Containers are Easy—Moving Your Legacy System Off Your VM is Not

In the evolving landscape of cloud computing, the adoption of containers has dramatically simplified application deployment and scalability. However, transitioning legacy systems—often running on virtual machines (VMs)—to containerized, cloud-native environments remains a complex and nuanced endeavor.

Ryan recently sat down with Dan Ciruli, Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Native at Nutanix, to discuss how virtual machines and Kubernetes orchestrate harmoniously within hybrid cloud environments. Their conversation sheds light on why virtual machines continue to hold significant relevance for enterprise applications and how artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an invaluable asset in modernizing legacy systems.

Why Virtual Machines Still Matter in Enterprise Applications

Even as containers gain popularity for their lightweight and efficient nature, virtual machines offer robust isolation, security, and compatibility levels that enterprises rely on. Many critical applications, especially legacy workloads, run stable and secure within VM environments, which are deeply ingrained in existing IT infrastructures.

Dan emphasizes that VMs and containers are not mutually exclusive but complementary technologies. Organizations benefit by integrating both, leveraging VMs where deeper isolation or legacy compatibility is necessary, alongside containers for scalable, microservices-based applications.

Challenges of Migrating Legacy Systems to Containers

Moving legacy applications off VMs involves a complex set of challenges, including compatibility issues, application architecture constraints, and data migration risks. Legacy systems often depend on older, tightly coupled components that don't naturally fit into container paradigms.

Moreover, organizations must rethink their deployment strategies, security policies, and operational workflows to fully realize the benefits of containerization. This migration usually requires careful planning, refactoring, and thorough testing.

The Role of AI in Modernizing Legacy Systems

Artificial intelligence offers new possibilities to streamline and accelerate the modernization of legacy systems. AI-powered tools can analyze codebases, identify dependencies, and suggest optimal refactoring paths, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.

Dan highlights that AI can also facilitate hybrid workflows, bridging the gap between traditional VM-based applications and emerging containerized environments, enabling smoother transitions with minimal disruption.

Conclusion

While containers simplify many aspects of modern cloud-native deployments, the migration of legacy systems from VMs to containers remains a significant challenge. Recognizing the continued importance of virtual machines, and harnessing AI for modernization, can empower enterprises to achieve efficient, secure, and scalable cloud infrastructure strategies.