Killik & Co modernises IT operations by investing in Nutanix upgrade

The independently-owned UK wealth manager made efficiencies and cost savings by switching from VMware to Nutanix

CHALLENGE

In a world where digital has become the main way of doing business for so many organisations, Killik has a differentiated approach of providing human-to-human advice to customers, many of whom are looking for counsel to support the financial safety of their families. However, like any company it is reliant on IT to be the backbone of its core internal operations, database management, Microsoft Dynamics CRM system, and its MyKillik mobile app.

Working alongside their managed services partner Forfusion, Killik identified an urgent need to modernise its infrastructure. . Its existing environment was approaching an end-date for different reasons. That is, Cisco Systems had announced plans to retire its HyperFlex hyperconvergence systems while Broadcom's acquisition of VMware raised concerns of significant changes in product roadmaps, support and licence costs. Killik needed a resilient, scalable alternative that would suit its small IT department. 

“We were using Cisco Hyperflex and on top of that VMware ESXi. We had been on ESXi for as long as I have worked here, 10 years, and several years before that,” says Anthony Wood, infrastructure and network manager, Killik & Co.

“In February 2025 we decided to make the switch to Nutanix, mostly due to costs and the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom. We could see VMware going in a direction that wasn’t great for smaller to medium-sized companies. We began considering our options, engaging with Nutanix, attending events and scoping needs. It wasn't a foregone conclusion to change suppliers but the VMware renewal demands made up our minds, because costs would have been significantly higher.” 

SOLUTION

Killik operates its own datacentres and has a small amount of infrastructure on Microsoft Azure as well as some cloud applications. It had looked at moving more into the cloud more strategically in the past but had decided that, with core applications architected for on-prem, there was no value in such a switch. 

“Working with Forfusion, which provided procurement, delivery, QA training and managed services, I made the decision to go for Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) on Nutanix hardware,” says Wood. “We looked at [open source enterprise software company] Proxmox and at Nutanix software on Cisco hardware but I wanted simpler support with a single point of contact. Support was a major factor. With a small team, we needed a solution that reduced complexity and gave us a single point of accountability.

“The Nutanix account manager found us reference customers of similar size or in our sector, who had gone through similar migrations from VMware to Nutanix. We work closely with Forfusion for most infrastructure projects so, after looking at other providers for due diligence and quotes, we worked with their design team and project team on deploying Nutanix.”

OUTCOMES

After putting out “light feelers” into the market in 2024 and going through a scoping and vendor selection process, in 2025 Killik and Forfusion were able to deploy rapidly in 2025 and successfully migrate infrastructure. Wood says:

“I was insistent we get some training and Nutanix was very happy to oblige with our people. It wasn’t ‘zero to hero’, just transitional learning. The course was well instructed. The training has set me up to handle both current and future needs.

“We used Nutanix Move for the migration of the core Windows and Linux servers and SQL Server and MongoDB databases. The process was smooth, despite some configuration and power management issues unrelated to Nutanix. I remember doing a VMware-to-VMware migration and that was more challenging. Nutanix were very helpful in working with us on how to migrate, and we were almost fully migrated by the end of January.

“We now have a future-proofed infrastructure across our two datacentres. Ideally, I would have liked more time to get migrations done but Nutanix gave us all the feedback we needed. Migration using Nutanix Move made everything seamless. Most people didn’t know we had moved, which is what you want… 

“For our IT team, the iTAM (Inside Technical Account Manager) features have been a real benefit. We decided to make the switch to Nutanix mostly due to costs and the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom. We could see VMware going in a direction that wasn’t great for smaller to medium-sized companies. Since we migrated there has been a notable increase in performance with the overall overnight processes taking 45 minutes less. We have better hardware, cleaner and simpler systems, lower costs, upskilled staff, more metrics and easier understanding of systems. Everything is a good bit quicker or a little bit quicker.”

NEXT STEPS

With a stable and modernised foundation in place, Killik is now focused on extending its capabilities. Wood says that the Nutanix migration has given Killik peace of mind and the prospect of solid “business as usual” IT operations. Further down the line, “We might need a little more compute”, he says, as the company ponders its redundancy, disaster recovery and business continuity operations. “The next step is using the DR features to back up to another site, whether that’s a third site or something else. We use Veeam for backup, which integrates very well with Nutanix.” 

 With Forfusion’s ongoing support as a managed services partner, Killik is set for long-term stability and growth, confident in its Nutanix centric IT capabilities.

Partner

Forfusion: Experts in AI‑ready, mission-critical IT infrastructure

Forfusion helps organisations modernise securely and operate reliably. Using our ADIOlogy® methodology and FusionCare® 24×7 managed services, we design, integrate, and manage AI‑ready, mission-critical IT infrastructure that reduces risk, ensures compliance, and enables safe, sustained innovation.

We guide clients through every stage of their IT evolution, delivering continuity, agility, and measurable outcomes. Trusted by partners and global organisations, we make technology predictable, auditable, and aligned with business goals delivered by experts committed to helping teams harness the power of IT.

3/2026

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