AWS re:Invent 2025 - Migrating your VMware workloads with on-premises dependencies (HMC309)

Migrating VMware Workloads with On-Premises Dependencies

Overview

• AWS has designed a set of services to help customers migrate and modernize from VMware to the cloud at their own pace.
• The presentation covers the challenges of running on-premises infrastructure, the AWS strategy for hybrid and multi-cloud migrations, and a customer case study with Caesars Entertainment.

Challenges of On-Premises Infrastructure

• Difficulty accurately estimating the total cost of ownership (TCO) for on-premises infrastructure, especially for personnel, facilities, and technical debt.
• Increasing business and technical drivers pushing organizations to migrate to the cloud.
• Key challenges include:
  • Migration timelines and demonstrating value
  • Data sovereignty and regulatory requirements
  • Running AI/ML-augmented applications on-premises

AWS Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Strategy

• AWS "Where You Need It" strategy provides a journey for customers to migrate from on-premises to the cloud.
  • AWS Outposts: AWS infrastructure deployed on-premises
  • AWS Local Zones: AWS infrastructure in metropolitan areas
• Customers can take a lift-and-shift approach or gradually modernize by leveraging AWS managed services.
• Importance of considering migration timelines, requirements, and cost optimization.

Caesars Entertainment Case Study

• Caesars is the largest casino entertainment company in the US, with a focus on mobile and online gaming.
• Key challenges included:
  • Complexity of managing disparate on-premises infrastructure and tooling
  • Costs of maintaining legacy systems and VMware licensing
  • Performance limitations of overprovisioned VMware resources
• Migration to AWS Outposts:
  • Moved database VMs and containerized workloads to Outpost
  • Achieved 3-4x performance improvements by right-sizing resources
  • Simplified infrastructure management and reduced operational costs
  • Addressed data residency requirements by keeping workloads on-premises

Technical Approach and Lessons Learned

• Importance of "slotting" - carefully planning resource allocation on Outpost racks
• Addressing single points of failure, such as power and connectivity to the AWS region
• Leveraging AWS tools like Transform to automate assessment, optimization, and migration
• Iterating and improving the migration process across multiple waves and states

Key Takeaways

• AWS provides a hybrid and multi-cloud strategy to help customers migrate VMware workloads at their own pace.
• Caesars Entertainment achieved significant performance improvements, simplified operations, and addressed data residency requirements by migrating to AWS Outposts.
• Careful planning, automation, and an iterative approach are crucial for successful on-premises to cloud migrations.