Get off VMware, or stay on it, with a number you can defend.
Broadcom's licensing changes forced a decision many teams weren't ready for. Server and SQL Server end-of-support dates are forcing another. We give you one plan for both.
Sound familiar?
- “Your renewal quote doesn't match last year's budget, and the deadline is close.”
- “You've heard Nutanix, Hyper-V, Proxmox, and Azure pitched, and every vendor says theirs is the answer.”
- “Some servers and databases are already past end of support, and no one has a dated upgrade plan.”
What we do
- VMware renewal vs. migration analysis
- Platform selection (Nutanix, Hyper-V, Proxmox, Azure, AWS)
- Migration planning and execution
- Windows Server and SQL Server upgrade planning
- Post-migration stabilization
End-of-support modernization
SQL Server 2016 extended support ended July 14, 2026. Windows Server 2016 extended support ends January 12, 2027. Unsupported systems stop receiving security updates. We inventory what you run, rank it by risk, and give you a dated upgrade sequence.
The platforms, honestly compared
No row below is marked "best." The right target depends on your workloads, your licensing position, and your team. This table is the shape of the conversation, and the assessment fills it in with your numbers.
| Platform | Licensing model | Operational maturity | HCI story | Retraining burden | Typical mid-market fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VMware (Broadcom) | Per-core subscription bundles; minimums and multi-year terms have tightened since the acquisition | The most mature ecosystem; deepest third-party tooling | vSAN, bundled by tier | None. Your team already runs it | Estates that negotiate workable terms and value ecosystem stability |
| Nutanix | Per-core or per-node subscription; pricing is negotiable and bundling is simpler | Mature HCI platform with strong support reputation | Native. HCI is the product | Moderate. Prism is admin-friendly; concepts carry over | Mid-market estates wanting a supported, VMware-comparable landing zone |
| Proxmox VE | Open source; paid support subscriptions are modest | Solid core (KVM/LXC); thinner enterprise ecosystem and support depth | Ceph, built in but operationally demanding | Higher. Linux comfort required; fewer guardrails | Cost-sensitive estates with strong in-house Linux skills |
| Hyper-V | Included with Windows Server Datacenter licensing you may already own | Mature hypervisor; management tooling is where effort lands | Storage Spaces Direct | Low to moderate for Windows-centric teams | Windows-heavy estates already licensed for it |
| Azure Local | Subscription tied to Azure; consumption model | Newer; strongest when Azure is already the strategic direction | Native, Azure-managed | Moderate; assumes Azure operational familiarity | Hybrid estates committed to the Microsoft cloud stack |
Start here
Who this is for
Common questions
Will you tell us to stay on VMware?
If the numbers say stay, yes. The assessment compares renewal against every realistic migration path.
How much access do you need?
Read-only access to vCenter or an inventory export, plus a short interview with your team.
Can you do the migration too?
Yes, as a separately scoped project after the assessment. You're not obligated to hire us for it.
After the assessment
If you want help carrying out the plan, we work alongside your internal team on a recurring basis: projects, escalations, and the infrastructure work your team doesn't have hours for. We supplement your IT team. We don't replace it. How we work
Book a 15‑minute scope call.
You describe the problem. We tell you what fixing it takes, what it costs, and whether we are the right firm for it.