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VMware migration to Hyper-V or Proxmox
Broadcom's subscription changes made VMware hard to justify for small server rooms. We move your virtual machines to Hyper-V or Proxmox, test each one, and prove the backups before the old hosts are switched off.
- Off VMware subscriptions
- Hyper-V or Proxmox
- Each VM moved and tested
- Backups proven before cutover
Why so many small server rooms are leaving VMware
For fifteen years VMware was the safe choice for a small server room. A three-host Essentials Plus kit cost a modest amount, ran for years on a perpetual licence, and nobody thought about it again. That arrangement ended after Broadcom bought VMware.
Perpetual licences are no longer sold. Everything is now a subscription, priced per processor core, with every processor counted as at least 16 cores whatever it actually has. The Essentials and Essentials Plus kits that most small offices used were retired, and the remaining bundles carry features a two-host office will never use. Broadcom has also pushed minimum purchase sizes well above what a small office runs, and has sent letters to customers who kept applying updates after their support lapsed. For many of our clients, the renewal quote came back at several times the old cost.
Existing VMware hosts keep running, so there is no cliff edge. But without an active subscription there are no new security patches, and the hypervisor is the one layer that every server in the room depends on. That is why we help offices move to Microsoft Hyper-V or Proxmox VE, on their own timetable rather than at a renewal deadline.
Hyper-V, Proxmox, or staying put
Both alternatives are mature, both run Windows and Linux servers well, and both are supported by mainstream backup software. The right one depends mostly on what else you run.
| Microsoft Hyper-V | Proxmox VE | Staying on VMware | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Windows Server licences, which you may already own. Datacenter edition covers unlimited Windows VMs on a licensed host | Nothing to run it. An optional per-socket subscription adds the stable update channel and vendor support | A per-core subscription renewed every term, with each processor counted as at least 16 cores |
| Management | Hyper-V Manager, Failover Cluster Manager and Windows Admin Center | A built-in web console for hosts, clusters, storage and backups | vCenter, as today |
| Clustering and live migration | Yes, with Windows failover clustering | Yes, built in | Yes |
| Backup | Veeam and most major backup products | Veeam, Proxmox Backup Server and others | Unchanged |
| Best fit | Windows-heavy offices that already license Windows Server Datacenter | Mixed or Linux workloads, and offices that want the lowest running cost | Large estates that rely on VMware-specific features such as NSX or vSAN at scale |
The licensing arithmetic is often decisive on its own. A two-host office with two 12-core processors in each host has 48 cores, but pays VMware for 64, because every processor counts as 16. If those hosts already run Windows Server Datacenter for the Windows VMs, Hyper-V is included in a licence you have already bought.
How each virtual machine moves
There is no single migration tool that suits every VM. We choose the method machine by machine, based on how much downtime it can tolerate and what runs inside it.
Direct import
Proxmox VE can connect to an ESXi host and import its virtual machines directly, copying the disks across and recreating the VM. It suits file servers, utility servers and anything that can be offline for the length of the copy.
Restore from backup
With Veeam, a VM backed up from VMware can be restored straight onto Hyper-V or Proxmox. This doubles as a real test of your backups, and lets the original VM stay untouched until the new one is signed off.
Disk conversion
For awkward machines, such as those with unusual disk layouts or very old operating systems, the virtual disks are converted from VMware’s format and attached to a new VM by hand.
Rebuild instead of moving
Sometimes the right answer is not to move a VM at all. A Windows Server 2012 R2 machine running one small application is often better rebuilt on a current version, which also removes an unsupported operating system from the network.
