Leaving VMware could prompt organisations to rethink data protection
Organisations leaving VMware face a critical choice: simply replatform their backup systems to the new hypervisor, or use the transition as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink their data protection architecture. Most teams default to the former approach, maintaining existing backup designs that rely on VMware-specific mechanisms. However, experts argue the migration presents a rare moment to reconsider the traditional separation between production and protection layers, potentially yielding faster recovery, reduced costs, and improved resilience.
Current data centre designs typically rely on separate products for backup, replication, site failover, and disaster recovery, each with its own licensing, interface, and renewal cycle. Modern hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and hypervisor virtualisation platforms like VergeOS can abstract the entire environment into a unified codebase, allowing production systems to handle routine recovery tasks that previously required backup intervention. This architectural shift means that common failures like a second drive failure or a bad software patch can be resolved without triggering backup restore operations. The transition window also enables existing backup applications, such as Veeam Backup & Replication, to serve as the migration path itself, converting years of protection investment into the vehicle for moving workloads off VMware.
- VMware exit lets organisations redesign data protection architecture for better resilience and cost efficiency.
- Modern platforms can centralise recovery tasks, reducing reliance on separate backup products for routine failures.
- Existing backup applications become the bridge for migrating workloads to new hypervisors.
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Many organisations currently rely on VMware software to manage their computing systems, but rising costs and licence changes have prompted many to switch to alternative platforms. When making this switch, companies must decide whether to simply move their existing backup and data protection systems to the new platform or take the opportunity to redesign how they protect their data entirely.
Most organisations currently use separate products to handle different aspects of data protection, such as backup, copying data to another location, and disaster recovery. Each of these products requires its own licence, maintenance and renewal, creating complexity and cost. Some modern platforms can combine these functions into a single system, potentially making data protection simpler and cheaper.
The transition away from VMware offers a rare moment for organisations to step back and consider whether their existing approach to protecting data makes sense for their new setup. By rethinking their architecture during the switch, companies may be able to recover from problems more quickly, reduce spending, and improve their resilience against failures.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The migration off VMware represents an exceptionally rare opportunity to consolidate fragmented data protection infrastructure that typically involves multiple products, licensing schemes, and operational interfaces. Modern hyperconverged platforms can deliver superior resilience and recovery capabilities by integrating protection mechanisms directly into the hypervisor layer, whilst simultaneously reducing total cost of ownership. Delaying this architectural improvement until after replatforming simply means perpetuating unnecessary complexity and deferring benefits for another technology cycle.
The case against
Organisations undertaking major hypervisor migrations face substantial operational risk and resource constraints, making this the wrong moment to introduce fundamental architectural changes. Replatforming existing backup systems to new infrastructure is a well-established, proven approach that minimises scope and complexity whilst the organisation manages the primary transition. A phased approach—first stabilising operations on the new hypervisor, then subsequently evaluating data protection improvements—allows teams to assess performance and requirements with actual production workloads before committing to larger architectural redesigns.
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Originally published by The Register as “The VMware Exit Is a Protection Upgrade”.