Discovery layer01
Senior discovery
Guided questions capture business, app, backup and migration constraints that RVTools alone cannot know.
VMware
ProxmoxSenior-grade migration readiness
before touching production.
Shift Evidence turns RVTools inventory, storage destination evidence and project context into a VMware → Proxmox readiness decision pack: risk signals, evidence confidence, storage readiness, migration waves, reports and a contextual Senior Migration Advisor.
Former VMware TAM-led readiness methodology
No agentsNo mandatory credentialsNo production accessStarts with RVTools + senior contextEvidence-based scoringGuided questions and AI-assisted reviewBuilt for companies, MSPs and Proxmox consultants
Shift Evidence turns RVTools inventory, storage destination evidence and project context into a VMware → Proxmox readiness decision pack.
Analysis layer02
AI-assisted analysis
The platform cross-checks raw evidence, missing signals and risk patterns before producing recommendations.
Advisor layer03
Human-grade output
The result feels closer to a senior consultant workshop than a spreadsheet conversion.
Pre-migration decision pack
What you get before a Proxmox migration starts.
Shift Evidence gives buyers, consultants and delivery teams a clearer pre-migration answer: what looks ready, what needs validation, what should stay out of the first wave and what evidence still has to be collected.
Ready to pilot
What looks ready
Spot workloads that can move first with the least architectural friction.
Validate next
What needs validation
Expose app, backup, network and target assumptions that still need confirmation.
Hold or redesign
What should not move yet
Surface risky workloads before they become expensive migration mistakes.
Evidence gaps
What is still missing
Turn unknowns into an explicit checklist instead of hiding uncertainty inside the report.
Transition Challenge
VMware exits fail when teams migrate inventory instead of risk.
Root causeBroadcom licensing pressure creates urgency.
That urgency is what pushes teams to migrate legacy infrastructure too quickly, before architecture, storage and dependency risk are properly qualified.
Commercial trigger
Broadcom Pressure
Licensing changes and sudden TCO spikes force rapid exit planning, but pushing workloads to new hypervisors without architecture validation breeds downtime.
Urgency without architecture becomes risk.Infrastructure blind spot
Hidden Storage Risk
RVTools lists allocation sizes, but hides physical host disk configurations, performance sensitivity, and backing datastore boundaries.
RVTools alone does not reveal disk topology.Transformation blocker
Unknown Dependencies
Unsupported VM configurations, complex virtual networks, nested switches, and backup schedules represent hidden breakers that block live transformations.
Networks, backups and edge cases break waves.Decision Engine
From exported evidence to migration decisions.
Shift Evidence replaces consulting spreadsheets and black-box scripts with a platform that evaluates raw infrastructure configuration against target compatibility models.
Compute intelligence
Readiness & Confidence Scoring
Analyze sockets, cores, memory layouts, virtual networks, and guest operating systems to calculate standardized compatibility indexes and risk flags.
Destination modeling
Storage & Destination Risk
Map VMware SAN, NAS, or NFS architectures directly onto target storage targets (ZFS, NFS, SAN, or Ceph) to identify throughput bottlenecks and sizing suitability.
Delivery planning
Reports, Waves & Advisor Planning
Structure migration waves, list missing evidence, generate technical summaries, and consult a contextual Advisor driven by approved vault assumptions.
Architecture Pillars
Three Pillars of Pre-Migration Assessment
An institutional approach to migration qualification, structuring infrastructure audits around compute, storage, and contextual logic.
Compute pillar01
Compute & Licensing Readiness
Identify hypervisor footprint, count cores and sockets, isolate CPU architecture variations, verify OS license exposure, and group VMs into risk classes.
- Raw RVTools ingestion
- Core/Socket license mapping
- VM risk classification matrix
- Overcommit sizing simulators
Storage pillar02
Storage Destination Readiness
Examine existing datastore usage and map workloads to local ZFS, SAN, NFS, or high-performance Ceph architectures without installing production agents.
- ZFS, NFS, SAN, and Ceph modeling
- Proxmox Backup Server suitability
- Agentless CLI target validation
- No-credentials security approach
Advisor pillar03
Senior Migration Advisor
Interpret raw evidence using a contextual Advisor backed by Project Memory Vault logs, keeping recommendations aligned with your business constraints.
