Migration

by

Press Release

VergeOS 26.2 makes VMware migrations 120% faster, brings Microsoft Failover Clustering to VergeFS, and extends to single-server distributed data centers.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., October 13, 2026 – VergeIO, the infrastructure software company, today announced the immediate availability of VergeOS 26.2. VergeIO customers use VergeOS to exit VMware, fight data center inflation, support distributed data centers, and prepare their infrastructure and their organization for private AI, eliminating per-token costs.

What’s new in VergeOS 26.2

  • Faster VMware migration. Initial and final transfers now run 120% faster.
  • Mission-critical Windows workloads. Microsoft Failover Clustering now runs on VergeFS.
  • Single-server distributed data centers. Remote sites need only one server with two network connections.

Faster VMware migration

The VergeOS VMware migration service has delivered rapid migrations for years through changed block tracking, which keeps cutover time short. VergeOS 26.2 adds asynchronous I/O to its network block device (NBD) transfers, making both the initial full backup and the final transfer 120% faster and shortening cutover even further.

Same VMware workload, two VergeOS releasesVergeOS 26.2 finishes in less than half the timeVMware ESXiVM 1VM 2VM 3VM 4VM 5VM 6VergeOSVM 1VM 2VM 3VM 4VM 5VM 6VergeOS 26.1DoneVergeOS 26.2 | asynchronous I/O for NBDDone120% faster2.2 times the transfer speed of VergeOS 26.1INITIAL FULL BACKUP | FINAL TRANSFER | 120% FASTER
The same VMware workload on VergeOS 26.1 and 26.2. Bar lengths reflect the measured 2.2x speedup.

A complete exit for mission-critical workloads

Mission-critical Windows workloads like Microsoft SQL Server typically rely on Microsoft Failover Clustering, which requires a shared disk and SCSI-3 Persistent Reservations. That requirement has often led customers to a dedicated storage array, stalled many VMware migrations, or left customers running two hypervisors. VergeOS 26.2 now supports Microsoft Failover Clustering within VergeFS, its internal storage capability, which aggregates commodity drives inside servers into a highly scalable, high-performance vSAN.

A VMware estate: general VMs and a SQL cluster The first migration waves move the general VMs The SQL cluster stays behind on its shared disk Two platforms, and the VMware renewal is still due VergeOS 26.2 puts a SQL node on each server The ESXi host converts to a VergeOS server VMs rebalance across three VergeOS servers VMware ESXiProduction VergeOSServer 3 VergeOSServer 1 VergeOSServer 2 Storage array | shared disk VergeFS shared disk spans both servers | SCSI-3 PR VergeFS shared disk spans all three servers | SCSI-3 PR VM 1 VM 2 VM 3 VM 4 SQL node A SQL node B VMware renewal still due ONE PLATFORM | NO SECOND RENEWAL | NO ARRAY
The last workloads decide whether the VMware renewal goes away.

Single-server distributed data centers

Distributed architectures like retail point-of-sale often run single-server data centers that replicate back to a core VergeOS implementation. VergeOS 26.2 lowers the requirements for these sites to one server with two network connections and no core network, so customers can bring those locations along in their VMware exit.

“VergeIO is focused on simplifying infrastructure design and operations by helping customers exit legacy stacks, reuse hardware to combat data center inflation, manage any number of distributed data centers, and prepare for on-premises AI workloads. Today’s release lets IT execute a faster, less disruptive, and more complete VMware exit.”

Parag Patel, CEO of VergeIO

Availability and live webinar

VergeOS 26.2 is available now. For details on each capability, see the VergeOS 26.2 datasheet. Aaron Richman, Field Evangelist, and Dave Vincent, Technical Solutions Strategist, will explain and demonstrate its capabilities in a live webinar on Thursday, October 22, at 12:00 PM CT. Register for the webinar.

About VergeIO

VergeOS is infrastructure software that customers use to replace VMware, fight data center inflation, support distributed data centers, and prepare their infrastructure for AI and private AI workloads. It is a single piece of software for the entire infrastructure that runs on bare metal on the servers the organization already owns. It can mix vendors and CPU generations within the same instance and helps customers run private AI on GPUs they already own, avoiding expensive token costs and maintaining data sovereignty. VergeIO is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Learn more at verge.io.

