Demystifying Azure VMware Solution: From Implementation to Workload Migration

Introduction

For any organisation embarking on a hybrid cloud journey, the initial implementation phase is critical to ensure a smooth transition and long-term operational success. Azure VMware Solution (AVS) offers a managed, scalable platform that allows you to run your VMware workloads on Azure’s dedicated infrastructure, while preserving the familiarity of your existing tools and processes. In this instalment, we guide you through the initial setup of an AVS environment—covering prerequisites, configuration steps, and architectural design considerations. We will also address important factors such as networking, provisioning dedicated hosts, storage configuration, and integrating on‑premises connectivity. Additionally, we discuss the recent Broadcom licensing changes, which increase the minimum core count for VMware licensing, and explore how these changes may affect deployment planning for smaller versus larger organisations.

Prerequisites and Planning

Before starting your AVS deployment, it’s important to gather and document critical information. Here are some key prerequisites and planning considerations:

Azure Subscription & Resource Group:
Ensure that your Azure subscription is eligible for AVS deployment and that you have a dedicated resource group for organising your AVS resources.
Networking Requirements:
Plan your IP addressing and network configuration. You will need to prepare an Azure Virtual Network (VNet) that will integrate with the AVS environment. Consider connectivity options such as VPN or Azure ExpressRoute for bridging on‑premises environments.
Dedicated Hosts & Clusters:
Determine the required number of dedicated hosts. Remember that AVS leverages dedicated hardware clusters to deliver performance and high availability. Planning your host count is vital, especially in view of the recent Broadcom announcement, which increases the minimum core count. Smaller organisations may face higher relative costs if on‑prem licensing is retained, so migrating to AVS can help avoid over‐provisioning issues.
Storage Configuration:
Consider the storage requirements of your workloads. AVS utilizes vSAN for shared storage, so ensure you plan for the right capacity and performance level for your applications.
Integration with On-Premises Connectivity:
Assess your current on‑premises environment and plan how to seamlessly integrate it with AVS using hybrid connectivity options. This integration is fundamental to maintain a consistent network policy across environments.

Step-by-Step Guide for Setting Up an AVS Environment

A. Using the Azure Portal

Register the Required Resource Providers:
- Sign in to the Azure Portal.
- Navigate to Subscriptions → Resource providers and confirm that key providers such as Microsoft.AVS are registered.
Provision Your AVS Private Cloud:
- On the Azure Portal home page, select Create a resource and search for Azure VMware Solution.
- Click Create and fill out the Basics tab:
  - Subscription & Resource Group: Choose your designated subscription and resource group.
  - Instance Name: Provide a unique, descriptive name for your private cloud.
  - Region: Select an appropriate region (ideally one that best integrates with your on‑premises footprint).
- On the Hosts and Clusters tab:
  - Choose the AVS host size (e.g. AV36, AV36P, etc.) based on your workload requirements.
  - Specify the number of hosts (default is usually 3, which can be adjusted later).
- On the Networking tab:
  - Specify your Azure Virtual Network, or create a new one if needed.
  - Configure subnets for management and vMotion traffic.
- Review the configuration and click Create.
Integrate On-Premises Connectivity:
- Once the AVS environment is provisioned, navigate to its networking configuration.
- Set up hybrid connectivity using Azure VPN Gateway or ExpressRoute to connect your on‑premises data centre to your AVS VNet.
Additional Configuration:
- Configure monitoring and health settings through Azure Monitor.
- Validate the network connectivity and performance using Azure’s built‑in diagnostics.

B. Using Bicep Templates

Below is a sample Bicep template to automate the deployment of an AVS environment. You can adopt and modify this template to suit your deployment needs.

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// Parameters for AVS deployment
@description('Name of the AVS Private Cloud')
param avsPrivateCloudName string = 'MyPrivateCloud'

@description('Resource Deployment Location')
param location string = resourceGroup().location

@description('Name of the Virtual Network for AVS')
param vnetName string = 'MyAVSVNet'

@description('Number of hosts to deploy in AVS Private Cloud')
param hostCount int = 3

@description('AVS Private Cloud SKU for deployment')
param avsSku string = 'AV36'  // Example SKU: AV36, AV36P, AV64, etc.

@description('vCenter Password for AVS Private Cloud')
@secure()
param vcpassword string 

// Create a virtual network (if not already created)
resource vnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2024-05-01' = {
  name: vnetName
  location: location
  properties: {
    addressSpace: {
      addressPrefixes: [
        '10.0.0.0/16'
      ]
    }
    subnets: [
      {
        name: 'Management'
        properties: {
          addressPrefix: '10.0.0.0/24'
        }
      }
      {
        name: 'vMotion'
        properties: {
          addressPrefix: '10.0.1.0/24'
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

// Provision the AVS Private Cloud (simplified)
resource avsPrivateCloud 'Microsoft.AVS/privateClouds@2023-09-01' = {
  name: avsPrivateCloudName
  location: location
  identity: {
    type: 'SystemAssigned'
  }
  sku: {
    name: avsSku
    capacity: hostCount
  }
  properties: {
    availability: {
      secondaryZone: 2
      strategy: 'DualZone'
      zone: 1
    }
    dnsZoneType: 'Private'
    internet: 'Enabled'
    nsxtPassword: vcpassword
    managementCluster: {
      clusterSize: hostCount
    }
    networkBlock: '10.1.0.0/16'
    virtualNetworkId: vnet.id
    vcenterPassword: vcpassword
  }
}
// (Additional configuration for connectivity, storage policies, etc., should be added here)

Deployment Instructions:

Save the Bicep file as avsDeployment.bicep.
Open your terminal, log in using:
1

az login

Deploy the template:

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az deployment group create \
  --resource-group MyResourceGroup \
  --template-file avsDeployment.bicep

Note: This is a simplified sample template. In a production scenario, you would include additional configuration for storage settings, dedicated host quotas, and hybrid connectivity interfaces.

Licensing Considerations: Broadcom’s Impact

It’s important to factor in the recent changes announced by Broadcom, which have increased the minimum core count for VMware licensing. For smaller organisations, previous on‑premises deployments might have operated efficiently on minimal core counts. With the new rules, however, these organisations may face disproportionately higher licensing costs if they continue to run on‑premises. Migrating to AVS can help alleviate these cost pressures, as the licensing is effectively bundled into the managed service offered by Azure—enabling smaller customers to scale efficiently without needing to over‑license hardware.

Conclusion

Setting up your first Azure VMware Solution environment is a crucial step towards modernising your IT infrastructure and embracing a hybrid cloud model. In this post, we covered the prerequisites, configuration steps, and architectural design considerations critical for a successful AVS deployment. From configuring your virtual network and provisioning dedicated hosts to integrating on‑premises connectivity and addressing licensing changes, these best practices lay the groundwork for a resilient, high‑availability environment.