Transitioning from VMware to VergeOS
Guide for VMware administrators migrating to VergeOS, covering architecture differences, terminology mapping, networking and storage comparisons, and step-by-step VM migration instructions.
Overview
Key Points
This guide maps VMware concepts to VergeOS equivalents to ease your transition.
VergeOS is a unified hyperconverged platform combining compute, storage, and networking into a single OS.
Your existing VMware knowledge transfers directly — most vSphere workflows have a VergeOS equivalent.
If you're a VMware user considering a shift to VergeOS, this guide will help you understand the differences in architecture, terminology, and workflows. VMware's vSphere and ESXi provide a robust virtualization platform, often paired with vSAN, NSX, or vCenter for storage, networking, and management. VergeOS, however, integrates these capabilities into a single, software-defined data center operating system. This document outlines the key distinctions and offers practical steps to migrate your VMware workloads to VergeOS.
From a Former VMware Admin
Migrating to a new platform can seem scary, especially after investing so much of your time and career into a technology that's been so beneficial for you. The good news is that moving to VergeOS is very straightforward. About 80% of the way you did things in vSphere can be done in VergeOS, so you can take your existing knowledge of virtualized environments and continue to use it. Many of us here at Verge.io are former admins ourselves of various virtualization platforms (including vSphere), and there are a number of aspects in VergeOS that we believe are quality-of-life improvements over what you're used to in vSphere.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with VMware vSphere, ESXi, and optionally vSAN or NSX.
Access to a VergeOS system or trial environment (see Bootable Media).
A backup of your VMware VMs and configurations before migration. (see VMware Backup/DR Guide).
Key Differences Between VMware and VergeOS
1. Architecture
Aspect
VMware (vSphere/ESXi)
VergeOS
Core Design
Separate hypervisor (ESXi) with optional vCenter for management. Add-ons like vSAN and NSX extend functionality.
Single OS integrating virtualization, storage (vSAN), and networking. No separate management layer required.
Deployment
Install ESXi on bare metal, then configure vCenter, vSAN, etc., separately.
Install VergeOS as a complete OS on nodes, creating a unified system from the start.
Scalability
Scale compute and storage independently with additional licenses (e.g., vSAN).
Scale-out with nodes (compute, storage, or both) within a single vSAN instance.
Multi-Tenancy
Limited native multi-tenancy; requires vCloud Director or manual segmentation.
Built-in nested multi-tenancy with isolated tenants and sub-tenants.
Takeaway: VergeOS eliminates the need for separate components like vCenter or NSX by embedding everything into one system, simplifying deployment and management.
2. Terminology Mapping
Understanding VergeOS terms in VMware context is crucial for a smooth transition:
VMware Term
VergeOS Equivalent
Notes
ESXi Host
Node
A physical server running VergeOS. Nodes can be Controller, Compute-Only, or Storage-Only.
vCenter
VergeOS UI
The web-based UI runs on Controller Nodes (Node 1 or 2) for system-wide management.
Cluster
Cluster
Groups of nodes with similar hardware, but VergeOS clusters share a single vSAN instance.
vSAN
vSAN
VergeOS’s vSAN is integral, pooling storage across all nodes automatically.
Datastore
vSAN Storage Tiers
VergeOS organizes storage into tiers (e.g., SSD, HDD) within the vSAN.
Virtual Switch
VergeFabric Physical Network
VergeOS can present the physical network uplinks across multiple nodes into a logical switch that is referred to as a "Physical Network" in VergeOS.
VM
VM
Virtual machines are similar, but VergeOS supports larger specs (e.g., 256TB disks).
dvPortGroup
VergeFabric External Network
Virtual Networks that can represent a Layer 2 Network (e.g. a VLAN) that a VM can have its virtual NIC on. Can also do Layer 3 services (routing, DNS, DHCP, BGP/OSPF, VPN).
vMotion
Migrate
Live migration of running VMs between nodes with no downtime.
VM Templates
VM Recipes
Customizable VM templates with Cloud-Init support, organized into Catalogs.
HA
HA
VMs automatically restart on surviving nodes during a node failure.
Storage DRS
Preferred Tier
Automatic fallback to the next available storage tier when the preferred tier lacks space.
NSX
VergeFabric
Built-in SDN platform providing L2/L3 networking, routing, DNS, DHCP, and VPN.