Media contact

George Crump
CMO
VergeIO
[email protected]

###

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

by

The ability to reduce RAM consumption may be the most important factor in choosing a VMware alternative in 2026. What started as a licensing decision after Broadcom’s acquisition has become an infrastructure economics decision. Organizations began evaluating replacements to escape licensing uncertainty. Then the Flash and Memory Supercycle hit.

Key Takeaways
The Memory and Flash Supercycle is driving DRAM prices up 171% YoY through 2027, NAND flash up 55–60% in a single quarter, and server deliveries delayed by months. VMware licensing changes from Broadcom compound the pressure.
Memory ballooning, transparent page sharing, and hypervisor swapping are reactive workarounds that manage scarcity after it occurs. None of them reduce total physical RAM requirements.
VergeOS integrates virtualization, storage, networking, and data protection into a single code base that runs at 2–3% memory overhead, compared to the double-digit percentages consumed by multi-product stacks.
Topgolf reduced server count by 50% per venue across 100+ locations. Alinsco Insurance migrated a mission-critical VxRail environment during business hours with zero downtime and gained memory headroom on the same hardware.
VergeOS runs safely on commodity NVMe drives, uses global inline deduplication to reduce flash capacity requirements, and delivers snapshot-driven local replication through ioGuardian that protects against multiple simultaneous drive failures without hardware RAID.
The platform’s global deduplicated cache operates across all VMs across all nodes, caching only unique data blocks from the already-deduplicated storage pool. This drives higher cache hit rates and fewer flash reads without wasting RAM on redundant cached data.

How a Hypervisor Can Reduce RAM ConsumptionDRAM prices are expected to increase 171% year-over-year through 2027. NAND flash contract prices jumped 55–60% in Q1 2026 alone. Server orders that once shipped in weeks now face multi-month delivery delays. The platform you choose now determines how much RAM, flash, and hardware you need for the next three to five years.

171%
Projected YoY DRAM price increase through 2027
55–60%
NAND flash contract price increase in Q1 2026
Months
Server delivery delays in categories that shipped in weeks

Finding a VMware alternative is still the primary mission. But the supercycle raises the bar. It is no longer enough to swap one hypervisor for another just because it costs less to license. The replacement must also reduce RAM consumption per workload, require fewer servers, and reduce flash storage costs. Any platform that relies on memory ballooning, transparent page sharing, or hypervisor swapping to manage RAM is using the same software tricks the industry has relied on for years. Those techniques react to memory pressure after it occurs. None of them reduce the total physical RAM your infrastructure actually requires.

Key Terms
Memory and Flash Supercycle

A sustained period of rising DRAM and NAND flash prices driven by AI infrastructure demand, DDR4 end-of-life, and constrained fabrication capacity. Industry analysts project tight supply through at least 2027.

Memory Ballooning

A hypervisor technique that uses a guest driver to reclaim unused RAM from idle VMs. Reactive by design, it fails under tight VM sizing and causes cascading performance degradation when multiple VMs spike simultaneously.

Transparent Page Sharing (TPS)

A memory deduplication technique that merges identical OS pages across VMs. Limited to identical pages, disabled by default in VMware since 2014 due to security concerns, and ineffective for application data.

Global Inline Deduplication

VergeOS technology that identifies and eliminates duplicate data blocks at the storage layer before they are written to flash. Reduces total flash capacity requirements, lowers write amplification to extend drive life, and feeds only unique blocks into the RAM cache.

Global Deduplicated Cache

A VergeOS RAM cache that operates across all VMs across all nodes and draws from the already-deduplicated storage pool. Holds only unique data blocks, increasing effective cache capacity and hit rates without the CPU overhead of a separate cache-level deduplication algorithm.

ioGuardian

VergeOS data availability technology that uses snapshot-driven local replication to protect against multiple simultaneous drive failures. Eliminates the need for hardware RAID controllers and delivers consistent performance during failures and rebuilds.

Commodity NVMe

Standard NVMe solid-state drives that cost significantly less than enterprise or server-class SSDs. VergeOS makes commodity drives production-safe through software-managed wear leveling, global deduplication to reduce writes, and ioGuardian replication to handle failures gracefully.

Our on-demand webinar goes deeper into each of these points. Watch Architecting for the Flash and Memory Supercycle to see how the platform decisions you make today determine your infrastructure costs for the next three to five years.

