Amazon Debuts Elastic VMware Service for Hassle-free Cloud Transition

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a new service that could revolutionise the way small businesses migrate and manage their VMware workloads - the Amazon Elastic VMware Service (Amazon EVS).

The key benefits of Amazon EVS for small businesses include:

Utilising existing VMware licenses and skills without extra costs or retraining. This reduces migration complexity and operational disruptions, allowing businesses to continue with familiar tools and processes.
Rapid deployment of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) environments within hours. This enables quick migration and elimination of aging on-premises infrastructure.
Full control over VMware workloads running natively on AWS infrastructure in the customer’s Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). This enables seamless integration with AWS services such as analytics, storage, databases, and backup solutions.
Maintaining existing IP addresses and operational runbooks. This reduces risk and complexity during migration by avoiding network reconfiguration or application re-architecture.
Dynamic scalability and access to 200+ AWS cloud services. This allows small businesses to enhance operational efficiency, agility, and innovation without large upfront investments or technical overhauls.

Practical applications for small businesses include:

Seamless migration of on-premises VMware workloads to the cloud. This enables cost savings by reducing on-premises infrastructure needs and maintenance overhead.
Integration of VMware workloads with AWS cloud services like Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP for storage, and third-party backup solutions such as Veeam. This facilitates enhanced data protection and disaster recovery capabilities.
The flexibility to self-manage VMware environments on AWS or collaborate with specialized AWS partners. This enables tailored support according to the business’s technical resources and expertise.
Acceleration of modernization and innovation efforts. By leveraging AWS’s scalable infrastructure and service ecosystem without re-architecting existing applications or disrupting business operations.

In essence, Amazon EVS provides a streamlined path for small businesses to migrate and manage VMware workloads on AWS, minimising disruption, leveraging existing investments and expertise, and opening access to cloud scalability and services designed to increase agility and reduce costs. This combination is particularly valuable for small enterprises aiming to move to the cloud efficiently while maintaining operational continuity and maximising return on investment.

Small businesses should consider whether their staff is adequately trained to manage the integration with AWS services. Reliance on partner networks for implementation and management could introduce additional costs for small businesses not already engaged with AWS partners. Migrating to the cloud often involves navigating new data governance and compliance standards that may differ significantly from on-premises solutions. AWS provides substantial security measures, but small businesses must remain vigilant on this front when migrating to the cloud.

Amazon EVS is currently available in several regions, including the U.S. and Europe, with plans to expand to additional locations. Leveraging tools like Amazon EVS may be essential for small businesses aiming to stay competitive in the evolving cloud landscape. Aeromexico views Amazon EVS as integral to its cloud modernization efforts, while Alcaldía de Cali, the municipal government of Santiago de Cali, effectively utilised AWS’s services to enhance public service delivery.

The time-sensitive nature of cloud migration means that small businesses should act quickly to understand and capitalise on this new service. Amazon EVS offers customers a straightforward way to bring their VMware workloads to AWS, allowing them to run VMware applications alongside new cloud-native applications and enabling quick transitions to the cloud without needing investments in physical infrastructure.

For small businesses, the integration of their VMware workloads with AWS services such as Amazon EVS could potentially provide a strategic advantage in the evolving data-and-cloud-computing landscape, both in terms of governance and cost efficiency.
As Amazon EVS allows small businesses to leverage existing IP addresses and operational runbooks, it could facilitate smooth, technology-driven governance during the cloud migration process.