For over a decade, virtual machines (VMs) have provided the compute foundation for enterprise workloads. But the rapid innovation in containers and Kubernetes is spurring many organizations to look beyond VMs. The prospect of a more dynamic, scalable, and resilient infrastructure is compelling.
Yet the journey to Kubernetes can seem daunting. How do you migrate years’ worth of business-critical applications off of VMs? Can you really trust container orchestration for production reliability? What happens to all the operational skills and processes built around VMs?
The good news is that with the right strategy, you can chart a smooth course from VMs to Kubernetes. The key is implementing a “migration first” approach in your private cloud data center.
Rather than trying to run two vastly different environments side-by-side, the priority should be migrating to a modern container platform first. This allows you to learn and operate in the new Kubernetes environment without the burden of two operating models.
Of course, your existing virtual machines will still require a home. That’s where technologies like KubeVirt come in. KubeVirt makes it possible to run VM workloads alongside containers directly within Kubernetes pods. Suddenly, you have a consistent operating model in place where applications can gradually migrate from VMs to containers.
As compelling as the public cloud is, most enterprises are choosing private cloud data centers for these migrations. Maintaining full control over security, latency, and costs is paramount when transitioning business-critical systems. And utilizing existing on-premises infrastructure maximizes ROI on current investments.
Once in your private cloud, Kubernetes unlocks game-changing capabilities:
- Instantly scale applications to meet demands without sweat or tears. Kubernetes seamlessly spins up resources when you need them and winds them down when you don’t.
- Effortlessly roll out updates without downtime. Kubernetes’ rolling deployments allow you to push application changes frequently while abstracting away underlying complexities.
- Eliminate virtual server sprawl. Kubernetes allows you to run more workloads on less hardware through greater efficiency and higher utilization.
- Focus developers on code, not infrastructure. Kubernetes frees developers from infrastructure concerns by providing self-service access to shared resources.
The benefits don’t stop there. As you expand Kubernetes across on-premises environments, you gain centralized visibility and control. Operations are simplified dramatically. Troubleshooting, updating, and provisioning tasks that once took days or weeks suddenly is a matter of clicking a few buttons.
Of course, your team will need to skill up on Kubernetes. But migration-first prevents managing two competing environments. And with the right guidance, administrators can quickly get up to speed on Kubernetes through hands-on experience.
The journey to Kubernetes requires navigating between old and new. But by charting a purposeful course in your private cloud, you can reach the destination smoothly while bringing your valuable VMs along for the ride. A containerized future awaits—start mapping out your voyage today.