#CurrentStatus Episode 53 is about VMware on Azure.  Co-hosts Phoummala SchmittTheresa MillerHolly Lehman and guest Shannon Kuehn discuss what customers can expect if they deploy VMware on Azure.  Covering what it is, the experience, and what customers can look forward to if they choose this deployment option.  Let’s dive in!

What can I expect with VMware on Azure?

The second version of this offering is now available in public preview and will be fully available sometime in 2020.  The direction for large enterprises is that they are now seeing that they need to move to the cloud.  This version takes what a customer knows on-prem with VMware they will get the same experience in the cloud.

You can keep working in on-prem vCenter with this solution even with the workloads in Azure.

Architecture

Hybrid Network and identity using Express Route to extend into Azure.  From there servers can be vmotioned from on-prem VMware to Azure and managed from vCenter.  Employee skillsets don’t change keeping costs low.

You are you taking your VMware host into the Azure datacenter, and then you can move your servers to Azure.  Microsoft will take care of the compute elements for the hosts, allowing administrators the ability to seamlessly manage and deploy their VMware virtual machines.

#CurrentStatus Episode and Recording

Security

Shared responsibility on security.  Microsoft does they standard security, but the customer can control RBAC and identity.  In fact, you can also use the RBAC settings from the previously configured VMware environment on-prem in the cloud.

Take what you know on-prem and use it in the cloud.  This could be the first lift and shift that actually works.  Customers can do a trial to get started and try to see if this works for them.

So much more

Of course we cannot spoil everything about the podcast here, so be sure to tune into the podcast link shared above to learn how to get started with this solution today.

Concluding Thoughts

The ability to allow VMware admins to support their enterprises in the cloud is a huge win.  Especially in the time when people don’t have quick access to their datacenters.  Taking a closer look at VMware on Azure as an option for any enterprise looking to get out the business managing their own VMware hosts on-prem and moving into the cloud.

In case you missed it, we also recently covered home labs which can be found here.