Start with an Efficient Code Base That Reduces RAM Consumption

The first question to ask any VMware alternative is how much RAM the platform itself consumes before a single VM even starts. VMware environments running vSphere, vSAN, vCenter, and NSX stack four separate products on every host. Each product reserves memory for its own management processes. Add external replication software and hardware RAID controllers, and the cumulative overhead climbs even further.

VergeOS takes a different architectural approach. It delivers a complete private cloud operating system that integrates virtualization, storage, networking, and data protection as services within a single code base. There is no separate storage product. There is no separate networking product. The platform is built with global deduplication, enabling synchronous replication without the typical capacity impact and delivering better, more consistent performance in production and during failures.

Memory usage comparison across virtualization platformsIt eliminates the need for hardware RAID controllers, which are also increasing in price because they consume RAM. VergeOS includes built-in data replication for disaster recovery, and its global inline deduplication reduces capacity costs at the disaster recovery site as well. The entire platform runs at 2–3% memory overhead. Compare that to the double-digit percentages consumed by multi-product virtualization stacks and HCI platforms that reserve tens of gigabytes per node before workloads even start.

A lower baseline means more RAM available for production workloads on the same hardware. During a supercycle, that difference translates directly into fewer servers needing to be purchased at inflated prices.

Use Existing Hardware and Reduce How Much You Need

Server reduction through VergeOS consolidationVergeOS installs on any x86 server from any manufacturer. Organizations migrating from VMware continue to run on the same physical servers they already own. There is no hardware forklift upgrade. No waiting six months for new server deliveries that keep getting pushed back as memory and flash shortages worsen. The servers, RAM, and SSDs already purchased and deployed remain in production.

Getting there does not require the purchase of a parallel environment or even a maintenance window. VergeOS supports node-by-node migration from VMware. Evacuate workloads from one host, install VergeOS on that host, migrate VMs onto the new platform, and repeat across the remaining hosts. Production continues running throughout the process. Alinsco Insurance completed this on a five-node VxRail cluster running a mission-critical insurance application that cannot tolerate downtime. The team migrated node by node during business hours with zero downtime. Critical web servers were moved at night out of an abundance of caution, but even those migrations produced no service interruption. During a supercycle, this approach eliminates the capital expense of purchasing a second set of servers to stand up alongside the existing environment.

On-Demand Webinar
Architecting for the Flash and Memory Supercycle

How the platform decisions you make today determine your infrastructure costs for the next three to five years.

Watch On-Demand →

Because VergeOS consumes less RAM per host, organizations can increase VM density and consolidate to fewer servers. Topgolf, operating more than 100 venues globally, reduced each site from six-node VxRail clusters to three-node VergeOS clusters. That is a 50% server reduction per venue. Alinsco Insurance continued to run on the same VxRail hardware and internal SSDs after migration, and servers that felt constrained under VMware gained additional headroom under VergeOS.

The freed servers create immediate value. One becomes a dedicated ioGuardian server, delivering N+2 or greater (N+X) data protection without purchasing new hardware or hardware RAID. The remaining servers become part donors. Pull the DRAM and NVMe drives and redistribute them across the active production nodes. VergeOS supports mixed node types and mixed node roles in the same cluster, so the redistribution does not require matching hardware specifications.

Freed servers from VergeOS consolidation become parts donors or ioGuardian nodesThe consolidation math works across an entire fleet. An organization running 100 six-node VMware clusters that consolidates to 100 three-node VergeOS clusters frees 300 servers for repurposing, retirement, or spare parts — during a supercycle where replacement hardware is both expensive and slow to ship.

Reduce Flash Costs with Commodity SSDs

The supercycle affects flash storage as well as memory. Enterprise and server-class SSDs carry steep price premiums that continue to climb alongside NAND contract prices. Commodity NVMe drives are rising in price, too. But the price gap between enterprise and commodity is widening, not narrowing, and commodity drives do seem to be more readily available. Organizations that can safely run on commodity flash pay less per terabyte today relative to enterprise alternatives than they did a year ago.

