Decisions around VMware alternatives are made based on slideware, vendor positioning, or limited proof of concepts that do not reflect real operational complexity.
Proof of Value Environment
VMware Alternatives Test-Drive
BY iShift
Not a scripted demo. We provide you with a production-grade lab designed to replicate the conditions of an enterprise data center. It is a hands-on platform and migration test with infrastructure that behaves exactly like what you are evaluating.
Interact with each solution
The same way you would in
your own environment
Test migrations, performance, operations, and behavior under real world conditions with Platform9 PCD, Nutanix AHV, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization.
Simulate your own workloads, execute migrations from VMware, and observe the full cycle. From provisioning and networking behavior to backup, restore, and failover scenarios.
WHY WE BUILT IT
We kept seeing the same problem in the market
The lab exists to remove that uncertainty before decisions are made, giving you a safe place to pressure-test assumptions and validate outcomes.
not just Demo Results
Decision-Ready
We translate test findings into a clear recommendation, including platform fit, migration approach, risks, and expected outcomes, so you can move forward with confidence.
not an isolated Test
Your Ecosystem
We incorporate your real dependencies, including networking, security, backup, identity, and CI/CD pipelines, so you uncover integration challenges early, not during production. Our deep platform expertise ensures nothing critical is overlooked.
reduce execution risk
Migrations at Scale
We bring deep expertise to plan and validate how your migration will perform at scale, including velocity, batching strategy, and execution model, so you can move large environments with predictability and control.
Beyond Migration
Decision-Ready
Test how each platform operates after go-live, including provisioning, scaling, backup, and monitoring, ensuring your team is ready to run it, not just deploy it.
THE iShift ADVANTAGE
Two options for comparative testing across platforms
Something that is nearly impossible to achieve internally without significant investment.
The result is clarity. Not just on which platform works, but on which one works best for your specific operating model.
1
Validate in Your Own Environment
Test migrations, performance, and operations directly within your infrastructure, so you can make decisions based on how your environment actually behaves.
2
Compare Platforms Side-by-Side
Use our production-grade infrastructure and connected VMware environment to run live migrations and evaluate platforms side-by-side, giving you a clear, unbiased view of performance, operations, and trade-offs before committing.
Predictability and control that is critical for large enterprises
Request a Test-DriveOur metrics are not just indicators of volume.
They demonstrate a repeatable, industrialized approach to migration. One that reduces risk, accelerates timelines, and allows your organization to plan your transition with confidence.
iShift is actively supporting
the migration of over
the migration of over
+0 K VMs
out of VMware
Across VMware exit
initiatives
+0
hypervisors
With an average migration velocity of
+0 VMs
per day
And a cost efficiency
of approximately
of approximately
$0
per VM migrated
FAQ
What you need to know
More questions? Feel free to reach out! We’ll be happy to answer them all.
What's the process to access?
We begin with a discovery session to understand your VMware setup and define the right testing focus. From there, we provide secure access to our environment, where your team can work directly with platforms like Platform9, Nutanix, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization.
You’ll be able to explore these options side by side, deploy and manage VMs, and test real day-to-day operations, in some cases even within your own infrastructure. We also enable VMware migration testing, allowing you to run workflows, validate tools, and understand timelines.
Finally, we review results with your team and provide clear, objective guidance so you can make an informed, low-risk decision.
What does the lab cover?
The iShift Lab is designed to evaluate your current VMware environment and future-state options in a structured, hands-on way. We assess:
- Workload types (mission-critical, databases, legacy, stateless)
- Infrastructure dependencies (networking, storage, identity, security)
- Application architecture and interdependencies
- Operational model (provisioning, monitoring, backup, DR)
- Performance and capacity baselines
- Compliance and regulatory considerations
- Your IT strategy and modernization roadmap
This allows us to map your current state to the right target platform and migration approach, not just a generic recommendation.
Can I test migrations from my own environment?
Yes. We can securely connect your environment to the lab and validate platform behavior and operations, test migrations, and pressure test real workloads
This provides the most accurate view of how your migration will perform.
Is the Proof of Value Enviroment free of cost?
We offer a no-cost initial assessment and guided lab access so your team can validate platforms and migration approaches without upfront commitment.
If you want to go deeper, for example:
- Integration with your own environment
- Large-scale migration simulations
- Application-level validation
- Performance benchmarking
- Architecture design workshops
We can provide a tailored engagement based on your scope and timeline.
What happens after the lab evaluation?
You receive:
- A clear migration strategy
- Platform recommendation aligned to your goals
- Estimated migration timeline and velocity
- Risk and dependency analysis
- Cost and operational impact insights
Is this a demo environment or real infrastructure?
This is real, production-grade infrastructure, not a demo.
You will:
- Access actual enterprise platforms
- Run real migrations
- Validate performance and operations
This ensures your evaluation reflects real-world conditions, not theoretical outcomes.
How is this different from vendor-led proofs of concept?
Vendor PoCs typically focus on one platform and highlight best-case scenarios.
The iShift’s Proof of Value Enviroment:
- Compares multiple platforms side-by-side
- Can includes your real workloads
- Tests real operational and migration scenarios
It is designed for decision-making, not product demonstration.
Does iShift provide migration assessments beyond the lab platforms?
Yes. While the lab provides hands-on access to, Platform9 PCD, Nutanix AHV, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, our advisory and migration capabilities extend to AWS, Microsoft Azure, hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
We help you evaluate and migrate to the platform that best fits your technical, financial, and operational goals.
More about our migration options.
Is iShift a reseller or just a consulting partner?
We are both. iShift is a strategic partner, certified integrator, and reseller.
This means we support you across the full lifecycle:
- Platform selection
- Procurement
- Migration execution
- Optimization and cost control
- Ongoing operations, tuning, code refactoring
WHY iShift
Deep, hands-on expertise
A lab built from years of executing complex migrations and understanding where projects succeed or fail.
We were able to build this environment from decades of experience across virtualization, cloud, storage, networking, and migration at scale.
That experience shaped every component, from platform selection to backup integration to migration workflows. The outcome is a space where infrastructure decisions are made with the same rigor as the environments they will ultimately run.
Working with iShift has been an exceptional experience. They provided deep expertise while testing an alternative to VMware and helped us identify the solution that best aligns with our long-term IT strategy.
Their communication was clear and proactive, and they were always helpful, and highly professional. We would gladly recommend their services to any organization navigating a similar transformation.
How a Global Health Manufacturer De-Risked Their VMware Exit
Read the case studyChosen by 150+ Companies
20+ years of Cloud Expertise
Test Before You Decide
Trusted by global companies
Get in Touch
Let’s start with a quick chat.
iShift’s cloud experience made our migration fast and seamless while keeping our data integrity and business continuity intact. Our collaboration is a true partnership.
kr
Kevin Rhode
CIO, District Medical Group