Migrating VMware VMs using VMware HCX

This page describes how you can use VMware HCX to migrate your virtual machines (VMs) from your VMware environment to Google Cloud VMware Engine. VMware HCX abstracts vSphere-based resources in your VMware environment and cloud resources and presents them to applications as one continuous resource, creating a hybrid infrastructure.

Before you begin

  1. Make sure that the VMware product versions that you use on-premises are supported by the selected migration type (live/cold/bulk) with HCX. For more information about source vSphere versions and their corresponding supported HCX features, see the VMware product interoperability matrix.

    The HCX download depot has been decommissioned. Google Cloud side upgrades are managed as part of the VMware Engine service. Contact support if you need HCX upgrade assistance.

  2. You must have a Google Cloud project and a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network.

  3. The VMware environment must be connected to the VPC network in your project using either Cloud VPN or Cloud Interconnect. If you use Cloud VPN, review the VMware HCX Minimum Network Underlay Requirements for HCX.

The overview described in this page is independent of the specific versions of vSphere in your VMware environment as long as your vSphere version is compatible with HCX.

Deploying a hybrid infrastructure solution using VMware HCX in your private cloud

Deploying the HCX migration solution for Google Cloud VMware Engine requires you to do the following:

Create a private cloud in your environment

Create a private cloud in your Google Cloud VMware Engine environment. When you create a private cloud, VMware Engine does the following for you:

  1. Deploys the HCX Cloud Manager appliance in the system management network and the management resource pool in your private cloud.
  2. Configures HCX Cloud Manager with the compute profile (network pool) information.
  3. Establishes network connectivity between the various HCX service appliances and HCX Cloud Manager.
  4. Generates a license activation key and configures HCX Cloud Manager to use it.
  5. Registers HCX Cloud Manager with the VMware HCX service.

Because HCX is automatically deployed as part of private cloud creation, you don't need to provide a subnet IP address range for HCX services.

Connect your VMware environment network to your private cloud

  1. Use your Cloud Interconnect to connect your VMware environment network to your private cloud.
  2. Add your VMware Engine subnet IP address ranges to custom routes for the Cloud Router that terminates the Cloud Interconnect attachment.
  3. Open required network ports on your VMware environment firewall.

Prepare for HCX Cloud Manager installation in your VMware environment

With HCX 4.9.0 installations, HCX deployments support air-gapped sites where inbound or outbound connections to or from the internet are not allowed. For more information, see Understanding Air-gapped Sites.

  1. Download the HCX Connector OVA from HCX Cloud Manager.

    1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Private clouds page.

      Go to Private clouds

    2. Click the private cloud that you want to prepare.

    3. Under Management appliances, click the URL for the HCX Cloud Manager.

    4. In HCX Cloud Manager, go to Administration > System Updates.

    5. Click Request download link and download the OVA file.

  2. Update HCX Cloud Manager to the latest version available from the HCX Cloud Manager UI.

  3. Copy a license activation key for your HCX Connector.

    1. In your Google Cloud console, go to Private clouds and select your private cloud.
    2. Go to HCX Connector Keys > View.
    3. Click the copy icon content_copy to copy your key. You are responsible for storing and managing copied activation keys.

If needed, you can generate a new HCX activation key by clicking Generate Additional Key. Newly generated keys require a name and are appended to the end of the downloadable file containing generated activation keys.

Install HCX Connector in your VMware environment

Install and configure HCX Connector in your VMware environment by following the instructions in the VMware HCX User Guide.

  1. Prepare your VMware environment for HCX Connector installation.
    1. Identify available IP addresses.
    2. If necessary, create vLANs/subnets.
  2. Deploy the HCX Connector OVA on your VMware environment.
  3. Use the activation key downloaded earlier, and register your HCX Connector instance with VMware.
  4. Configure HCX Connector.

Use HCX Cloud Manager for workload migration

To learn how to use HCX to migrate workloads from your VMware environment to your private cloud, see the VMware HCX User Guide.

Here are some of the operations you can perform:

  • Pair the two sites (VMware environment and private cloud)
  • Perform and schedule migrations:
    • Cold
    • Bulk
    • vMotion
  • Extend layer 2 networks

External references