VergeOS runs safely on commodity SSDs. The platform’s storage engine manages I/O scheduling and wear management at the software layer, reducing dependence on the drive’s internal controller. Global inline deduplication reduces total writes to each drive, directly extending drive life. ioGuardian’s snapshot-driven local replication protects against multiple simultaneous drive failures without data loss or downtime, so that a commodity drive that wears out faster than an enterprise drive is replaced gracefully. No hardware RAID controller is required. The combination makes commodity flash a production-safe choice at a fraction of the cost of enterprise SSDs.

A Cache That Benefits from Deduplication

Unified RAM cache across VergeOS nodes drawing from deduplicated storage poolMost virtualization platforms cache storage data independently on each node. If ten nodes access the same data block, ten separate copies sit in ten separate caches. That wastes RAM on redundant data across the cluster.

VergeOS approaches caching differently. The platform performs global inline deduplication at the storage layer, so the storage pool contains only unique blocks. The RAM cache operates across all VMs across all nodes and draws from that already-deduplicated pool. The cache holds only unique data without running a separate deduplication algorithm inside the cache itself. More unique blocks fit in the same physical RAM, driving higher cache hit rates and fewer reads from flash.

An important factor in making this work across nodes is VergeOS’s optimized internode communication protocol, purpose-built for this use case and free from the overhead of chatty iSCSI or NFS protocols. We will explore the technical details of this architecture in an upcoming post. The takeaway for now: VergeOS does not waste RAM caching duplicate data.

The VMware Alternative Decision Just Got Bigger

The search for a VMware alternative is no longer just about licensing. The supercycle means the platform you choose determines your RAM consumption, your flash costs, your server count, and how long your existing hardware stays in production. Choose a platform that relies on the same memory tricks the industry has used for decades, and you inherit the same overhead during the most expensive hardware market in years. Choose a platform built to reduce RAM consumption from a single efficient code base with built-in data availability, and you start with less overhead, run on the servers you already own, and reduce how many you need going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Memory and Flash Supercycle?
A sustained period of rising DRAM and NAND flash prices driven by AI infrastructure demand, DDR4 end-of-life, and constrained fabrication capacity. DRAM prices are expected to increase 171% year-over-year through 2027, and NAND flash contract prices jumped 55–60% in Q1 2026 alone. Server delivery times have extended to multi-month delays.
Why don’t memory ballooning and transparent page sharing solve the problem?
These are reactive techniques that manage memory pressure after it occurs. Memory ballooning reclaims unused RAM from idle VMs but fails under tight sizing. Transparent page sharing merges identical OS pages but has been disabled by default in VMware since 2014 due to security concerns. Neither technique reduces the total physical RAM your infrastructure requires.
How much RAM overhead does VergeOS consume?
The entire VergeOS platform — including virtualization, storage, networking, and data protection — runs at 2–3% memory overhead. Compare that to multi-product VMware stacks that consume double-digit percentages, or HCI platforms like Nutanix that reserve 24–32 GB per node for controller VMs before workloads start.
Can I migrate from VMware without buying new servers?
Yes. VergeOS installs on any x86 server from any manufacturer and supports node-by-node migration from VMware. Evacuate workloads from one host, install VergeOS, migrate VMs onto the new platform, and repeat. The servers, RAM, and SSDs you already own stay in production. Alinsco Insurance completed this on a five-node VxRail cluster during business hours with zero downtime.
How does VergeOS reduce the number of servers needed?
Lower platform overhead means more RAM is available for production workloads on each host, increasing VM density. Topgolf reduced each venue from six-node VxRail clusters to three-node VergeOS clusters — a 50% reduction in servers across more than 100 locations. Freed servers become parts donors or dedicated ioGuardian data protection nodes.
Is it safe to run commodity NVMe drives in production?
With VergeOS, yes. The storage engine manages I/O scheduling and wear management at the software layer. Global inline deduplication reduces total writes to each drive, extending drive life. ioGuardian’s snapshot-driven local replication protects against multiple simultaneous drive failures without hardware RAID, so a commodity drive that wears faster is replaced gracefully with no data loss or downtime.
How does VergeOS cache data differently from VMware or Nutanix?
Most platforms cache storage data independently on each node, meaning duplicate blocks are cached separately on every host. VergeOS performs global inline deduplication at the storage layer first, then the RAM cache draws from the already-deduplicated pool. The cache holds only unique blocks across all VMs across all nodes, using an optimized internode protocol instead of iSCSI or NFS. More unique data fits in the same physical RAM, driving higher cache hit rates.
What happens to servers freed up after consolidation?
One freed server becomes a dedicated ioGuardian node, delivering N+2 or greater data protection without a new hardware purchase and without hardware RAID. The remaining servers become parts donors — pull the DRAM and NVMe drives and redistribute them across active production nodes. VergeOS supports mixed node types and mixed node roles, so no matching hardware specifications are required.