- Context-aware AI Advisor
- Project Memory Vault governance
- Risk interpretation summaries
- Read-only advisory limits
Workflow
The Pre-Migration Assessment Lifecycle
A structured process designed to transition raw cluster data into clear, audit-ready decisions.
01
Evidence intake
Ingest VMware Config
Upload raw RVTools inventory sheets or complete our guided intake form. Fully offline, read-only process with zero agents.
02
Target qualification
Attach Storage Target Evidence
Optionally add Proxmox, Ceph, or PBS target storage configuration exports to confirm hardware and failure domain constraints.
03
Risk scoring
Verify Readiness & Confidence
Review calculated sizing compatibilities and check evidence coverage metrics pointing out missing network or datastore facts.
04
Executive output
Generate Migration Decision Pack
Download boardroom-ready PDF reports containing VM risk matrices, license calculations, and prioritized waves.
05
Senior review
Consult Senior Advisor
Interact with our contextual advisor to trace risks, ask specific architectural questions, and understand limitations.
06
Wave preparation
Staging Waves & Upgrades
Pin approved assumptions to the Project Memory Vault and prepare technical checklists for sandbox executions.
Cost delta modeling
Broadcom exit financial scenarios.
Interactive savings simulator combining raw socket allocation with destination hypervisor plans to forecast 3-year TCO improvements.
Current VMware EnvironmentLegacy Subscription ModelTarget Proxmox EnvironmentOpen Infrastructure ModelVMware License TierPrice per core/year (USD):
$
Proxmox Subscription TierConverted to USD with the central static FX assumption. Original Proxmox list prices remain modeled in EUR.
ESTIMATED SAVINGS
98,496
3-Year Subscription Delta
Savings of 63.3% on modeled subscription costs
32,832 / year(-63.3%)
VMware 3-Year Estimate155,52051,840/yr
Proxmox 3-Year Estimate57,02419,008/yr
Capability Matrix
Market Landscape: How We Compare
Traditional assessments fall short of providing a concrete, actionable roadmap. Shift Evidence bridges the gap between raw data parsing and senior human expertise.
Typical assessment approachesWhere Shift Evidence keeps going
Generic Cloud Assessment
Typical focus
Scans standard hardware allocation metrics.
Where it breaks
Fails to analyze Proxmox cluster configurations or network layers.
Shift Evidence edge
Deep Proxmox VE specialized mapping
Vendor-Locked Tools
Typical focus
Optimizes to promote a specific hypervisor or license tier.
Where it breaks
Biased, incomplete recommendations that ignore alternative targets.
Shift Evidence edge
100% agnostic architecture target modeling
Template Human Advisory
Typical focus
Manual consultant audits using static worksheets and interviews.
Where it breaks
Extremely slow, expensive ($10k+), and variable in expert quality.
Shift Evidence edge
Software execution speed plus a Senior TAM-grade engine
Basic TCO Calculators
Typical focus
Spreadsheets calculating license comparisons only.
Where it breaks
Ignores actual VM risks, migration bottlenecks, and architectural constraints.
Shift Evidence edge
Financial metrics tied directly to hardware risk findings
Raw Technical Parsers
Typical focus
Converts configuration exports into simple HTML tables.
Where it breaks
No roadmap, no executive narrative, and no decision-ready output.
Shift Evidence edge
Audit-ready boardroom reporting with migration waves
Generic Chatbots (LLMs)
Typical focus
Processes standard prompts without infrastructure verification.
Where it breaks
Hallucinates configurations and lacks structured metrics checking.
