How Migrating to VMC on AWS Helped One Client Thrive in Unprecedented Times

In the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in demand for remote learning and online broadcasting video solutions. TeraSky was approached by a company that powers video experiences for millions around the world, including large enterprise organizations, universities, telecoms, and more. While the pandemic was drastically increasing the demand for their services, their dependence on on-prem data centers was restricting their growth capabilities and saddling them with high maintenance and operational costs. To better meet the needs created by this unprecedented situation, they needed the agility and economies-of-scale the cloud could offer but had to migrate quickly without the catastrophic impact of downtime.

Cloud Migration with Ease, Thanks to VMware Cloud on AWS

With TeraSky’s guidance, VMware Cloud on AWS was selected as the optimal set of solutions for the client’s needs for two primary reasons:
An Accelerated Migration Timeline: Migration could happen quickly and smoothly. Utilizing VMware’s vSphere virtualization platform, all data could be migrated simultaneously, eliminating the need to convert each and every server.

Access to the Full Suite of AWS Tools and Services: Moving to AWS via VMware Cloud on AWS would permit future use of AWS’s cloud solutions and traffic, enabling expansion of accessibility and applicability while enhancing speed, flexibility, and modularity at no additional cost.

Cutting Edge Customization

In addition, TeraSky’s expertise in and partnership with VMware enabled them to address a specific client request: to configure the cloud setup to enable the continued use of a third-party firewall tool. While VMware provides the NXS security program as part of VMC, the client was seeking to manage security for all their endpoints – old and new, on-prem and on the cloud – from one place, in order to maintain visibility and centralize management.

Working hand in hand with VMware, TeraSky reconfigured the setup and defined the client’s virtual machines (VMs) created in VMC to be disconnected from NSX, instead of using the existing third-party solution as their default gateway. The third-party tool, in turn, used NSX as its default gateway, enabling only the third-party tool to communicate outside the organization. The result was an additional level of security inserted between the client’s VMs and NSX, providing both the advantages of VMware’s program and the advantages of the third-party tool. It was an elegant, first-of-its-kind solution.

“During the project, we encountered a technological challenge in terms of integrating a solution from a large, third party cyber security entity with the VMware Cloud on AWS solution,” said the customer. “Thanks to the professionalism of all parties involved, and to the innovative thinking of TeraSky, we were able to create an optimal link with the security solution.”

The Bottom Line
“The future of video communication undoubtedly consists of automation, efficiency, and new customer experiences that will give applications closer access to end-users. That’s why it is important to us to expand our cloud operations, and why we will continue to promote such activity in the future,” said a client representative. “Thanks to VMware and TeraSky, we have been able to provide both customers and company employees with quick access to the applications they need and data that is critical to the organization. The process of modernizing our data center and servers, as well as our transition to the cloud, will undoubtedly lead to benefits that will allow us to rely on advanced technologies and develop the company’s business vision.”