Filed Under: Private Cloud Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

by

Ann Arbor, MI — September 16, 2025 — VergeIO, the leading VMware alternative, today announced a partnership with Cirrus Data Solutions (CDS), a leader in data mobility technology and services, to help enterprises eliminate infrastructure sprawl—the costly mix of multiple hypervisors, duplicate tools, and isolated stacks, that has crept into data centers. The collaboration combines Cirrus Data’s patented software-only data mobility technology with VergeOS, the industry’s only single-codebase infrastructure operating system for virtualization, storage, networking, and AI.

Sprawl has accelerated as organizations juggle VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix, OpenStack, and public cloud IaaS. The result is higher licensing spend, fragmented operations, and slow recovery. VergeIO and Cirrus Data address both sides of the problem: a universal migration path that keeps production online and a unifying destination that consolidates platforms into one operating model.

  • Cirrus Data delivers zero downtime migrations for clustered applications. Its software-only solution can migrate from nearly any hypervisor, including VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager (OLVM), Proxmox, OpenStack, and others, in addition to the public cloud IaaS. Organizations can now automate the move of heterogeneous estates on schedule and without disruption.
  • VergeOS replaces stacked products with a single operating system covering virtualization, storage, networking, and AI. Per-server licensing, hardware portability, and deep abstraction extend hardware life and simplify operations across core, edge, ROBO (remote office/branch office), and Venues.

Review the VergeIO/Cirrus Data solution brief to learn more.

“Sprawl is the tax on indecision,” said Yan Ness, CEO of VergeIO. “Enterprises didn’t plan to run three hypervisors and a cloud sidecar, but that’s where the market led them. Our partnership with Cirrus Data gives IT a practical way out: move everything with minimal downtime and land on a single, cohesive platform.”

“Consolidation isn’t a one-off,” said Wayne Lam, CEO of Cirrus Data. “Our data mobility solutions give organizations an easy, automated way to securely migrate every acquisition or new business unit to VergeOS quickly, regardless of the starting platform. With Cirrus Data and VergeIO, organizations can prevent sprawl from returning and keep operations streamlined.”

According to analysis highlighted in VergeIO’s new white paper and solution brief, enterprises that consolidate into VergeOS with Cirrus Data can reduce three-year total cost of ownership by 50%+, achieve 12–18 month payback, and gain a platform ready for private AI without standing up separate clusters.

To learn more, register here for the VergeIO/Cirrus webinar on 9/25 at 1:00pm ET.

About VergeIO
VergeIO is the VMware alternative. Its ultraconverged infrastructure platform, VergeOS, integrates virtualization, storage, networking, and AI into a single operating system with unmatched simplicity and cost savings. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, VergeIO helps enterprises, service providers, and public sector organizations consolidate infrastructure, extend hardware life, and prepare for the future of AI.

About Cirrus Data
Cirrus Data Solutions Inc. (CDS) is a leader in the block data mobility technology and services market for global enterprises. The company distributes its solutions through systems integrators, managed service providers, channel resellers, and partners. CDS is headquartered in Syosset, New York, with support centers in Dublin, Ireland, and Nanjing, China, with sales and support offices in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Denver, London, Melbourne, Munich, and Tampa. For more information, visit CDS online https://cirrusdata.com/cloud-migration-vergeio 

Media Contact:
Judy Smith
JPR for [email protected]
818-522-9673

Media Contact:
Julie McKenna
Cirrus Data
[email protected] 

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: , , , , ,

by

In addition to being less expensive and delivering feature parity, VMware alternatives must also provide high-performance migration out of the legacy platform. What sounds like a fast migration time—a couple of minutes per virtual machine (VM)—can actually cause significant outages. The impact of this slow migration is often overlooked during testing because the customer doesn’t migrate at an equal scale to their production environment.

