OVERVIEW
SFU is undertaking a necessary transition of our core technology infrastructure, moving from our current cloud provider (VMware) to a new platform (Nutanix). This article explains the VMware to Nutanix (V2N) Migration Project, including why SFU is moving from VMware to Nutanix, what’s changing for VM (Virtual Machine) owners, and what to expect during the migration period.
Virtual Machine (VM) - A virtual machine (VM) is a software defined, simulated computer that runs within a physical machine. It operates exactly like a physical computer, with its own CPU, memory, and storage, and runs its own operating system (like Windows or Linux) completely isolated from the rest of the host computer.
VMware - VMware is an existing cloud service provider of SFU where all of our VMs are hosted.
Nutanix - Nutanix is going to be our new service provider to host all of our VMs. Replace this text with your message.
Introduction to the VMware to Nutanix (V2N) Migration project
The VMware to Nutanix Migration project will update how SFU runs its cloud systems. SFU is changing from VMware to a new platform called Nutanix because
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SFU’s contract with VMware ends in 2026. Due to a significant increase in licensing costs, SFU must transition away from VMware by December 31, 2026. Under VMware's new licensing model, continuing on VMware will cost SFU an estimated $1.5M annually. This cost is the same regardless of the number of VMs on the license.
This project will upgrade equipment in SFU’s data centers, deploy Nutanix, move all virtual machines to Nutanix by November 30, 2026 and decommission all VMware clusters by December 31, 2026.
Upcoming Changes
For most users, SFU Cloud will work the same way as before, with only small changes to how it looks.
Here’s what is staying the same:
| Area |
What this means for you |
| Core VM functionality |
You can still request, run, and manage VMs in SFU Cloud |
| Portal capabilities |
Common tasks and workflows remain similar |
| Non‑production backups |
Not backed up by default on either platform |
| Powered‑off VMs |
Not backed up on either platform |
| Production VMs |
Automatically backed up (full backups), retention will be approximately 4 months. |
| Snapshots |
Snapshots are allowed and auto deleted after 48 hours. |
| Network & IP Addresses |
VMs will retain the same IP addresses after migration. |
| Operating System(OS) Support |
Must run supported OS versions. |
What is the difference between VMware and Nutanix?
| Area |
Current State (VMware) |
Future State (Nutanix) |
| SFU Cloud Portal |
A familiar web-based SFU Cloud Portal, VMware interface for creating and managing VMs. |
New Nutanix-based cloud portal with a different look and modern interface, but very similar functionality for VM management |
| SFU Single Sign-On (CAS): Login & Security |
Login via SFU computing ID (AD credentials). Standard AD authentication. |
Login via SFU Single Sign-On (CAS) with MFA support. |
FAQs
General
What is the VMware to Nutanix (V2N) Migration Project?
The VMware to Nutanix (V2N) Migration project is to update how SFU runs its cloud systems. SFU is moving all VMware-based VMs to Nutanix, upgrading our cloud infrastructure for improved cost and performance.
Why are we migrating from VMware to Nutanix?
SFU is changing from VMware to a new platform called Nutanix because VMware has become much more expensive and SFU’s contract ends in 2026. This project will upgrade equipment in SFU’s data centers, move all virtual machines to the new platform, and decommission all VMware clusters by the end of the year.
What is the timeline for migration?
The migration timeline is from July 15 to November 30, 2026.
Will there be any outages during the migration?
Yes. Production systems will experience a planned outage during the migration cutover. The outage is typically 5–10 minutes for the final cutover and synchronization, followed by business validation and testing, which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30+ minutes depending on the application. Migration windows will be coordinated with system owners and communicated in advance.
Access and Data Retention
Will we lose access to VMs that are not migrated?
Yes, VMs left on VMware after December 2026 will be inaccessible.
Will VMs left on vmware beyond December 2026 be permanently deleted or archived after migration?
