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The Infrastructure Modernization Problem

The Infrastructure Modernization Problem is rooted in ecosystem overload—years of fragmented, overly complex, and vendor-dependent IT infrastructure. IT managers today face challenges including disruptive virtualization vendor acquisitions, escalating public cloud costs, demanding AI infrastructure requirements, and persistent skills shortages. While these challenges may appear distinct, they all…

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Solving Shadow AI Risk

An effective enterprise AI strategy must directly address the growing challenge of Shadow AI—employees independently using publicly accessible cloud-based AI services to process sensitive corporate data without IT oversight. Shadow AI introduces significant risks, including data privacy breaches, regulatory non-compliance, exposure of intellectual property, and reduced operational…

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Practical Use Cases for On-Premises AI

There are practical use cases for on-premises AI versus using AI in the public cloud, particularly in situations that require enhanced security, data control, and regulatory compliance. By examining these specific examples, IT professionals can gain a deeper understanding of the unique benefits and operational advantages provided by practical use cases for on-premises AI. These use cases are not…

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Enterprise AI: Key Requirements and Why It Matters

Enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly evolved from experimental projects to mission-critical business drivers. Organizations across industries are now recognizing that AI is no longer a futuristic technology, but a foundational capability, required NOW, to enable innovation, efficiency, and competitive differentiation. While enterprises want to embrace AI, deploying it…

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VMware Alternative Data Availability

For organizations considering a VMware exit, IT should consider VMware alternative data availability options, which are potentially more critical than lowering license fees. Over-focusing on cost can leave the organization’s data vulnerable. Effective data availability strategies guarantee continuous access to data, even during hardware failures, and minimize downtime, safeguarding productivity…

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Leveraging Existing Hardware is Efficient

Leveraging existing hardware is efficient when looking for a VMware alternative and is a key element in improving IT operational performance. The problem is that most VMware alternative solutions either force you to buy new hardware from them or impose such a strict hardware compatibility list (HCL) that you’ll need to purchase new hardware to support the solution. Repurposing Hardware for…

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Why MSPs and VARs Seeking VMware Alternatives Should Rethink Their Infrastructure Strategy

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs) face challenging decisions today, particularly around the increasing complexity and cost of traditional virtualization platforms such as VMware. With recent market changes and rising licensing costs, many providers are actively seeking viable alternatives that simplify infrastructure management, reduce operational expenses, and…

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The Power of VDI Efficiency

How Software-First Infrastructure Lowers VDI Costs As organizations seek alternatives to VMware Horizon/Omnissa and Citrix, cost savings are often the driving motivation. But the real gains go beyond licensing models. Efficient software platforms for infrastructure and VDI delivery unlock new levels of performance, flexibility, and long-term savings by doing more with the hardware and storage…

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Reducing the Cost of Networking

How to Cut Costs Without Compromising Performance Many organizations are searching for a VMware alternative because its license fees are increasing rapidly, but reducing the cost of networking should be included in the search. This transition from VMware presents the perfect opportunity to extend infrastructure savings beyond the hypervisor and into the network. However, the only way to reduce…

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How to Eliminate Future Storage Refreshes with an Enterprise-Class vSAN

A storage refresh is often a costly and time-consuming process, forcing IT teams to evaluate, purchase, and migrate data every few years. The traditional approach of investing in dedicated storage arrays or single-vendor hyperconverged systems locks organizations into rigid, short-term solutions that require expensive forklift upgrades whenever performance, capacity, or workload requirements…

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Why a SAN Replacement and a VMware Exit Should Go Hand in Hand

As IT teams plan their infrastructure roadmaps for 2025, two major initiatives often surface: replacing aging Storage Area Networks (SANs) and exploring alternatives to VMware. While these projects might initially seem unrelated, there are compelling reasons to tackle them together. Coordinating a SAN replacement with a VMware exit can save time, reduce costs, and position your organization for a…

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The Hidden Cost of Per-Core Licensing

How Infrastructure Software Vendors Are Holding Back Sustainability In today’s world, where environmental concerns are at the forefront of decision-making, it’s frustrating to see many infrastructure software vendors cling to outdated, per-core licensing models that are at odds with the idea of sustainability. These licensing schemes raise costs for businesses and push companies into inefficient…

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Data Protection Requires Infrastructure Software to Take the Lead

When it comes to data protection and recovery, many IT professionals often rely too heavily on backup software as their primary safeguard. While backup solutions are essential for long-term data retention and recovering from user errors, they shouldn’t be the first line of defense. Instead, infrastructure software—including hypervisors, storage systems, and networking—should take the leading role…

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VMware Alternative Data Protection Checklist

Ensuring robust data protection and application resiliency is critical as organizations evaluate VMware alternatives. The right platform should provide comprehensive resiliency across data availability, disaster recovery, and system efficiency without adding complexity or cost. Here’s a checklist of critical capabilities to look for when transitioning from VMware: 1. Integrated Data Protection…

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Understanding the Differences Between VMware Alternatives

As organizations consider moving away from VMware, a growing number of alternatives have emerged, each promising to deliver comparable or superior virtualization capabilities at a lower cost. However, beneath the surface, these alternatives can vary significantly in their approaches, architectures, and overall effectiveness. Understanding these differences is crucial for IT professionals looking…

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Can HCI Replace a SAN?

I speak with two to three IT leaders daily looking for a VMware Alternative, and while most are open to using a hyperconverged infrastructure solution (HCI), they rightly wonder, can HCI replace a SAN? There are several very legitimate questions about the storage capabilities of HCI compared to a dedicated storage area network (SAN) or network-attached storage (NAS) system: Can HCI Scale? Is…

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Ransomware is an Infrastructure Problem

While most vendors focus on backups, ransomware is an infrastructure problem, not just a data problem. The problem is that the infrastructure is a complex mess, and infrastructure software companies, like VMware, have done little to help out beleaguered IT professionals; instead, the company continues to push organizations toward backup vendors. Backup is not the Ransomware Answer Every…