Why Fast Migration is Critical

Most VMware Alternatives require that the VMware VM be powered off during the migration, and all require it for the final cut-over. As a result, seemingly fast migration times can result in substantial downtime when dealing with at-scale migrations. For example, a migration time of two minutes per VM might seem reasonable. However, when extrapolated to 100 VMs, it totals over three hours (200 minutes). For 1,000 VMs, this translates to over 33 hours (2,000 minutes) of potential downtime, which is simply unacceptable for most businesses. Even if migration is done ten VMs at a time, there is the potential for 10 outages of 20 minutes each. The prolonged migration time can lead to significant disruptions, affecting productivity, customer service, and revenue.

On August 15th VergeIO, we demonstrate, live the capability to migrate over 100 VMware VMs in less than five seconds. This high-performance VMware migration significantly reduces downtime, ensuring business continuity and minimizing operational impact. Because VergeOS’ integrated migration capability leverages the VMware backup API set and, therefore, also supports change block tracking, customers can make the final cutover with an absolute minimum of downtime.

IT Time Savings from High-Performance VMware Migration

High-performance VMware migration optimizes efficiency and resource use. Quick transitions free up IT personnel, allowing teams to focus on other critical tasks instead of lengthy migration processes. This efficiency saves time and reduces labor costs and resource usage.

Our solution, VergeOS, exemplifies this efficiency. By integrating the VMware migration function into a unified data center operating environment, VergeOS enables the rapid migration of VMs, optimizing the use of existing hardware and resources. IT can migrate VMs in seconds and spin up test environments in less than a minute. They will also find that the VergeOS interface is faster and more responsive than VMware vCenter.

High-Performance VMware Migration

Cost Savings with High-Performance VMware Migration

Extended migration periods often come with increased costs. Slow migration can lead to the need for additional hardware. Customers must typically acquire a complete suite of extra servers to be available for the duration of the migration process. High-performance VMware migration solutions like VergeIO’s can dramatically reduce these costs. Fast migrations and a flexible code base mean that VergeOS can utilize existing hardware, making “migrate-in-place” a reality.

High-Performance VMware Migration

Enhanced Testing and Performance Through High-Performance VMware Migration

Another critical factor is the ability to create test environments quickly. Slow migration processes can extend testing periods, potentially leading to incomplete or inadequate testing. This can result in unforeseen issues when the alternative platform goes live. High-performance VMware migration ensures that test environments can be created and validated quickly, allowing thorough compatibility and performance testing.

VergeOS facilitates this by enabling the rapid creation of multiple test environments thanks to its fast migration. Its Virtual Data Center technology enables multiple virtual test labs to be created of the same group of VMs or workloads to facilitate parallel testing. This capability ensures that businesses have confidence in the new environment’s performance and reliability.

Scalability and Reduced Risk with High-Performance VMware Migration

High-performance VMware migration is essential for scalability. As businesses grow, their IT infrastructure needs to scale accordingly. Slow migration processes can hinder this growth, leading to bottlenecks and delays. With VergeIO’s rapid migration capabilities, businesses can scale their infrastructure efficiently, migrating additional VMs as needed without significant downtime.

The Value of VergeOS Post-Migration

Once the migration to VergeOS is complete, businesses can immediately begin to realize several key benefits:

  1. Cost Efficiency: VergeOS reduces operational costs through optimized resource utilization, reduced infrastructure requirements, and a per-server licensing model. This efficiency allows organizations to allocate budgets and resources to other strategic initiatives.
  2. Enhanced Security: Post-migration, VergeOS continues to employ advanced encryption and security protocols to ensure data integrity and confidentiality, providing ongoing protection for sensitive information.
  3. Secure Multi-Tenancy: VergeOS supports secure multi-tenancy, enabling multiple customers or departments to share the same infrastructure while ensuring strict isolation and security for each tenant. This capability enhances resource utilization while maintaining robust security standards.
  4. Scalability: VergeOS supports dynamic scaling, allowing organizations to expand their virtual environments as needed easily. Nodes of different types can be added to the VergeOS instance, including compute-only or storage-only servers. This flexibility ensures that IT infrastructure can grow in line with business demands and that servers can run for years beyond their warranty.
  5. Simplified Management: VergeOS offers a user-friendly interface and comprehensive management tools, streamlining ongoing operations and making it easier for IT teams to manage and monitor virtual environments. Customers repeatedly tell us they can get more done in their day with VergeOS than they could under VMware.
  6. Improved Performance: Organizations benefit from VergeOS’ optimized performance, which enhances application speed and reliability. This results in a more responsive and efficient IT environment, contributing to overall operational excellence.