Backup retention is 4 months for Powered On Production VMs. We can restore data (files) from those backups 4 months after the last backup. There is no backup or retention for non-production VMs
Are powered-off VMs backed up?
No, only running, production VMs are backed up; powered-off VMs are not included in backups. If needed in future, they must migrate to Nutanix.
can I restore VMs or data after migration?
You can restore data from VMware backups for 4 months after migration; full VM restores are generally not possible.
Migration Planning and Requirements
Is there a way to test my VM in Nutanix before the full migration?
You can deploy a new VM in Nutanix for testing.
What if I have a need to create new VMs and SQL Servers during the migration period?
VMs: New VMs will be created on VMware until Nutanix is live; after mid-2026, new VM requests will be fulfilled on Nutanix.
SQL Server: Business Groups (BG) can no longer deploy ad hoc SQL servers automatically through the portal. Instead, BG users can select a SQL server for deployment via the portal, which will generate a TDX ticket for the Database team to provision and deliver the server to the user. This change ensures compliance with licensing requirements and that all SQL servers are configured according to standards. While SQL server provisioning is no longer immediate, it is not expected to delay the overall migration process.
How should Active Directory (AD) and MS SQL servers be migrated?
While Move can migrate Active Directory VMs, it is often recommended to create a new Domain Controller VM on the Nutanix side and migrate flexible single master operations (FSMO) roles to avoid potential sync issues.
For very large, high-transactional SQL servers, Nutanix recommends using standard SQL Server backup/restore methods or SQL Always On Availability Groups to migrate data, rather than a full VM migration. Failure to follow best practice might cause performance degradation.
Should I migrate VMs that are currently powered off but might be needed in the future?
Request a backup for these VMs, so it can be restored later, if needed.
If some virtual machines are migrated to Nutanix while other dependent VMs remain on VMware, will they continue to communicate with each other?
Yes they will continue to communicate with each other after migration. Dependent applications will be grouped and migrated together within the same maintenance window to minimize disruption.
Can VMs keep the same IP address after migration?
Yes, IP addresses will be preserved when migrating to Nutanix.
Testing Guidance: What testing should business users perform after a database migration?
Test the business functions you use most often, such as running reports, processing transactions, and completing routine day-to-day tasks.
Verify functionality that interacts with known integration points . If your work involves large data exports or long-running processes, verify that they perform as expected after the migration. If you are unsure what to test, contact the project team for guidance.
Support and Training
How will migration impact Business Groups and their daily operations?
Yes. Most production applications and VMs will experience a planned outage during the migration cutover. The duration depends on the number and size of the VMs being migrated, as well as the time required for business validation and testing. During the maintenance window, Business Groups (BGs) must verify that their services are functioning correctly and decide whether to proceed with the cutover or roll back to the VMware environment. If the migration cannot be successfully validated within the maintenance window, the VM(s) will be rolled back. Any unresolved issues will be reviewed by the project team, and in some cases, affected systems may need to be rebuilt.
Please Refer to the table below for migration steps and their impacts.
|
Migration Steps
|
What this means/impact to BGs?
|
|
Suspend Backup for the VMs
|
No Impact
|
|
Activate migration plan in Nutanix "Move" (Sync)
|
No Impact
|
|
Migrate VMs to Nutanix
|
This will cause a 10 minutes network outage per VM. A ticket with 10VMs could experience a 30min network outage. The service will be offline from initiation of "Migrate VMs to Nutanix" to end of "Confirm migration". This is the maintenance window.
|
|
Import into NCM project
|
|
Apply security policy in Nutanix "Flow/FNS"
|
|
Test migrated database
|
|
Request BG test migrated VMs/Services
|
|
Perform Test
|
|
Confirm migration (next)/rollback
|
Who can I contact for more information or support?
Submit a TDX ticket to the project team through "Ask a Question" option provided at the bottom of this article. Support is available throughout the migration.
Will there be training or documentation for using Nutanix?
Yes, user-friendly documentation and a training demo will be provided, including updated guides and FAQs.