Virtualization licensing just got complicated. With VMware's Broadcom acquisition driving 3x cost increases and Microsoft introducing new subscription models, IT leaders need a clear roadmap. This blog provides the analysis and insights you need to make informed decisions that align with your budget and strategy.
Welcome to Part 2 of our “Beyond the Cloud: The Case for On-Premises Virtualization” series. In our introductory post, we explored why organizations are reconsidering their virtualization strategies post-VMware acquisition. In Part 1, we conducted a detailed five-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis comparing Windows Hyper-V, Azure VMware Solution (AVS), and Azure Local, revealing how different cost structures impact long-term budgets.
A key factor driving those cost differences was how each platform’s licensing model works.
Introduction In our previous blog post, we explored why organizations are reconsidering their virtualization strategy post-VMware and highlighted the often-overlooked value of Windows Server Failover Clustering with Hyper-V. Now, in this first follow-up post of the "Beyond the Cloud: The Case for On-Premises Virtualization" series, we dive into the financial side of that decision. Specifically, we will compare the five-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for three possible platforms to run a 100-Virtual Machine (VM) workload:
From My Perspective as a Microsoft Azure Hybrid MVP – Two Decades in Microsoft Hybrid & HCI I write this blog as a longtime Microsoft advocate with two decades of hands-on experience—from early Hyper-V in 2008 to today’s Azure Local. This series aims to highlight the potential of Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) as a viable alternative for organizations transitioning away from VMware, especially in light of Broadcom’s acquisition. While I value Azure’s Cloud and Hybrid offerings, I believe Microsoft’s current messaging overlooks WSFC’s capabilities in providing cost-effective, high-availability solutions.
Introduction Azure Local (formerly Azure Stack HCI) Key characteristics and features Azure Local Use cases Traditional WSFC with External SAN/NAS Storage Key characteristics and features Traditional WSFC Use cases Windows Server Failover Clustering with Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) Key characteristics and features WSFC with S2D Use cases Comparative Analysis of the Three Solutions Comparison Matrix Azure Local – Pros and Cons Traditional WSFC + SAN – Pros and Cons WSFC + Storage Spaces Direct – Pros and Cons Industry and Workload Considerations Industry Examples Workload Examples Optional Azure Integration for WSFC (SAN or S2D) Clusters Decision Framework – Choosing the Right Approach Conclusion Introduction In modern Windows infrastructure, there are multiple strategies for building highly available clusters.
