diff --git a/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-BulkMigration.md b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-BulkMigration.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3823f036 --- /dev/null +++ b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-BulkMigration.md @@ -0,0 +1,23 @@ +# HCX Bulk Migration + +Bulk Migration is the most commonly used HCX migration type. This migration type allows customers to migrate workloads into Azure VMware Solution in predefined batches or waves. Bulk Migrations can also be scheduled to cutover a predifined time or maintenance window of your choice. + +## Bulk Migration Process + +The process of a Bulk migration is as follows, once the VM is selected for virtual machine HCX begins its initial replication of the data up to Azure VMware Solution. Once the initial replication has completed, HCX can migrate the VM into Azure VMware Solution or if the VM is scheduled to cutover at predefined maintence window, HCX will contine to replicate the changes periodically. + +## Bulk Migration Cutover + +Once the VM is scheduled to migrate to Azure VMware Solution the cutover process begins. The HCX cutover process is as follows, First the source side VM will be powered off. Please note, the call to power off the VM on the source side is dependent on VMware tools, make sure your VMware tools is up to date or use the 'Force Power Off' option in HCX to power off the VM forcefully. +After the VM has powered off, HCX performs one last final data sync. While the VM is powered off HCX can perform some optional maintance on your VM and upgrade the hardware version of the VM. Once the final data sync and optional VM maintenance is completed The VM will be powered on in the Azure VMware Solution environment. Upon the VM powering up in Azure VMware Solution, another optional maintenance can occur, the VM can have its vmtools upgraded. Finally the VM is up and running in Azure VMware Solution and ready for user validation. + +![HCX Bulk Migration](../images/hcx-bulk.gif) + + +## Bulk Migration Advantages + +One of the main advantages an HCX bulk migration is that after the migration to Azure VMware Solution, The on-prem VM remains in your source vCenter, HCX renames the VM with a POSIX timestamp. Incase of any issues with the replicated VM in Azure VMware Solution, the on-prem VM can be renamed and powered back on. This VM will be in the state it was before the power off process of HCX bulk migrations. No need to replicate back the VM in Azure VMware Solution to on-prem. +Another advantage of Bulk migration is that it has the ability to migrate up to 200 VMs at a time per service mesh. This allows customer to migrate complete application and their depencies up into Azure VMware Solution in a single migration wave. + +## When to use Bulk Migration +Bulk migration is best suited for customers looking to move VMs up into Azure VMware Solution a large batches and quickly. This migration type does require a reboot of the VM, so minimal downtime for the VM should be expected and planned for. diff --git a/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-Cold Migration.md b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-Cold Migration.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0c50d3fb --- /dev/null +++ b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-Cold Migration.md @@ -0,0 +1,14 @@ +# HCX Cold Migration +This is pretty self explainatory. Perfect for migrations where the VM is powered off. Quite possibly the fastest way to replicate data in Azure VMware Solution as there is no change to the VMs data during migration. Cutover of the VM occurs immediatly, no option to schedule when a Cold Migration will happen. + +![HCX Cold Migration](../images/hcx-cold.gif) + +### Cold Migration Steps +1. VM is powered off in the on-prem environment +2. Initiate repllication from the on-prem HCX Connector +3. Replication occurs via VMware NFC (Network File Copy) +4. Once replication completes the VM is migrated over to Azure VMware Solution, there is no option to schedule or delay this type of migration. + + +## When to use Cold Migration +Perfect for VMS that are powered off and will remain off during the migration. diff --git a/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-RAV.md b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-RAV.