The internet world constantly changes. In this fast-moving world, companies want to grow better continuously with effective and lower-cost tools. If you manage a virtualized environment, you know the importance of selecting the right platform with respect to performance and cost effectiveness. 

Over the years, VMware has been a great player in the virtualization world, but the Proxmox virtual environment provides a powerful, open-source alternative to VMware, and many IT professionals are considering moving. Businesses can improve scalability, save license costs, and better adapt their virtual environment to changing IT demands with the latter’s integrated tools and support for KVM-based virtualization and containers.

Explore how to migrate from VMware to Proxmox step by step in this blog post, from the beginning planning stages to the final implementation.

Also Read: How to Convert Virtual Machines from VMware to VirtualBox?

Why Convert from VMware to Proxmox?

VMware has long been the industry standard for hypervisors, but recent changes have caused many companies to look for alternatives. The discontinuation of the free ESXi Hypervisor after VMware’s acquisition by Broadcom has pushed small and medium-sized businesses to seek other options, with Proxmox emerges as a popular choice. Here’s why businesses are making the switch:

1. Cost Efficiency: Proxmox VE is open-source and free to use, with optional paid support plans that are often more affordable than VMware’s licensing. This makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to save on costs without compromise on performance.
2. Open Source: Developed with the support of a strong community, Proxmox VE offers transparency and flexibility and allows businesses to customize their setups as needed.
3. Unified Platform: Proxmox VE integrates virtualization (KVM) and containerization (LXC) into a single platform, streamlining management and reducing complexity.
4. Scalability: Proxmox VE is designed to scale easily, from small setups to large deployments, without extra licensing fees.
5. Advanced Features: Proxmox VE offers powerful features like high availability, backup and restoration, and advanced clustering, making it a comprehensive solution for growing businesses.

Key Steps to Plan Migration from VMware to Proxmox VE

Review Your VMware Setup

First, check your current VMware setup. List all the Virtual Machines (VMs) along with their configurations, including network settings, storage setup, and any special VM needs. Choose the right time to migrate from VMware to Proxmox to avoid major disruptions. Also, make sure that your hardware meets Proxmox VE’s system requirements.

Steps to Take

1. List All VMs: Write down all the VMs, their configurations, data, and applications.
2. Check Hardware Compatibility: Make sure your hardware meets the Proxmox VE requirements.

Set Migration Objectives 

• Determine Your Goals: Decide what you want to achieve, like reduce costs, improving performance, or gain new features.
• Define Success: Choose how you will measure success, such as better VM performance, apps working well, or positive user feedback.

Identify Application Dependencies  to Migrate from VMware to Proxmox

It’s important to know how your apps and services rely on each other across VMs for a smooth migration. Tools like application performance monitoring (APM) can help you track these connections. When migrating, plan the order of VM moves to reduce downtime and avoid breaking any dependencies. After migrating to Proxmox, check that all dependencies are still configured appropriately to avoid problems. 

Prepare for Data Loss

Make sure you back up important data before start the migration. This helps you recover anything lost during the process.

Test the Migration Process

Read More: How to Migrate VMware to Hyper-V with Vinchin Backup & Recovery

How to Manually Migrate from VMware to Proxmox VE?

To migrate from VMware to Proxmox, follow these steps:

Export the VM in OVF format
Open the virtual machine in VMware and go to “File” then export to OVF. Click Save to start the export process.

Enable SSH on VMware ESXi
In the vSphere Client, go to Configure > Services > SSH, then click START to enable SSH.

Find the VM Storage Path
Select Volume from Storage and click Summary to view the storage path. 

Connect to the ESXi host IP using tools like WinSCP, Clonezilla, or PuTTY. Run the command on the terminal and click Execute.

Use the OVF Tool for Migration
The OVF tool simplifies the migration process that allows you to change the VM disk format from ESXi to Proxmox and pull down the OVF file, which contains details like CPU, memory, and network settings.

• Install the OVF tool on Proxmox VE.
• Unzip the file on Proxmox VE using the apt install command.
• Launch the OVF tool and connect to VMware with the VM name and path. This will create the VM on Proxmox VE using the command: 

./ovftool vi://root@{IP or FQDN of ESXi host}/{VM name} /path/to/export/location

• Verify the VM details after connection.

Import the VM on Proxmox
Once exported, go to the directory containing the VM’s .ovf and .vmdk files.
Use the command: qm importovf {vmid} {VM name}.ovf {target storage}

Import the VM Disk
Run this command: qm importdisk /var/lib/location/vmname.vmdk {target storage}.

The converted VMDK disk will appear as an Unused Disk in Proxmox VE.

Configure the Disk
Click the VM > Hardware > Unused Disk 0, then select Edit. Set the bus/device type to SATA.

Adjust Boot Order
Go to Options > Boot Order and move the newly attached disk to the top of the list.

Start the VM
To check if the VM was successfully migrated, click the VM, select Console, and click Start Now.

Also Read: Proxmox VE 8.4: Live Migration, vGPU, and Backup API Power-Up

Conclusion

In conclusion, migrating from VMware to Proxmox involves a clear, systematic process, which includes exporting VMs, enabling SSH, and using the OVF tool. Proper configuration and testing ensure the VM functions correctly in Proxmox. By following these steps, businesses can transition smoothly to a cost-effective solution. With proper planning, the migration will minimize downtime and optimize performance.