Modernize With Confidence: How Pure Storage Helps CIOs Bridge VMware to Kubernetes 

Blog written by Venkat Ramakrishnan, VP & GM, Portworx BU, Pure Storage published Nov. 11, 2025

Virtualization costs are climbing while cyber risks surge. See how organizations can successfully move VMs from traditional virtualization platforms to Kubernetes while controlling costs, safeguarding data, and empowering teams to move faster.

For many CIOs, the path to modern, cloud-native infrastructure feels less like a migration and more like a minefield. VMs often host the most critical workloads and data in the enterprise. The VMware transition has forced organizations to confront mounting costs and uncertain roadmaps while seeking a way forward. Meanwhile, Kubernetes has become the platform of choice for modern applications and nearly all new AI deployments. As cyber threats and outages grow more frequent, protecting application data has become a board-level concern for many in their decision to move to a new platform like Kubernetes. 

At this crossroad – where CIOs must modernize with Kubernetes while managing legacy risk – the challenge is compounded by a shortage of available talent with the right skills. This is where Portworx comes in. Building on our position as a leading Kubernetes data management platform, we now provide a pathway to running VMs on Kubernetes. Our new Kube Datastore introduces a modern VM architecture optimized for cloud-native deployments, but familiar to existing skilled VMware administrators.

By bringing familiar architecture and workflows to Kubernetes, we eliminate the steep learning curve that often slows modernization. Enterprises can run everything from lightweight edge VMs to heavy VDI workloads on Kubernetes, without disruption or cyber risk. This helps CIOs confidently modernize by making Kubernetes a viable platform not only for new, cloud-native applications but also for traditional VM workloads.

Fear of Change: “Do We Have to Throw Away What Works?”
VMware admins have spent decades mastering built-in workflows and automation that keep mission-critical applications stable. Moving to Kubernetes shouldn’t mean losing that operational continuity. 

KubeVirt represents the broadest virtualization effort in the cloud-native ecosystem with contributing engineers from Red Hat, SUSE, Microsoft, Oracle, and more. Built for KubeVirt, Kube Datastore redefines virtualization for the cloud-native era. Together, they deliver:

• Intelligent storage abstraction: Transform how VMs consume storage on Kubernetes by delivering a unified high-performance data layer across the Kubernetes cluster. Power modern VM workflows like provisioning, migration, vMotions, snapshots, and recovery at cloud-scale efficiency and agility
• Operational continuity: Retain trusted workflows like Advanced Storage Migration and Enhanced Storage Rebalancing
• Flexible deployment: Run VMs across edge environments, Citrix VDI workloads, or nested control planes, even OpenShift-on-OpenShift without requiring VMware as a hypervisor
• Smooth migration: Move from VMware to Kubernetes without compromising uptime or your disaster recovery requirements. Customers using Pure Storage FlashArray can leverage Rapid VM Migration capabilities to significantly cut migration time

At Portworx, we give our customers the confidence to adopt Kubernetes for their VMs without losing the operational familiarity they depend on. It’s not just about storage; Portworx now provides a modern software-defined data management platform that lets VMware administrators operate with the same workflows and outcomes they’re used to, but in a modern, cloud-native environment.

We’re also partnering closely with global systems integrators (GSIs) like Wipro to help enterprises upskill their teams and accelerate cloud-native adoption.

“Wipro’s Intelligent Data Storage Service (IDSS), powered by Pure Storage’s Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC), brings together the strengths of both organizations to deliver a unified yet flexible approach to modern data management. By standardizing Portworx as the foundational storage layer across all hosting platforms and Kubernetes variants, integrating it seamlessly with Wipro’s Cloud Studio, this collaboration ensures enterprises gain a resilient, scalable, and future-ready solution. The integration enables intelligent data replication, automated failover, and advanced protection features – such as snapshots, backups, and disaster recovery – while supporting multi-cloud environments and deep Kubernetes compatibility. Together, Wipro and Pure Storage empower businesses to operate mission-critical workloads securely and efficiently across diverse infrastructures,” said Milan Shah, cloud advisory lead and product owner, intelligent data storage service, Wipro.

Fear of Data Loss: “Can We Still Trust our Cyber Resiliency Model?”
Cloud outages, cyberattacks, and ransomware attacks are more aggressive than ever, and moving VMs to Kubernetes requires a comprehensive and consistent BCDR framework that ensures both protection and rapid recovery. 

At Portworx, we deliver a flexible, consistent BCDR operating model that provides the resiliency required for even the most critical VM workloads running on Kubernetes, including:  

• Granular recovery: The introduction of VM file-level backup and restores in PX-Backup, provides even more granular recovery options tailored to end-user needs and SLAs
• Metro disaster recovery: Customers can implement synchronous disaster recovery with added support for FlashArray ActiveCluster to achieve zero RPO for critical VM workloads

These capabilities help customers reduce outages, strengthen cyber resiliency, accelerate recovery, and minimize downtime, all while ensuring data remains safe and recoverable.

Fear of Rising Costs: “Can We Afford to Wait?”
Virtualization costs are rising sharply, and while some CIOs may delay decisions for a year or two, now is the time to invest for the future.

At Portworx, we help CIOs mitigate both CapEx and OpEx associated with traditional virtualization. With our cost-efficient entry point for migrating VMs to Kubernetes, Portworx for KubeVirt, combined with the automation that is delivered by these new, familiar VMware workflows, CIOs can reduce over-provisioning. Enterprises can safely accelerate their migration plans, running VMs and containers side by side on Kubernetes – all while improving operational agility, security, and cost efficiency. 

Confidence for the Cloud-native Future
“Advanced storage capabilities are critical to enable and accelerate a successful transition from traditional virtualization platforms to a modern KubeVirt approach that allows companies to set themselves up for success across containers, virtual machines, and AI workloads,” said Gary Chen, research director, software defined compute, IDC.

The VMware-to-Kubernetes transition doesn’t have to be a leap of faith. With Portworx, CIOs gain a clear path to modernization, while controlling CapEx and OpEx, securing data against outages as well as cyber threats, and empowering existing teams to move faster.