Migrating VMware virtual machines to HyperV with Veeam Instant Recovery

Virtualization is the backbone of modern IT, and VMware has long been the go-to hypervisor. Yet many organizations are now shifting to Microsoft HyperV for its lower licensing costs, seamless integration with Windows Server, and compatibility with Azure. Migrating workloads between platforms can be challenging, but Veeam Backup & Replication offers a secure and efficient way to move VMware VMs to HyperV. At the heart of this process is Instant Recovery, a feature designed to minimize downtime and simplify cross-platform migration. 

Veeam’s role in migration 

Veeam is best known for backup and disaster recovery, but it also supports cross-hypervisor restores. By backing up VMware VMs and restoring them directly into HyperV, Veeam ensures workloads remain protected throughout the transition. This approach avoids risky manual conversions and leverages proven backup technology. 

Understanding Instant Recovery 

Instant Recovery is Veeam’s standout feature for migration. Instead of waiting for a full restore to copy data back to production storage, Instant Recovery mounts the VM directly from the backup repository. This means: 

• The VM can be powered on almost immediately in HyperV. 
• Users experience minimal downtime while the restore continues in the background. 
• Administrators can test workloads in HyperV before committing to the migration. 

Be aware that a VM running from a backup repository may have performance issues depending on the type of storage.  A low-end NAS will not have the same performance as a SAN that runs production data. 

Once the VM is running on HyperV, Veeam uses Storage vMotionlike technology to transfer the VM’s data from the backup repository to production storage without interrupting operations. This “live migration” ensures business continuity. 

Premigration checklist 

Before starting the conversion, it’s important to prepare your VMware VM: 

• Uninstall VMware Tools. These drivers are not compatible with HyperV. 
• Remove snapshots. 
• Turn off the source machine for clean, reliable migration. 
• Back up your VM using your Veeam backup job. 

Step-by-step migration with Instant Recovery 

• Open Veeam Backup and Replication console.
• Right click on the backup file for virtual machine, select Instant Recovery, and choose “Microsoft HyperV.” 
• Select the restore point you want to convert to Hyper-V. 
• Select the target HyperV host, file location, network, and name. 
• Review the summary and confirm all the settings are correct and start the restore. 
• Once the initial restoration is finished, you can start the virtual machines in Hyper-V manager and test functionality. 
• Once all testing is complete, click on the “Migrate to Production” to start the transfer of files from the backup repository to the Hyper-V host data store. 

Conclusion 

Migrating from VMware to HyperV can seem daunting, but with Veeam Backup & Replication’s Instant Recovery feature, the process becomes significantly more manageable and secure. By leveraging Veeam’s ability to restore VMware VMs directly into HyperV, organizations can minimize downtime, reduce risk, and ensure business continuity throughout the migration. The step-by-step approach—preparing the source VM, using Instant Recovery for rapid testing, and finalizing the migration, demonstrates how Veeam streamlines cross-platform transitions. With careful preparation and the right tools, IT teams can confidently move workloads to HyperV, taking advantage of its integration with Windows Server and Azure while maintaining robust data protection.