Shift Evidence edge
Guardrailed AI bound to validated infrastructure evidence
| Assessment Approach | Core Focus & Method | Key Gaps & Vulnerabilities | Shift Evidence AI Copilot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic Cloud Assessment | Scans standard hardware allocation metrics. | Fails to analyze Proxmox cluster configurations or network layers. | Deep Proxmox VE specialized mapping✓ |
| Vendor-Locked Tools | Optimizes to promote a specific hypervisor/license tier. | Biased, incomplete recommendations ignoring alternative targets. | 100% Agnostic architecture target modeling✓ |
| Template Human Advisory | Manual consultant audits using standard static worksheets. | Extremely slow, expensive ($10k+), and variable expert quality. | Software execution speed + Senior TAM-grade engine✓ |
| Basic TCO Calculators | Spreadsheets calculating license comparisons. | Ignores actual VM risks, migration bottlenecks, and constraints. | Financial metrics bound to hardware risk findings✓ |
| Raw Technical Parsers | Converts configuration exports to basic HTML tables. | No strategic roadmap, no business narrative, and no executive view. | Audit-ready executive-grade boardroom reports✓ |
| Generic Chatbots (LLMs) | Processes standard prompts without hardware verification. | Hallucinates configurations; lacks structured metrics checking. | Guardrailed AI bound to validated infrastructure evidence✓ |
Diagnostic Deliverables
Your Migration Decision Pack: Deliverables
Shift Evidence structures raw cluster exports into standardized planning components.
Diagnostic
Readiness Score
Standardized compatibility ranking showing how configurations match target templates.
Confidence
Evidence Confidence
A secondary score highlighting assumptions based on incomplete or unverified configurations.
Inventory
VM Risk Matrix
VM-by-VM breakdown separating simple migrations from complex switch or switchover dependencies.
Storage
Storage Target Suitability
Compatibility matrix for ZFS, NFS, SAN, or Ceph backing targets including network cautions.
Validation
Missing Evidence Checklist
Direct tasks identifying where infrastructure details were omitted and need verification.
Staging
Migration Waves
Staged implementation timeline organizing workloads by size, risk, and ownership.
Executive
Boardroom PDF Report
Polished, technical and executive summaries designed for leadership sign-off.
AI Advisor
Advisor Context
Contextual suggestions addressing licensing, sizing anomalies, and operational readiness.
Evidence Expansion
More evidence means clearer confidence, not bigger promises.
Shift Evidence can now demonstrate broader evidence modules using a synthetic dataset library. Missing backup, target, storage or dependency evidence is surfaced as a planning limitation rather than inferred.
Synthetic QA scenarios for clean, blocked and mixed-risk VMware estates.
Backup, target, storage and dependency evidence shown as confidence drivers.
Migration Recommendation Plan gates documented before production waves.
Print-friendly PDFs built for stakeholder review and manual sign-off.
Synthetic library
8 safe demo scenarios
Demo and QA packs cover clean pilots, missing backup evidence, constrained targets, storage pressure, dependency-heavy estates and advanced-ready environments. They are not customer case studies.
No customer data
Storage Destination
Storage readiness is where many migrations fail.
RVTools can show disk allocation, but it cannot prove whether the Proxmox destination is ready. Shift Evidence helps you review storage approach, Ceph suitability signals, PBS/backup assumptions and destination evidence without requiring agents or credentials.
- ZFS, NFS, SAN, and Ceph target scenarios.
- PBS and backup evidence guidance.
- Agentless Proxmox/Ceph/PBS evidence exports.
- Storage evidence confidence.
- Storage-driven risk flags.
shiftevidence-cli
$ shiftevidence-cli storage-audit --target ceph[INFO] Ingesting destination storage topology...[OK] Proxmox VE target network MTU matches vSAN source (9000).[WARN] Ceph underdesign: target cluster utilizes consumer-grade SSDs.[WARN] Failure domains: insufficient replication node layout (n=2).[INFO] Storage Readiness Score: 52% (Medium Risk)$ _
Senior Migration Advisor
Assessment context verifiedSizing & CPU Overcommit
Based on the raw configurations for VM 'oracle-db-02', the socket layout demands high performance. If using a 3:1 overcommit on your Proxmox target hosts, memory locking is highly recommended.
Project Memory Vault
Sizing assumption: 2:1 CPU ratio approved.
Backup logic: daily snapshot staging pending validation.
Cognitive AI Advisor
Your assessment does not end with a PDF.
The Senior Migration Advisor uses your assessment context, storage evidence and approved Project Memory Vault items to explain risks, clarify assumptions and guide next migration decisions.