Conclusion

As Chris Mellor over at Blocks and Files said, “Several suppliers of alternative hypervisor systems,” so when considering a VMware alternative, the ability to migrate VMware VMs quickly and efficiently is a critical differentiator. High-performance migration reduces downtime, enhances efficiency, cuts costs, and ensures thorough testing. VergeIO’s solution, VergeOS, exemplifies these benefits, making it a compelling choice for businesses looking to transition from VMware. It offers not only a rapid transfer but also a more robust and complete solution capable of virtualizing the entire data center.

If you are interested in witnessing this high-performance VMware migration in action, we are hosting a webinar on August 15th, 2024, at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT. The webinar will feature a live demonstration showcasing the migration of 100 VMware VMs in seconds, highlighting the significant advantages of our solution. Register now to see this rapid migration in action and learn more about how VergeIO can transform your IT infrastructure.

VIO – Demonstration: Executing VMware Migration at Scale

For more information about VergeIO and to see the press release detailing our latest achievements, visit VergeIO Simplifies VMware Migration.

Filed Under: VMwareExit Tagged With: , ,

by

Most of the questions in a recent event we did with Truth In IT were about comparing VMware to VergeOS. There were so many we couldn’t answer them all during the session. Since we think these are questions that even IT professionals who didn’t attend the event will ask, we’ve assembled a blog answering them. If you missed the event, you can watch the on-demand version here.

In addition to comparing VMware to VergeOS questions, there were plenty of questions related to resiliency, ransomware protection, and scalability. We will get to all those questions in a future blog.

The top comparing VMware to VergeOS questions were:

comparing VMware to VergeOS
Watch the VergeOS Deep Dive
  1. Is VergeOS a complete replacement for VMware?
  2. How do you migrate from VMware to VergeOS?
  3. Is using VergeOS easier than using VMware?
  4. Is VergeOS better for smaller organizations than VMware?
  5. Is VergeOS suitable for large data centers?
  6. How does VergeOS’ performance compare to VMware’s?
  7. How does VergeIO’s support compare to VMware’s?

Before we answer the questions, let’s see how VergeOS compares to VMware.

Comparing VMware to VergeOS as a Data Center Platform

About five years ago, VMware’s VMworld event theme was “Software Defined Data Center. (SDDC)” The company wanted to move beyond software-defining a server with their hypervisor toward software-defining storage (vSAN) and the network (NSX). Organizations that embrace an SDDC concept can use whatever hardware they wish to meet their needs. If they become dissatisfied with a software vendor, like VMware, they can switch without being forced to replace hardware. The customer is in control.

At VergeIO, we agree with the premise of SDDC but disagree with VMware’s execution. Instead of creating a tightly integrated data center operating system, they, through acquisition, created a stack of software packages that IT must manage separately. They were building a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI). The problem with HCI is that while the architecture bundles the data center’s three primary components (compute, network, storage), they, are still three separate entities. Where the old three-tier stack (Network-Hypervisor-SAN) was physically separated, HCI is logically separated. This physical or logical separation leads to continued complexity and lack of efficiency. It doesn’t solve anything.

VergeOS integrates into a single code base, networking, server virtualization, and storage. We call it Ultraconverged Infrastructure (UCI). One data center operating system is easier to manage and is far more efficient than one that operates as a series of interconnected parts. As a result, customers get better performance and scalability from the existing hardware.

Comparing VMware to VergeOS highlights the core difference is how the development teams craft their solutions. Do you stack a bunch of separate software packages together and try to hide their separation through a common interface, or do you provide all the functionality through a single interface? One leads to inefficient use of hardware and expensive, complicated licensing agreements. The other leads to very efficient hardware use and a simple, inexpensive licensing model.

To learn more about the VergeOS architecture, watch this deep-dive LightBoard video of with CTO and founder, Greg Campbell.

Is VergeOS a Complete Replacement for VMware?

