VMware Engine enables running VMware workloads on Google Cloud without refactoring or re-architecture.
What is VMware Engine?
Google Cloud VMware Engine is a fully managed service that provides the complete VMware Cloud Foundation stack on dedicated Google Cloud hardware. You get vSphere, NSX-T, vSAN, and HCX as a service and can migrate existing VMs without changes.
The key advantage: your teams continue working with familiar VMware tools (vCenter, NSX Manager) while Google manages the infrastructure. Hardware maintenance, firmware updates, and patching happen automatically. You focus on your applications.
VMware Engine integrates seamlessly with Google Cloud services. VMs can access BigQuery, Cloud Storage, AI/ML services, and other GCP offerings. This enables gradual modernization: legacy applications run on VMware while new services use cloud-native technologies.
Common Use Cases
Datacenter Migration to Google Cloud
A mid-sized company migrates its on-premises datacenter to Google Cloud. With VMware HCX, 500 VMs are migrated without downtime. Existing backup processes, monitoring tools, and operational procedures remain intact.
Disaster Recovery for VMware Environments
A financial services company uses VMware Engine as a DR site for its primary datacenter. Site Recovery Manager replicates critical VMs to Google Cloud. In a disaster, failover occurs in minutes rather than hours.
Datacenter Extension During Capacity Constraints
A retailer scales before the holiday season. Instead of procuring new hardware, they extend their VMware environment into Google Cloud. After peak season, nodes are decommissioned. Costs remain variable.
Hybrid Cloud for Regulated Industries
A hospital operates critical systems on-premises and moves less sensitive workloads to VMware Engine. The unified VMware layer simplifies compliance and enables consistent security policies.
Modernization Path for Legacy Applications
An insurer starts with lift-and-shift of mainframe applications to VMware Engine. In phase 2, individual services migrate to Kubernetes (Anthos). The hybrid approach reduces risk and time-to-value.
Integration with innFactory
As a Google Cloud Partner, innFactory supports you with VMware migrations to Google Cloud: from analysis through migration to ongoing operations.
Contact us for a migration consultation.
Available Tiers & Options
Standard Nodes
- Balanced compute/storage ratio
- For most workloads
- Flexible scaling
- Higher costs than cloud-native
Storage-Optimized Nodes
- High storage capacity
- For data-intensive workloads
- NVMe performance
- Higher cost per node
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Cloud VMware Engine?
VMware Engine is a fully managed VMware stack on Google Cloud. You get vSphere, NSX-T, and vSAN as a service, can migrate VMs without changes, and benefit from Google Cloud infrastructure.
Which VMware versions are supported?
VMware Engine supports vSphere 7.x and 8.x, NSX-T 3.x and 4.x, and vSAN 7.x and 8.x. Google automatically updates the stack with security patches and new features.
How does migration to VMware Engine work?
VMware HCX is included and enables live migration of VMs without downtime. You can migrate VMs individually or in bulk. Network extension allows gradual migration without IP changes.
How does VMware Engine integrate with Google Cloud services?
VMware Engine VMs can access BigQuery, Cloud Storage, Cloud SQL, and other GCP services via Private Service Access. Cloud Logging and Monitoring are integrated. Anthos enables Kubernetes alongside VMware.
How much does VMware Engine cost?
Billing is hourly per node. Standard Nodes start at approximately 7 USD per hour. Committed Use Discounts (1 or 3 years) reduce costs by up to 52%. VMware licenses are included.
