Guidance Required: VMware to Azure Local Migration Without VDDK

There is currently no documented, supported VDDK-free Azure Migrate path from VMware to Azure Local; when VDDK cannot be obtained, use a supported third-party migration product such as Carbonite, Commvault, or Veeam.^1^

Recommended VDDK-free approach

1. Select a listed migration partner
   • Carbonite
   • Commvault
   • Veeam
   These are the partner options Microsoft lists for migrating workloads to Azure Local without the Azure Migrate VMware replication path.^1^
2. Validate the selected product against the environment Confirm with the vendor:
   • VMware vCenter and ESXi versions.
   • Azure Local version and target VM support.
   • Supported Windows and Linux guest operating systems.
   • Application-consistent replication requirements.
   • Recovery-point and downtime objectives.
   • Network throughput and firewall requirements.
   • Cutover, rollback, and test-migration capabilities.
   • Licensing and support arrangements.
   Partner-product configuration and cutover procedures are product-specific and must be taken from the selected vendor’s current documentation.
3. Run a pilot migration
   • Choose a low-risk VM representative of the production workloads.
   • Replicate it to a non-production Azure Local environment or isolated target network.
   • Validate boot, networking, storage, applications, backups, monitoring, and Azure Arc integration.
   • Record the cutover duration and rollback procedure before scheduling production batches.
4. Prepare each production migration wave
   • Establish an application change-freeze window.
   • Take and validate application-aware backups.
   • Perform the final synchronization and controlled shutdown.
   • Cut over to Azure Local, validate the workload, and retain the VMware source until rollback is no longer required.

Why Azure Migrate cannot remove VDDK here

The Azure Migrate VMware-to-Azure Local workflow is appliance-based and consists of Prepare → Discover → Replicate → Migrate and verify. It requires both a VMware source appliance and an Azure Local target appliance.^2^

During source-appliance configuration, VDDK must be installed and verified. The currently documented versions are VDDK 8.0.0, 8.0.1, and 8.0.2; 6.7.0 remains supported but is deprecated and unavailable for new deployments, while 7.0.x must not be used. Microsoft explicitly directs customers who cannot obtain a supported VDDK package to a third-party migration option.^3^

Agent-based Azure Migrate is not the Azure Local workaround

Azure Migrate supports agent-based replication—with a replication appliance and Mobility Service installed in each VM—for migrations to Azure when VMware agentless requirements cannot be met.^4^ The agent-based architecture documentation likewise describes its destination as Azure, not Azure Local.^5^

Therefore, the existence of an Azure Migrate agent-based method should not be interpreted as support for agent-based VMware-to-Azure Local migration. For this destination, the documented Azure Migrate workflow remains VDDK-dependent.

If VDDK becomes available

Azure Migrate can be reconsidered if your organization obtains a supported VDDK package. Confirm first that the environment meets the applicable requirements, including supported VMware versions, target Azure Local configuration, source-to-target connectivity, and supported guest operating systems.^6^

For a product-specific migration runbook, identify:

• VMware vCenter and ESXi versions.
• Azure Local version.
• Guest OS mix and application types.
• Number and size of VMs.
• Acceptable downtime and recovery-point target.
• Preferred partner product.

References

1. Options to migrate VM workloads to Azure Local
2. Overview of Azure Migrate based VMware migration for Azure Local
3. Discover and replicate VMware VMs for migration to Azure Local using Azure Migrate
4. Agentless and Agent-based migration methods
5. Agent-based migration architecture
6. Review requirements for VMware VM migration to Azure Local using Azure Migrate