in relation to VMware Cloud Foundation services.
  • VMware Cloud Services portal no longer integrates invoicing and statements.
  • VMware Cloud Services portal no longer handles payment methods.
  • VMware Cloud Services portal no longer supports the use of Promotional Credits.

This change creates major complexity for users to have to purchase and manage separately any new licenses or renewals. While VMware on AWS is technically not going away, the real-world implications of pigeonholes users into making a critical decision: migrate off VMware to AWS native solutions, or find an alternative cloud solution.

Migration Strategies

If you are thinking about migrating your VMware-based workloads to AWS, there are viable alternatives and robust migration strategies to ensure continuity. AWS offers several native tools designed to ease the transition, including AWS Migration Hub and AWS Application Migration Service, which streamline the transfer of applications, data, and workloads. These tools are part of a broader set of migration services, ensuring businesses can migrate seamlessly with minimal disruption.

Migrations can be messy, costly, and challenging if you do not have in-house expertise. Additionally, migrating to AWS native does not mean you’re left to figure it out on your own. For migrations starting in May, June, and July of 2024, AWS is providing financing to aid customers in their transition. When planning your migration, you may want to consider working with an AWS partner. Mission Cloud has migrated thousands of workloads to AWS, on budget and on time. Leading first with security, Mission Cloud designs your infrastructure in a way that ensures your governance is easy to manage and hard to compromise. To complement AWS’s financing options, Mission Cloud is also offering attractive incentives, including up to an additional 12% in Mission Funding discounts.

For organizations that have traditionally relied on VMware due to familiarity with its management environment, the shift away from VMC on AWS could initially seem daunting due to perceived operational skill gaps. However, this also represents a critical opportunity for these organizations to upskill their teams in AWS operations, leveraging the advanced training and support AWS offers. Mission Cloud is also offering 5 AWS Skillbuilder licenses to empower teams to upskill and adapt quickly to AWS's cloud-native solutions, maximizing the benefits of the transition.

Life After Migration

Once your migration to AWS native services is complete, you will need to manage your cloud environment. Effectively managing your AWS environment is crucial to maximizing your cloud investment. That’s why working with a partner like Mission Cloud is helpful—not only to assist through the migration but also for life after migration.

Mission Cloud offers comprehensive management solutions that ensure your cloud environment is not only up and running but also optimized, secure, and cost-effective. As a 100% AWS-focused partner, we specialize in AWS cloud management, providing an extensive range of services designed to alleviate the complexities of managing your cloud.

Your Next Steps

Transitioning to a new cloud environment is not just a technical challenge but also an organizational one. Preparing your team for this change involves assessing your current and future technology needs, training staff in new technologies, and ensuring financial readiness for the migration. AWS provides various resources and training programs, along with financial incentives such as migration funding and service credits, to support businesses during this transition.

 While migrations can be tricky, they also offer opportunities to optimize, innovate, and reduce operational complexities. Businesses that proactively plan and adapt will be better positioned to leverage the full benefits of cloud technology and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Get started planning your next steps with one of Mission Cloud’s AWS-certified experts. In a free, 60-minute consultation, our Solution Architects will collaborate with you to understand your current environment, explore migration opportunities, and assess licensing costs.