Server Migration

About

Voyager is a New Zealand-based broadband and hosting provider delivering a wide range of digital services, powered by cutting-edge technologies. Prior to 2024, Voyager’s virtualized infrastructure was built on a comprehensive VMware stack, that offered full software-defined capabilities and self-service options for its customers.

The Challenge

In December 2023, Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware brought a 250% increase in licensing costs and the removal of key features from its existing environment. With a large VMware- and Veeam-based IaaS footprint relying on Cloud Director, NSX, vRealize, vCenter, ESXi, vSAN, and more, the cost and functionality implications were significant.

Rather than passing the increased costs onto customers, Voyager’s team decided to reevaluate the platform altogether. The objective was clear: find a more cost-effective, feature-rich, and future-proof solution that would continue to meet both internal demands and customer expectations.

“Communication from the Managed Services Desk team throughout our recent migrations to VHI was outstanding. I was extremely pleased with how smoothly everything was managed.”
— Dan Fisher, RSM Hayes

The Solution

After a comprehensive review of leading full-stack private and public cloud alternatives, Voyager selected Virtuozzo Hybrid Infrastructure as its new platform of choice. The decision was based on its flexibility, pricing, and potential to introduce new features for customers at better value.

Beginning in March 2024, Voyager’s engineering teams embarked on an extensive process to train on the new platform, build and optimize new environments, conduct performance testing, validate capacity models and migrate production workloads from Voyager’s largest locations.

The transition also included migrating from Veeam to Acronis Cyber Protect for backup and disaster recovery services to streamline the customer experience and support a wider range of solutions.

“The clear communication and proactive support from the Managed Services Desk team made the process of powering off a VM to resolve a backup error smooth and seamless.”
— Danny Ainsworth, ConnectM2M

The Result

The large-scale migration of hundreds of internal and customer servers has led to a range of measurable improvements, including:

• Reduced wait times for complex support requests

• 70% decrease in cluster maintenance tasks

• Faster, more responsive vendor support from both Virtuozzo and Acronis compared to previous partners

• Excellent customer feedback, with users highlighting the new platform’s speed and simplicity

• A more sustainable cost model that avoids passing rising costs to customers

• 15% reduction in backup storage for the same retention period

Voyager now runs on a streamlined, modern infrastructure that enhances internal efficiency and delivers a better experience for our customers — showcasing our ability to turn challenges into opportunities and drive continuous innovation in cloud service delivery.

“Since migrating to the new servers, we’ve seen a noticeable drop in wait times for complex support requests. Customers have also shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising the platform’s speed and simplicity.”
— Todd Bryant, Voyager Chief Information Security Officer