VMware workload planning: retain, rehost, replatform or retire

Assess workloads individually

A VMware environment can contain workloads with different dependencies, performance requirements and tolerance for change. Review those differences alongside your licensing and support arrangements before setting a migration timetable. A single migration approach may not suit every application.

Choose a path for each workload: retain it on VMware, rehost it on another environment, replatform it for containers or managed services, or retire it. Base the choice on dependencies, operating needs and migration effort.

Dependencies decide the order

Map shared databases, licensing servers, latency-sensitive services and backup jobs before grouping workloads. Include storage architecture and vSAN ReadyNode hardware: vSAN Original Storage Architecture disk groups and Express Storage Architecture NVMe pools need different lifecycle and migration planning.

Prove the path on a pilot wave

Test representative workloads before expanding the migration. Validate tooling, runbooks and recovery criteria for your target. Select the appropriate path: vMotion or Storage vMotion within the environment, HCX across environments, MTV for OpenShift Virtualization, or cold migration or rebuild. Use the pilot results to plan later waves.

For each wave, document the cutover window, recovery criteria and owner approval. Use the pilot results to revise the plan and give stakeholders a clear view of progress, risks and remaining work.