What Skill Sets and Training are Required for IT Teams to Handle VMware Replacement?

The exact requirements depend on the chosen alternative platform, but some common foundational skills are typically needed, including:

• Virtualization Basics: Understanding hypervisor architecture, VM lifecycle management, and resource scheduling.
• Storage & Networking: Familiarity with virtual storage concepts, software-defined networking, and microsegmentation policies.
• Container & Kubernetes Knowledge: As many modern platforms integrate Kubernetes, basic container orchestration skills can be beneficial.
• Automation & Scripting: Ability to use APIs, CLI tools, or scripts to automate deployment and operations.

If IT teams aim to minimize learning costs and speed up migration, it’s recommended to:

1. Choose a Platform with VMware-like Advanced Features and Visual Interface

A familiar UI and feature parity with VMware’s vSphere can help administrators quickly adapt without extensive retraining.

2. Select a Solution Supporting Both VMware Virtualization and Third-Party Virtualization

This enables teams to adopt a VMware-virtualization-converged deployment to reduce vSphere-exiting risks; first validating the new platform’s storage reliability and performance, then smoothly migrating vSphere VMs to the new platform’s native virtualization platform.

3. Work with a Vendor Offering Rapid Response and Professional Support

Access to expert documentation, structured training, and responsive technical support can significantly reduce operational risks during the transition.

✅ Example: Arcfra’s Transition-Friendly Approach

As a sample vendor recognized in the 2025 Gartner® A Guide to Choosing a VMware Alternative in the Wake of Broadcom Acquisition, Arcfra Enterprise Cloud Platform (AECP) enables IT teams to leverage existing VMware skills while gradually adopting new operations models with minimal disruption, and provides:

• Intuitive interface, no need to learn twice: AECP offers a graphical user interface (GUI) with intuitive dashboards and comprehensive management features for VMs, containers, networking, storage, security, etc. Administrators can perform familiar operations — such as provisioning, monitoring, logging, and policy management — without the need for complex CLI, significantly reducing retraining costs.
• Support Arcfra Virtualization Engine and integration with ESXi: AECP supports Arcfra's KVM-based virtualization - Arcfra Virtualization Engine (AVE), and seamless integration with VMware ESXi. IT teams can manage ESXi-based and AVE-based workloads side by side on the same platform. This not only simplifies operations but also allows enterprises to validate AECP's distributed storage and reliability before fully migrating, reducing risk during transition.
• Enterprise-grade support services: Arcfra offers comprehensive migration services, including Arcfra Migration Tools, migration planning services, and hands-on technical assistance. With 24/7 expert support, enterprises gain peace of mind knowing they have access to experienced engineers who can guide them through deployment, optimization, and issue resolution, ensuring business continuity throughout the migration journey.

For more information on AECP as a VMware alternative, please refer to：

Arcfra Distributed Storage vs. VMware vSAN: Comparable Features, Optimized Performance, and Stability

Arcfra vs. VMware: A Deep Dive into Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity

Arcfra Operation Center vs. VMware vCenter for Centralized VM and Cluster Management

Arcfra Virtualization Engine vs. VMware vSphere: Higher Availability with Optimized Performance

Arcfra Kubernetes Engine vs. vSphere with Tanzu: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Arcfra Network Service vs. VMware NSX: Comparable Capabilities, Streamlined Management

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