Yes, but you don’t have to flip the switch on day one and throw out VMware. Most customers move to VergeOS gradually. They start with a proof of concept, which is usually up and running in less than an hour, then move to use our IOprotect solution to reduce their disaster recovery costs. After that, VergeOS now has a copy of all the data, so they may start using VergeOS for test-dev, QA, or reporting. Next, they may start putting new workloads into the environment and then finally start moving production workloads. The result is a seamless transition that goes at a pace you define.

If you want to learn how to enhance your VMware DR strategy while lowering costs, register for our interactive virtual whiteboard session, live on April 12th.

How do You Migrate from VMware to VergeOS

comparing VMware to VergeOS

Comparing VMware to VergeOS requires migration, and our IOmigrate capability makes that seamless. Once you install VergeOS on a couple of nodes, you can point it at the VMware cluster, and you’ll see all the virtual machines (VM) in our interface. At that point, you can select some or all of the virtual machines and import them into the VergeOS environment. Once the VMs are running under VergeOS, take a snapshot of them, which protects the original copy, then you can stress-test it to your heart’s content without fear of data loss. Our snapshots are space efficient, immutable, and don’t impact performance, so you can take as many as you want and retain them indefinitely.

comparing VMware to VergeOS

Sign up for our Digital Learning Guide and learn how to create a VMware Exit Strategy.

Comparing VMware to VergeOS Ease of Use

It is easy for any vendor to claim that their solution is easier to use than another solution. To compare VMware to VergeOS regarding ease of use, I’ll relay what our customers tell us. Most tell us they can get the proof of concept going in an hour. The move to using us as a DR target and the move to production is seamless because it is all the same software.

Operationally the common theme is “it just works” and “I go for weeks without even touching it.” They all rave about the ease of implementing patches and software updates. That is the value of one software to drive the entire data center. The user interface is very easy to interact with while still enabling very advanced capabilities.

Is VergeOS Suitable for Small Organizations

Small Organizations, or what we call the server room use case, embrace the idea of VergeOS for several reasons. First, you can easily start with two nodes, loaded with storage, and, in many cases, address all your needs for virtualization, storage, and networking. Small data centers or server rooms often also mean small IT teams. One data center operating system that controls all functions makes day-to-day operations easy. VergeOS is also inexpensive. We don’t charge by cores, memory, or even storage capacity. The software is priced per node, so two or three licenses are all you need for a typical server room deployment.

Is VergeOS Suitable for Large Data Centers

VergeOS’ suitability for small organizations doesn’t mean it isn’t suitable for large organizations. We have customers with over one hundred nodes in a single instance of VergeOS. Those customers typically manage thousands of virtual machines and multiple petabytes of capacity. They also enjoy and benefit from the ease of use and cost savings of VergeOS.

Comparing VMware to VergeOS Performance

The efficiency of VergeOS helps both large and small data center customers. We are often installed on the same hardware that used to run VMware. Customers find the VergeOS environment performs much better than VMware. The improvement in performance means they can virtualize more workloads on fewer servers, delay the planned purchase of new servers, and run servers for years longer than expected. They can also virtualize some workloads that they thought must run on bare metal.

Comparing VMware to VergeOS Support

It is hard to compare support between the two companies. We hear from customers switching to VergeOS that the quality of VMware support is declining, especially for smaller customers. I speak to customers every week who are astounded by the quality of our technical support and amazed at how far the team will go to help them fix problems that don’t have anything to do with VergeOS.

Conclusion

Comparing VMware to VergeOS shines a light on the efficiency of our software. Our developers continue to invest in ensuring the software runs at its most optimal level, gets the most out of the available hardware resources, and presents its power in the simplest form possible. The result is a drastic reduction in infrastructure costs and dramatic increases in operational efficiency. This craftsmanship is immediately apparent when you install the software and is why so many customers are switching from VMware and Hyper-V to VergeOS.

Next Steps

Try It: Register to download an evaluation copy of the software.

Watch: A LightBoard Video of our CTO discussing the VergeOS architecture.

Learn: How to Create a VMware Exit Strategy with our Digital Learning Guide

Register: For our next Whiteboard Wednesday, VMware Disaster and Ransomware Recovery—The Three NEW Best Practices

Filed Under: Virtualization Tagged With: , ,