Leaving VMware is not a voluntary decision for many organizations — but it can also be an opportunity. This talk outlines the journey from VMware-based virtualization to OpenStack as a powerful open-source alternative. It’s not just about the technical migration of VMs and networks, but especially about the conceptual differences: where does OpenStack think differently than VMware? Which familiar concepts such as vMotion, distributed switches, or vCenter don’t exist in the same form—and what alternatives does OpenStack provide?

The talk offers a practical perspective on migration paths, common pitfalls, and the areas where both administrators and users need to rethink their approach. The goal is to provide a realistic view of what’s possible — and what it takes to get there.