On October 15, 2022, VMware ended general support for vSphere 6.5 and 6.7, and more than 45,000 VMware ESXi servers reached end-of-life.1 Technical support is still available for organizations running these older versions; however, there will be no forthcoming security updates or patches.
Regardless of whether a current vSphere setup meets current needs, IT leaders should strongly consider upgrading to vSphere 8. Here’s everything leaders should know about vSphere 8 : the benefits of the newest version, the importance of upgrading and how VMware Learning helps organizations fully adopt the new software.
More than half of all apps are expected to be modern by 2024. Is your business struggling to stay competitive? With VMware expert training, we will get you to your destination as quickly as possible, no matter where you are in the technology landscape.
Prepare For the Most Recent vSphere Features
Organizations shouldn’t take the risk of ignoring areas of their defense that are worn down. It is inevitable that any software will accumulate security vulnerabilities over the course of its life. Luckily, VMware professionals are on top of threats and issue patches to strengthen weaknesses and keep company data safe. However, once a software reaches end-of-life, persistent cybercriminals have more time and fewer barrier that allow them to squeeze through security gaps.
Security risks alone should convince any IT leader to upgrade to vSphere 8. Upgrade to vSphere 8 if you wish to take advantage of the various improvements and efficiencies it offers.
Key vSphere 8 Benefits:
Supercharge Workload Performance–
- Meet the throughput and latency needs of modern distributed workloads by accelerating networking functions on the DPU.
- Reduce operational overhead of DPU lifecycle management with integrated vSphere workflows
- Decrease AI/ML model training times and support higher complexity models by increasing available GPU resources
Enhance Operational Efficiency-
- Provide optimal workload placement decision by factoring in memory bandwidth and latency requirements
- Efficiently reduce your IT maintenance window by performing ESXi upgrades simultaneously on multiple hosts
- Track your progress towards sustainability goals by monitoring energy consumed by workloads
Accelerate Innovation for DevOps-
- Manage self-service access to IaaS services across vSphere cloud infrastructure from an intuitive cloud console
- Improve resilience of containerized workloads through availability zones
- Simplify TKG cluster lifecycle and package management with API-driven Cluster Classes and Carve
Ready to Migrate? Upskill your team today!
Migration to a new version of software should be viewed as a two-step upgrade: upgrading the software itself and upgrading the skills of the people who will use it. The process of becoming an expert in a certain technology takes time, but it is well worth the effort in the long run. As employees become more proficient with a technology, the more value the organization can derive from it.
To help employees reach this level of expertise, VMware Learning offers several robust courses for vSphere 8 for administrators and engineers. With a combination of instructor-led training, online, lab and classroom courses, there’s sure to be a learning environment that works for you.
Available vSphere 8 courses:
• VMware vSphere: Install, Configure and Manage [V8]
• VMware vSphere: What’s New [V8]
• VMware vSphere: Operate, Scale and Secure [V8]
• VMware vSphere: Fast Track [V8]
• VMware vSphere: Troubleshooting [V8]
Boost Business Performance Today!
Utilizing vSphere 8.0’s newly added features will not only maximize your investment in cloud operations, but also improve your IT and DevOps efficiency. If you decide to upgrade to vSphere 8.0, make sure your team is trained on how to install, configure and manage. The potential savings companies may experience from preventing future data loss and remaining compliant are just a few of the compelling reasons for upgrading. Efficiency and speed gained in innovation, development, and operations will benefit companies looking to streamline performance and management.
Remember, adoption doesn’t have to be hindered by an untrained workforce. To make use of the exciting brand-new features of version 8, your teams must be trained. VMware Learning provides a variety of vSphere 8 courses that will provide your teams with the knowledge and skills they need to deploy. We make it easy to sign up for and take comprehensive courses that’ll give employees the certifications and knowledge they need to optimize VMware investments.
1Bleeping Computer, “Over 45,000 VMware ESXi servers just reached end-of-life