- Contextual to your assessment.
- Uses approved project memory.
- Helps interpret report findings.
- Helps prepare technical review and next steps.
- Read-only advisory role.
Security & Trust
Built for infrastructure teams that cannot expose production.
Shift Evidence enforces strict operational boundaries to make sure your raw configuration details remain confidential and protected.
No agents, no credentialsWe do not request production hypervisor credentials or install diagnostic packages on running hosts.
Customer-controlled evidenceAll raw RVTools configuration data and context metrics stay restricted to your project workspace.
Secrets scrubbingOur support requests actively warn users to exclude passwords, tokens, or private details before transmission.
Scrubber Status: Active
[INGESTION] vSphere Config uploadSUCCESS
> Initializing ruleset: TAM vSphere secrets filter
[FILTER]Stripping vCenter Server IPs... [REMOVED]
[FILTER]Obfuscating ESXi hostnames... [HASHED]
[FILTER]Searching for AD credential hashes... [CLEAN]
[FILTER]Purging local VM root user tokens... [SHREDDED]
[REPORT INTEGRITY] 🔒 Evidence Scrubbed. Ready for modeling.
Senior methodology
Built around senior infrastructure methodology.
Shift Evidence is built around a senior infrastructure consulting approach: evidence first, operational risk first, and clear migration decisions before execution.
The methodology reflects hands-on experience across infrastructure assessment, virtualization, migration planning, resilience, storage, networking, modernization and critical platform operations.
Learn more about Shift EvidencePlans & Pricing
Transparent pricing models with business-grade onboarding.
Start with a focused readiness assessment. Card checkout routes use Stripe only when approved, while bank transfer invoices remain available for business purchasing.
Best starting pointStarter Readiness
USD 490
Bank transfer invoice
Teams that need a first evidence-based checkpoint before committing budget, scope or deeper assessment effort.
- Guided VMware readiness intake
- RVTools ingestion and guided evidence review
- Initial licensing and readiness signal
Most completeProfessional Assessment
USD 1,500
Bank transfer invoice
Infrastructure teams that need risk, cost exposure and VM-level readiness proven before migration planning.
- Everything in Starter Readiness
- Full licensing and cost exposure review
- Storage Destination Readiness analysis
Scoped engagementMigration Blueprint
from From USD 3,500
Bank transfer invoice
Teams that already know the move is real and need waves, rollback paths, validation gates and planning structure.
- Everything in Professional Assessment
- Migration wave planning
- Pilot candidate selection
Purchasing flow
If checkout is unavailable or account matching is required, requests are routed for manual follow-up, review and invoice handling. Bank transfer invoices are the primary onboarding path for business customers.
Representative examples
What our customers are saying
Private infrastructure assessments involve sensitive cost and risk data, so these examples are shown by industry without company names or identifying details.
Commercial PDFs
Share the right explanation before the buying meeting.
Use the short brief for fast alignment, the product brochure for the full readiness story and the Blueprint overview when planning depth becomes the next conversation.
FAQ
VMwareProxmoxFrequently Asked Questions
Find technical and commercial clarifications about evidence ingestion, target validation limits, pricing, and advisor scope.
Product scope
Focused answers for the selected topic, keeping the technical and commercial details easy to scan.
01
Is Shift Evidence a migration execution tool?
No. Shift Evidence is an evidence-based migration decision platform. It identifies configuration risks, license exposure, and storage readiness gaps before you migrate, helping you plan rather than execute VM movements.
02
What do I receive?
You receive a complete decision pack containing a readiness score, evidence confidence rating, VM risk classification matrix, blueprint decision summary, storage target suitability findings, missing evidence checklists, migration wave recommendations, and optional advisor-guided next steps.
03
Who is it for?
It is built for infrastructure teams, IT directors, consultants, and MSPs planning VMware exits and target architecture validations.
VMwareProxmoxStart Your VMware Readiness Assessment
VMware exit decisions need evidence, not guesses. Initialize an evidence-backed audit of cost exposure, migration blockers, storage destination readiness and Ceph suitability today.
No ESXi agents required
Read-only configuration check
Zero Credentials Required