Amazon EVS lets you run VMware Cloud Foundation natively on AWS using dedicated EC2 bare metal instances. It enables lift-and-shift migration of VMware workloads with minimal changes, keeps familiar tools like vCenter, and integrates easily with AWS services. EVS supports scalability, high availability, and phased modernization—making it a practical option for VMware-heavy organizations moving to the cloud. Still in preview as of re:Invent 2024.
As these organizations explore cloud options, a key consideration is how to integrate their existing VMware environments with cloud services without undergoing extensive re-platforming. Amazon Elastic VMware Service (EVS) is designed to address this need by allowing users to run their VMware workloads natively on AWS.
As these organizations explore cloud options, a key consideration is how to integrate their existing VMware environments with cloud services without undergoing extensive re-platforming. Amazon Elastic VMware Service (EVS) is designed to address this need by allowing users to run their VMware workloads natively on AWS.
What is Amazon Elastic VMware Service (EVS)?
Introduced in preview at AWS re:Invent 2024, Amazon EVS is an AWS service that enables customers to run VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)—which includes vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and vCenter—directly within their Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). This setup uses dedicated Amazon EC2 bare metal instances, providing a single-tenant environment. EVS facilitates the operation of a software-defined data center (SDDC) managed by the customer, on AWS infrastructure.
EVS offers several practical advantages:
1. Facilitating Migration and Maintaining Operational Familiarity
A primary advantage of EVS is its ability to support the migration of existing VMware workloads to AWS with potentially reduced complexity. Since EVS runs the standard VMware Cloud Foundation stack, IT teams can continue to use their existing VMware expertise, familiar tools like vCenter Server, and established operational procedures. This approach can minimize the need for immediate, extensive retraining and allows for a degree of operational continuity when moving to the cloud.
2. Integration with Native AWS Services
Running VMware workloads on EVS places them in proximity to a broad range of AWS services. This enables organizations to connect these workloads with services for analytics, machine learning, databases (for example, Amazon RDS), and storage (for example, Amazon S3). Such integration can be utilized to enhance or modernize applications over time, often without requiring a complete re-architecture of the core VMware-based systems.
3. Leveraging AWS Infrastructure for Scalability and Resilience
EVS utilizes AWS infrastructure, which allows for dynamic resource allocation. Users can adjust the capacity of their VMware environment on AWS as requirements change, offering an alternative to traditional hardware procurement cycles. Furthermore, the use of AWS’s global infrastructure, including multiple Availability Zones, can be incorporated into designs for high availability and disaster recovery for VMware workloads.
4. Dedicated Resources and Administrative Control
Workloads on EVS run on dedicated EC2 bare metal instances. This single-tenant hardware provides direct access to the underlying server resources. Users retain administrative control over their VCF environment, including access to vCenter Server and ESXi hosts. This allows for customized management of their SDDC, consistent with their policies, within their AWS VPC.
5. A Phased Approach to Application Modernization
EVS can serve as an initial step in a longer-term cloud adoption and modernization strategy. It enables organizations to move their VMware environments to AWS and then assess and implement modernization initiatives at a pace that suits their business needs. This might involve gradually refactoring applications, exploring containerization with services like Amazon EKS, or integrating serverless components.
Considerations for EVS
Amazon Elastic VMware Service offers a method for organizations with substantial VMware investments to utilize AWS infrastructure. It allows for the continued use of familiar VMware tools and skillsets while providing access to the scalability and service breadth of AWS. For businesses planning their cloud strategy, EVS presents an option for migrating and running VMware workloads, offering a platform for future modernization efforts. As the service matures beyond its preview phase, toward its General Availability launch later this year further details on its operational and economic aspects will become more clear.