What changes inside each VM, and how we handle it
A VM that boots on the new platform is not the same as a VM that works. These are the details that separate the two.
| Item | What happens | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers | VMware’s virtual hardware is replaced. Windows on Proxmox needs VirtIO drivers to see its disk and network | Drivers installed before the move, so the VM starts cleanly first time |
| VMware Tools | No longer needed, and can interfere if left behind | Removed after the move, replaced by the new platform’s guest tools |
| Network adapter | The VM gets a new network card, and Windows may forget its fixed IP address | IP settings recorded beforehand and checked afterwards |
| Windows activation | Changing virtual hardware can trigger reactivation | Licences checked in advance, with activation confirmed on every VM |
| Domain controllers | Restoring an old snapshot of a domain controller can damage Active Directory | Moved cold, one at a time, with replication checked before the next |
| Databases and line-of-business apps | Running copies can drift out of step during a live copy | Shut down cleanly and moved in an agreed maintenance window |
| USB licence keys | Some software checks for a physical dongle passed through to the VM | USB passthrough configured, or a network USB hub used |
| Backups and monitoring | Jobs pointed at VMware stop working | New backup jobs and monitoring in place before the old platform is retired |
Proving it works before VMware is switched off
The old VMware hosts are not wiped the day the last VM moves. Each original VM stays powered off but intact until its replacement has passed every check, so going back is always one click away.
- The application inside each VM tested by the person who uses it, not just a successful boot
- A backup taken on the new platform and a test restore completed from it
- Performance compared with a baseline taken before the move
- Monitoring and alerts showing every host and VM as healthy
- Updated documentation: hosts, storage, networks, VM list and recovery steps
Only then are the VMware hosts retired, or reused as Hyper-V or Proxmox hosts if the hardware still has life in it. Hardware that is due for replacement anyway is a good reason to combine the platform change with new servers, which our server virtualization and server migration pages cover.
VMware migration work we quote
Every migration starts with an inventory of your hosts, VMs, storage and licences, so the quote reflects what you actually run. The work is then priced as a fixed project, with any new hardware or licences on separate lines. If your backups are part of the question too, our backup and disaster recovery page explains how we prove them.
- VMware licence and migration assessmentFixed quote
- Two-host VMware cluster moved to Hyper-VFixed quote
- VMware hosts moved to a Proxmox VE clusterFixed quote
- Single ESXi host replaced with new hardwareFixed quote
- Veeam backups rebuilt for the new platformFixed quote
- Old VMs rebuilt on supported Windows ServerFixed quote
Questions people ask
Do we have to leave VMware?
No. Existing hosts keep running. But without an active subscription you receive no new security patches, and the hypervisor sits under every server you run. Leaving VMware is a choice about cost and risk, and we will tell you if staying is the better option for your setup.
Should we move to Hyper-V or Proxmox?
Hyper-V usually suits Windows-heavy offices that already license Windows Server Datacenter, because the hypervisor is included. Proxmox suits mixed or Linux workloads and offices that want the lowest running cost. Both are mature and supported by mainstream backup software.
How much downtime does a VMware migration involve?
It depends on each VM. Many move in a short evening or weekend window. Domain controllers and database servers are moved cold in agreed maintenance windows. The original VMs stay intact until the new ones are signed off, so there is always a way back.
Can we keep our existing servers?
Usually, if they are still under warranty and powerful enough. Hosts can be rebuilt with Hyper-V or Proxmox after their VMs have moved. Servers due for replacement are often swapped at the same time to avoid two projects.
Will our backups still work?
Backup jobs pointed at VMware have to be rebuilt for the new platform. Veeam supports both Hyper-V and Proxmox, and we set up the new jobs and complete a test restore before the old platform is retired.
Is Proxmox free to use in a business?
Proxmox VE is open source and free to run. An optional subscription, priced per processor socket, gives access to the stable update repository and vendor support. We recommend the subscription for production servers.
What happens to Windows licensing when we move to Hyper-V?
Windows Server Datacenter licenses unlimited Windows VMs on a fully licensed host, and Standard covers two. We check your current licences first, since the right edition often decides whether Hyper-V costs anything extra.
How long does a VMware migration take?
Planning and testing take longer than the moves themselves. A small two-host environment is a modest project, while larger estates move in planned waves. You get a timeline with the fixed quote after the inventory.
Tell us what’s going on
Pick how urgent it is and leave a way to reach you. The help desk replies by phone or email. If work has stopped, call 647-812-3775 instead.
Something broken, or something to plan?
For anything urgent, call. A technician answers the emergency line 24/7. For everything else, open a ticket and tell us what is going on.