Transform legacy VMs into containers

Application Transformer for VMware Tanzu is a tool that aids organizations in discovering application types, visualizing application topology, choosing a modernization approach based on scores, and containerizing and migrating suitable legacy applications to enhance business outcomes.

Yes, with Application Transformer for VMware Tanzu.

Organizations worldwide are embarking on an app modernization journey to be more agile and competitive, and to better address their customers’ needs. There are three top issues enterprises encounter on this journey:

• Lack of visibility into the existing system
• Infrastructure complexity
• Arbitrary “top-down” modernization approach

Application Transformer applies to the VMware vSphere or VMC-based environment. It discovers application components and builds application topologies. In addition, Application Transformer can automatically create OCI-compliant container images, which can be deployed into the Tanzu Kubernetes stack.

Application Transformer is an agent-less tool that only requires VM access through vCenter.

• Discovery. Application Transformer scans VMs, gathering information such as folder structure, resource pool, application names, and processes. With vRealize Network Insight integration, additional information such as VM connections and application dependencies become available through vRealize Network Insight flows. Application Transformer creates application topology, giving customers complete visibility into their application environment.
• Analysis. Technical scores based on the detailed information about application components and business values enable customers to make informed decisions on modernization priority.
• Transform. Application Transformer creates OCI-compliant container images for applications such as Oracle WebLogic and Apache Tomcat. Other applications can be containerized with simple steps to follow. Kubernetes artifacts such as YAML files allow customers to deploy container images in the VMware Tanzu Kubernetes clusters.

Application Transformer is a tool to simplify and accelerate the application transformation journey by automating the discovery, analysis, and containerization process. Organizations can benefit from:

• A holistic view. Application Transformer creates visual topologies through CLI/API using information like components and dependencies.
• Efficiency through automation. Application Transformer removes tedious manual processes such as introspection, component inventory, and VM mapping.
• Flexibility. Application Transformer allows customers to choose the best actions from the R-framework based on scores assigned.
• Increased agility and speed to market. Application Transformer shortens the time and reduces efforts in the application modernization journey. Doing so helps to reduce time to market for new software and service offerings and improve developer productivity.

There are three ways to access Application Transformer for VMware Tanzu:

• Customers who have purchased Tanzu Standard Edition
• Customers who have purchased Tanzu for Kubernetes Operations
• Customers who have purchased the App Navigator service through engagement with VMware Tanzu Labs

Additionally, VMware Cloud on AWS customers have limited access to the Application Transformer for VMware Tanzu. The access is through integration with VMware Cloud console. If customers desire full access to Application Transformer, they need to buy Tanzu Standard, Tanzu for Kubernetes Operations, or App Navigator.

Application Transformer is a tool that customers with in-house capabilities can use to address their modernization needs. To get more benefit out of Application Transformer, we recommend customers engage with the App Navigator service. The App Navigator team uses Application Transformer in the service engagement.

App Navigator is a service available to customers to modernize their application environment. The App Navigator team is comprised of experienced consultants. During a 4–6-week engagement, VMware services consultants help identify which legacy applications to tackle first and which changes are needed to move quickly and drive business outcomes.

Today, SI partners can access Application Transformer through an NFR license valid for dev/test environments. However, if customers want to use Application Transformer for production purposes, they must purchase Tanzu Standard or Tanzu for Kubernetes Operations.