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..18a4aea1 --- /dev/null +++ b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-RAV.md @@ -0,0 +1,12 @@ +# HCX Replicated Assisted vMotion (RAV) +Replicated Assisted vMotion is a combination of two types of HCX migrations, Bulk Migration and vMotion. RAV has the capability to replicate a large set of VMs concurrently to Azure VMware Solution. This option is helpful when customers do not want to tolerate any downtime for their VMs. + +## How RAV works +RAV is a combination of Bulk migration and vMotion. Just like in bulk migrations, a large set of VMs can be identified for a migration wave into Azure VMware Solution. These migration waves can be scheduled have the cutover process happen at a predefined maintence windows of the customers choosing. During intial replication RAV uses the bulk migration process to replicate the VMs from on-prem into Azure VMware Solution. Once the VMs have been replicated and the predefined maintenance window has occurred a delta vMotion cycle is initiated to a live cutover of the VM. Similar to vMotion migrations, the cutover of the VM occurs in a serial fashion. + +![HCX RAV](../images/hcx-RAV.gif) + +## When to use RAV +RAV is great option for customers that are looking to migrate a large number of VMs quickly into Azure VMware Solution and without incurring any downtime. Please remember, that the repliction process of RAV occurs concurrently but the cutovers of the VMs happen serially. At the time of thie writing their is no way to select the order of when the VMs are cutover. + +>**Note:** RAV for no downtime will require Network Extension appliances in place, so the VM retains the IP address during the migration process. When cutting over of the Network from on-prem to Azure VMware Solution downtime will occur. diff --git a/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-vMotion.md b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-vMotion.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..76cef9a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/hcx/HCX Migrations/hcx-migrations-vMotion.md @@ -0,0 +1,24 @@ +# HCX vMotion migrations + +Perhaps the most popular HCX migration type is vMotion. HCX vMotion allows you to migrate an on-prem VM into the Azure VMware Solutions environment without interuption to the VM itself. This type of migration should be reserved for workloads that cannot tolerate any downtime during its migration process. In most cases, this should just be a small subset of ones' workload. + +![HCX vMotion](../images/hcx-vMotion.gif) + +### vMotion Migration Steps +1. VM is in a powered on state on-prem +2. vMotion migration is selceted from the on-prem HCX connector +3. vMotion uses VMware NFC (Network File Copy) +4. When vMotion is selected, vCenter verifies that the VM is in a stable state with the on-prem host +5. The VM state information (memory, registers and network connections) is copied to the Azure VMware Solution host +6. VM is then migrated over to the new host and resumes its activites from the Azure VMware Solution side. +7. Please note, this migration option cannot be scheduled or delayed +8. vMotion migration is a serial process. + + +## vMotion limitations +As stated above, HCX vMotion is a great option for workloads that cannot tolerate any downtime. HCX vMotion does support concurrent migrations, up to the limit of vSphere, but each cutover occurs in a serial fashion. Parellel migration cutovers of vMotion is not supported. + +## When to use HCX vMotion migrations +Customers that have specific workloads that cannot tolerate any downtime can use vMotion as an option within HCX to migrate their workloads to Azure VMware Solution. Just be sure to understand, vMotion is not the best migration option in HCX for those looking to migrate a large number of VMs to Azure VMware Solution in relativily short period of time. Other options such as Bulk migration should be considered first. + +>**Note:** vMotions for no downtime will require Network Extension appliances in place, so the VM retains the IP address during the migration process. When cutting over of the Network from on-prem to Azure VMware Solution downtime will occur. diff --git a/hcx/images/hcx-RAV.gif b/hcx/images/hcx-RAV.gif new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8e3a6602 Binary files /dev/null and b/hcx/images/hcx-RAV.gif differ diff --git a/hcx/images/hcx-bulk.gif b/hcx/images/hcx-bulk.gif new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2733d29a Binary files /dev/null and b/hcx/images/hcx-bulk.gif differ diff --git a/hcx/images/hcx-cold.gif b/hcx/images/hcx-cold.gif new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f515e76e Binary files /dev/null and b/hcx/images/hcx-cold.gif differ diff --git a/hcx/images/hcx-vMotion.gif b/hcx/images/hcx-vMotion.gif new file mode 100644 index 00000000..16209df4 Binary files /dev/null and b/hcx/images/hcx-vMotion.gif differ