December 04, 2024

Azure VMware Solution in action: Customer and strategic use cases

John Thiele
Solution Lead – Infrastructure at Data#3

Azure VMware Solution (AVS) is a comprehensive, hosted VMware server virtualisation service on dedicated Azure infrastructure. Jointly engineered by VMware and Microsoft, AVS is built and managed by Microsoft.
 
AVS offers a seamless way to migrate or extend VMware environments to the cloud, preserving existing skills and tools while opening doors to Azure-native modernisation. AVS provides organisations with a fully managed, flexible infrastructure, supporting both immediate migration needs and long-term modernisation goals.

Customer example : Government department cuts costs and future-proofs with Azure VMware Solution

Facing rising VMware costs and aging on-premises hardware, a government department worked with Data#3 to evaluate their migration options. After comparing AVS with the cost of repurchasing and maintaining on-premises data centre infrastructure, they found AVS offered substantial savings and flexibility.

AVS migration solution

With Azure’s 3-year locked pricing model and extended support for legacy systems (Windows/SQL 2012), the department realised cost savings from reduced infrastructure spend. They also secured significant Microsoft funding for Data#3 deployment and migration services, which further supported the transition. Now established in Azure, they’re set to drive operational improvements and prepare for gradual application modernisation.

Key migration outcomes

Additional strategic use cases for AVS

Data centre footprint reduction or retirement

Easily lift and shift vSphere workloads to Azure, preserving existing environments with no hypervisor changes. AVS enables non-disruptive, scalable transitions with automation and high availability.

Scalable data centre expansion

Adjust capacity on demand with AVS, optimising costs for peak periods or short-term needs without long-term infrastructure investments.

Disaster recovery (DR) and continuity

Establish a secure, on-demand DR site with VMware on Azure, ensuring business continuity without added physical DR infrastructure.

Application enhancement and modernisation

Migrate quickly to AVS, then modernise applications over time by tapping into Azure-native services to enhance capabilities and reduce technical debt.




AVS offers a compelling combination of cost savings, reduced management overhead, and seamless migration, making it an ideal choice for VMware customers looking to modernise at their own pace.




Learn how AVS can support you with an ‘AVS Solution Workshop

Learn how Data#3’s ‘AVS Solution Workshop’ delivers a clear, cost-effective roadmap to cloud migration, offering an in-depth assessment and migration plan tailored to your organisation.


Why Data#3?

Data#3 brings extensive experience in delivering datacentre solutions, from procurement and deployment to seamless migration. As a leading Microsoft cloud provider and Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP), Data#3 leverages its deep partnership with both Broadcom and Microsoft to offer clients robust, integrated solutions that simplify and optimise their IT infrastructure.