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Gartner Symposium 2025: VMware NSX migration tips
How should organisations approach migrating off VMware NSX
When VMware NSX first entered the mainstream of datacentre networking, it quickly earned a reputation for being dauntingly complex. Many organisations, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, assumed it was a technology best left to hyperscalers with large in-house engineering teams.
But that perception doesn’t reflect the reality of modern NSX deployments. In fact, with the right design principles, NSX can be as approachable and manageable as traditional vSphere networking. The key lies in simplicity, something our team at Spinnaker Support, which now includes a number of former senior Broadcom VMware professionals, has learned through years of hands-on implementation and optimisation.
Why NSX seems complex
It’s easy to see why NSX carries a reputation for complexity. It spans the entire network stack, from virtual switching and routing to security, micro-segmentation, and physical integration. The breadth of capability can be intimidating.
However, most organisations don’t need to deploy the full feature set. NSX complexity is often optional and avoidable. The “massive complexity” people worry about usually comes from advanced, enterprise-scale features like Federation or NSX Intelligence, not from the foundational components that deliver the real value.
The reality is that a simple NSX deployment is far more familiar than most expect with a manageable, modular system.
A modular, manageable NSX environment
- Baseline Environment: A standard vSphere setup without NSX follows a simple flow - virtual machine (VM) to Distributed Virtual Switch (DVS) to physical network.
- Adding NSX VLAN Segments: The simplest NSX configuration mirrors this. Your VM connects to an NSX-managed segment on the same DVS, which means there is no major architectural leap.
- Benefits realised: NSX benefits can be leveraged as the Distributed Firewall feature can be applied to the workloads attached to those NSX VLAN Segments
- Introducing Overlays: Even with overlays, the additions: Tier-0/Tier-1 components and an edge cluster are straightforward and logical. They extend, rather than replace, what administrators already know.
The core NSX functions are both stable and predictable. When implemented with clear design boundaries, NSX becomes a scalable, policy-driven extension of what administrators have been managing for years.
Stop fearing NSX
Complexity is the enemy of agility and unnecessary complexity often drives unnecessary cost.
A right-sized NSX deployment (built on VLAN segments or a simple overlay network) is perfectly suited for efficient, cost-effective third-party management. The standard two-tier topology, with Tier-1 routers handling east-west traffic and Tier-0 managing north-south connectivity, offers both clarity and scalability.
This is the architecture that powers the world’s most reliable NSX environments, replicated again and again by experts who understand how to scale simplicity, not complexity. You don’t need every advanced NSX feature to achieve enterprise-grade performance. You need the right features: Distributed Firewall (DFW), NAT, VPN, and sound design discipline. That’s where expert support delivers real return on investment (ROI).
NSX 3.2 End of Support
Now is the perfect moment to rethink your strategy. The end-of-support (EoS) milestone for NSX 3.2 marks a turning point for many VMware customers. Tied to vSphere 7, this version has been the long-term stable release that countless SMBs rely on. Many of these environments are simple, secure, and performing exactly as intended, so why upgrade prematurely?
If your NSX 3.2 design is stable, your firewalls are properly controlled, and your operations are sound, there’s no need to rush into change. However, without official vendor support, you face growing risk.
The bottom line
VMware NSX doesn’t have to be complex. It’s only as intricate as you make it. With the right design, and us as your support partner, you can achieve a clean, cost-effective, and secure virtual networking platform that scales with your business.
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Fabien Koessle is a senior solutions architect at Spinnaker Support. Shane O'Rourke is senior director, global VMware support services at Spinnaker Support. Spinnaker Support is presenting at the Gartner Symposium in Barcelona, looking at how to third-party support can help organisations avoid VMware subscription fees by remaining on perpetual licences.
