Dalechek Tech Talk

Integrate your VMWare Environment with Microsoft Azure

November 28, 2017, Written by 0 comment

I think it’s time to finally admit that Microsoft is growing up. Its Azure cloud offering is more mature than ever, and they’ve even started to submit to the idea that customers aren’t running an all-Microsoft network. Our latest offerings from Microsoft include excellent support for VMWare environments. Have you been interested in exploring the cloud, but have been worried about lack of integration with your VMWare environment? Read on!

Migrating to Azure

Maybe you’ve already got an investment in Azure compute through your EA (not sure? Email Support@Dalechek.com and we can help!). Maybe you’ve compared total cost of ownership of Azure to your local datacenter and found that it’s cheaper. Whatever the case, it’s time to migrate your apps and services to Azure. Even if you’re running VMWare on-premises, it’s easy with a few key technologies.

Azure Migrate can identify all on-premises VMWare resources and their dependencies. Do you have a multi-tier web app? Azure Migrate can identify the components and the links between them, then determine optimal VM sizing in Azure, as well as ways to utilize your existing licensing to save money.

Microsoft’s Hybrid Cloud options allow us to home more generalized workloads (Active Directory, SQL Server, or Web Services) in Azure, while keeping other services on-premises.

Maybe you’ve got some VMWare-specific workloads that won’t migrate. Well, soon they will. Microsoft is bringing Bare Metal VMWare on Azure (!!!), as early as next year.

Consuming, but not committing to Azure

We get it. Due to fidgety legacy apps, budgetary practices, unfamiliarity, or trust issues, migrating to the cloud isn’t always an option. We still have great options to save you money without going all-out.

Azure Site Recovery integrates with your existing VSphere environment and gives you continuous Disaster Recovery, with near-instant activation of Virtual Machines in Azure if the worst were to happen. You can even use Azure Site Recovery to replicate Virtual Machines between your own on-premises sites. Best of all, the first month of Azure Site Recovery is FREE*.

*Mostly. You’ll pay for storage of your replicated VMs.

Are you ready to get rid of tape storage for backups? Send them to the cloud! Azure Backup is a cheap solution to long-term backup storage. We can even back up servers straight to the cloud, with no need for on-prem backup storage.

I’m ready. Where can I start?

Microsoft has partnered with Pluralsight to release a training course specifically for VMWare administrators. This is a great first step in your Azure experience. Ready to do more? Dalechek Technology Group is a Microsoft Gold Partner with tons of experience with Microsoft’s Cloud and On-Prem solutions. Contact us and we’ll help you on your path to the cloud.

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