Move to Azure Without Rebuilding Your VMware Environment

Modernizing your infrastructure doesn’t mean walking away from the VMware environment you’ve spent years refining. As cloud adoption accelerates and priorities shift, IT leaders are looking for a way to adapt without disrupting what already works. The right path preserves existing investments and positions your organization to take advantage of what’s next.

Azure VMware Solution (AVS) offers that path.
 AVS provides a pragmatic, low-disruption option for migrating your VMware workloads to the cloud. You can retain the tools and configurations your team already knows while gaining access to the scalability, resilience and innovation potential of Microsoft® Azure®.

Whether you’re facing rising licensing costs, planning a data center exit or preparing for AI adoption, AVS offers a bridge between what’s working now and what’s possible in a hyperscale cloud.

Keep what works. Add what’s next.

For organizations running VMware, Azure VMware Solution offers a streamlined way to extend your environment into the cloud, without the need to rearchitect workloads or retrain your team.

AVS supports the same tools your team already relies on, including vCenter, vSAN, NSX and HCX. That means you can manage workloads using familiar interfaces and processes, while beginning to integrate with Azure-native services on your own terms.

The flexibility of AVS makes it especially appealing for IT teams that need to maintain operational continuity during a migration. You don’t have to make an all-or-nothing move. You can migrate at the pace that aligns with your business needs, budget and innovation goals.

Four smart ways organizations are using AVS

Azure VMware Solution can support a wide range of migration and modernization goals. It’s a flexible option that helps organizations adapt to change while building a foundation for future growth.

1. Expanding without hardware delays:
 Need to scale but can’t wait for physical infrastructure? AVS lets you add capacity in the cloud while maintaining compatibility with your existing VMware setup.

2. Strengthening disaster recovery:
 With AVS, you can implement a cloud-based DR solution that uses familiar tools like vSphere and Site Recovery Manager (SRM), without building out a second data center.

3. Exiting legacy data centers quickly:
 Whether your lease is ending or your hardware is aging, AVS helps you move VMware workloads to the cloud fast — without compromising continuity.

4. Modernizing on your timeline:
 AVS gives you the freedom to integrate Azure-native services gradually. You can continue managing workloads with VMware today and adopt new capabilities when you’re ready.

While AVS can solve a wide range of challenges, there are common blockers that can delay or complicate early planning. Many organizations hesitate to get started with AVS due to technical hurdles around networking and performance planning.

Establishing connectivity between on-prem environments and AVS, managing IP space and configuring firewall rules can add unexpected complexity. Others struggle with rightsizing their AVS environment. Under- or over-provisioning CPU, memory and storage can lead to performance issues or higher costs. That’s why expert guidance is essential from day one.

Get expert support from planning through execution

Moving to Azure VMware Solution can be straightforward, especially when you have access to the right guidance. Rackspace brings deep expertise in VMware environments and Azure integration to help you move quickly and confidently.

We’ll guide you through each phase of your Azure VMware Solution migration, from planning and design to configuration and cutover. We’re ready to help with services that support a smooth, low-disruption transition:

• Designing the right architecture for your workloads and goals
• Configuring your VMware environment, including vCenter, NSX and vSAN
• Deploying HCX to move workloads efficiently and securely
• Establishing hybrid connectivity through ExpressRoute or VPN
• Coordinating cutover and validating success with your team

We also help address common concerns around moving production workloads to the cloud. Using tools like HCX, we minimize downtime through live migration.

Because AVS runs on native VMware technology, compatibility with your current environment is high, reducing the risk of rework or unexpected behavior. AVS also integrates with Azure’s enterprise-grade security and compliance frameworks, including support for standards like GDPR, HIPAA and ISO. And with guidance on rightsizing and Azure’s cost optimization tools, we help keep both performance and budgets on track.

As a trusted Microsoft partner, Rackspace can also help you take advantage of available migration funding programs, reducing upfront costs and accelerating your AVS journey with confidence.

What you can expect

A Rackspace-led Azure VMware Solution migration is tailored to your priorities and designed to deliver a meaningful impact across your environment.

• Aligned delivery: 
Your migration plan is tailored to your workloads, timelines and business priorities, helping you move forward with confidence.
• Operational continuity:
 Your teams continue using familiar VMware tools, reducing the risk of disruption and eliminating retraining needs.
• Cloud flexibility:
 You establish a platform that’s ready to support Azure-native services, whether extending your data estate, enabling machine learning or modernizing applications over time.

Take the next step toward modernization

If you’re exploring a VMware migration, Azure VMware Solution offers a practical path forward — one that respects your existing investments while positioning you for what’s next.

Rackspace can help you evaluate your environment, plan your migration and move with clarity. Get started with our Rapid Strategy Assessment.