VMware Tools
QEMU Guest Agent
Optional agent for file system quiescing, graceful shutdown, and enhanced monitoring.
Resource Pool
Tenant
Tenants are isolated virtual data centers with their own resources and management.
Takeaway: While some terms overlap (e.g., VM, vSAN), VergeOS’s concepts like “Tenants” and “Internal Networks” offer more integrated and flexible options than VMware equivalents.
3. Networking
Feature
VMware
VergeOS
Networking
vSphere Distributed Switch or Standard Switch; NSX for advanced features.
Built-in layer 2/3 networking with Core Fabric and External Networks.
VLANs
Configured via virtual switches.
Configured on Physical Networks or Internal Networks.
Redundancy
NIC teaming or LACP on switches.
Core Fabric Networks (dedicated L2) and bonded External Networks.
Firewall/Security
NSX Distributed Firewall or external appliance.
Built-in firewall rules on Internal and External Networks.
DNS/DHCP
Typically handled by VMs or external services.
Built-in DNS and DHCP services on VergeOS networks.
Key Difference: VergeOS requires jumbo frames (MTU 9192) on Core Fabric Networks for vSAN and node communication, unlike VMware's optional jumbo frame support.
For a detailed guide on planning your network configuration, see Network Design.
4. Storage
VMware: vSAN is an optional add-on requiring specific licensing and configuration. Datastores are managed separately.
VergeOS: vSAN is the default storage system, pooling all node drives into tiers. No separate datastore creation is needed—storage is automatically available to VMs and tenants.
Migration Tip: Export VMware VMs as OVF/OVA files or use VergeOS’s VMware import tool (see Import from VMware).
5. Licensing
VMware: Per-CPU or per-socket licensing with separate licenses for vSphere, vSAN, NSX, vCenter, and other components. Costs can scale significantly as you add features or hosts.
VergeOS: Simplified per-node licensing that includes all platform features—compute, storage, networking, and multi-tenancy—in a single license. No additional add-on costs.
Takeaway: VergeOS's all-inclusive licensing model eliminates the complexity and cost of managing multiple VMware SKUs.
6. Management
VMware: vCenter provides a centralized UI, with command-line options via PowerCLI.
VergeOS: A web UI runs on Controller Nodes, with API access for automation (see API Guide).
Takeaway: VergeOS’s UI is more lightweight and always available, avoiding the need for a separate vCenter VM or appliance.
Migration Steps
1. Prepare Your VMware Environment
Backup VMs: Export critical VMs as OVF/OVA files or use a backup solution compatible with VergeOS (e.g., Veeam).
Document Configuration: Note VM specs (CPU, RAM, disks), network settings (VLANs, IPs), and storage details.
Check Compatibility: Review VergeOS’s Guest OS Compatibility for your workloads.
2. Set Up VergeOS
Install VergeOS: Follow the Installation Guide to deploy on at least two nodes (primary and secondary controllers).
Configure Networks: Set up Core Fabric Networks (dedicated L2) and an External Network matching your VMware VLANs (see Network Design).
Verify Storage: Ensure drives are assigned to appropriate tiers during installation (e.g., SSDs for Tier 0).
3. Migrate VMs
Import VMs:
Use VergeOS’s VMware import feature: Upload OVF/OVA files or connect directly to vSphere (see Import from VMware).
Alternatively, upload disk images to vSAN and create new VMs (see Uploading Files to vSAN).
Adjust Network Settings: Map VMware virtual switches to VergeOS Internal Networks or VLANs.
Test VMs: Boot migrated VMs and verify functionality (e.g., network connectivity, application performance).
4. Optimize Post-Migration
Leverage Tenants: Assign VMs to tenants for multi-tenancy or isolation (see Creating Tenants).
Set Up Snapshots: Configure system snapshots for backup and DR (see Snapshots Overview).
Monitor Performance: Use the VergeOS UI to track node and VM metrics (see Nodes Overview).
What's Next?
Now that you've migrated your VMware workloads, explore these resources to get the most out of VergeOS:
VM Best Practices - Optimize your virtual machine configurations.
Network Design - Plan and refine your network architecture.
Snapshots Overview - Set up backup and disaster recovery.
Creating Tenants - Organize workloads with multi-tenancy.
API Guide - Automate management tasks with the VergeOS API.
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