Cloud

VMware Offers Public Cloud Benefits at Private Cloud Prices

The platform affords agencies agility and improved compliance through private infrastructure.

Nathan Eddy works as an independent filmmaker and journalist based in Berlin, specializing in architecture, business technology and healthcare IT. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Agencies looking to avoid being locked into an expensive, long-term public cloud contract with few immediate benefits would be wise to consider alternatives such as the VMware Cloud Foundation.

The integrated software platform — which combines compute, storage, networking and cloud management — offers the flexibility and scalability of public cloud without the associated price tag or compliance headaches.

Agencies modernizing their IT infrastructure are under pressure to meet mission goals while juggling spiraling cloud costs and evolving security requirements.

“You’re not only paying for the cost of the software running on top of the hardware, you’re also renting the hardware,” says Andrew Walker, principal field solution architect for VMware Solutions at CDW Government. “With VCF, you’re owning the server, the compute; all that stuff is on your premises. You’re just paying for the software layer that sits on top.”

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The Case for VMware Cloud Foundation

The economics worsen for agencies unable to fully refactor applications for cloud-native architectures.

“Customers want to just move immediately, lift and shift their workloads like they have them on-premises,” Walker says. “That’s where the cost ends up being extremely high.”

Federal clients increasingly want to reevaluate those early cloud-first decisions.

“What we’re seeing a lot now is customers ended up going to public cloud, and now they’re looking to move off because it’s so expensive,” Walker says.

That’s where VCF can play a role: Customers can get a public cloud look and feel but stay on-premises, own their infrastructure and pay less money.

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Agencies also operate under strict security compliance mandates, particularly when handling sensitive data or citizen services. VCF’s private cloud model offers direct oversight and robust tooling for compliance.

“It supports a wide variety of compliance standards,” says Kevin Meccia, senior field solutions architect at CDW.

Users can establish dashboards around compliance and auditing using VCF, so agencies can track if the environment meets requirements.

“As changes take place, it will identify if something becomes out of compliance,” Meccia says.

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I Can’t Believe It’s Not Public Cloud!

Flexibility and scalability are equally crucial for agencies whose workload needs vary widely. Federal IT teams can tailor infrastructure to exact requirements with VCF, without being limited by the predefined service offerings typical of public cloud vendors.

“You can use a variety of infrastructure — different server types, storage options, compute sizes — whereas cloud offers just a couple of options,” Meccia says.

VCF replicates key aspects of public cloud — particularly automated provisioning — within the agency’s own data center.

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“A lot of customers are looking for that automated type of provisioning that public cloud offers,” Walker says. “Being able to model and frame that exact type of framework on-premises, where you control the security policies, is very helpful.”

Still, the transition to a private cloud model such as VCF isn’t without its challenges. Agencies often lack in-house expertise to implement microsegmentation, networking configurations or workload domain planning.

There are also infrastructure readiness concerns.

“Do they need to make changes to better align their infrastructure with the capabilities of the private cloud?” Meccia says. “That could be building out workload domains aligned to use cases or utilizing automation to streamline operations.”

A lot of customers are looking for that automated type of provisioning that public cloud offers.”

Andrew Walker Principal Field Solutions Architect for VMware Solutions, CDW Government

Navigating a Costly Cloud Landscape

CDW offers tailored assessments and planning services to guide agencies through deployment.

“We’ll do licensing reports to show them how many licenses they own today from a VMware perspective, and what it would look like moving into the VCF model,” Walker says. “We can give recommendations to refine some of those costs, like reducing cores, bringing in new hardware or right-sizing infrastructure.”

CDW also provides detailed cost modeling, including total cost of ownership analyses, detailing what the cloud cost before, the cost of moving to VCF and how agencies can overcome price hikes. In tandem, CDW assesses infrastructure readiness and performance benchmarks.

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“We determine the customer’s current lifecycle stage of their infrastructure and identify areas that could be optimized or enhanced to take on additional capabilities of the private cloud,” Meccia says.

For agencies ready to move forward, CDW provides implementation support that aligns with best practices.

“We have the engineering service assistants to help customers with that transition, whether it’s moving to VCF private cloud or standing up that environment and implementing best practices,” Meccia says.

The idea is to help agencies navigate a complex and often costly IT landscape with clarity and long-term value.

“Customers are trying to find the most cost-effective solution that fits their needs,” Walker says. “CDW can help them navigate those scenarios.”

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