VMware Cloud on AWS: Extending Data Centers with HCX, Migrate Live VMs Between On-Premises VMware and AWS

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving IT landscape, businesses are increasingly adopting hybrid cloud strategies to leverage the benefits of both on-premises infrastructure and public cloud services. VMware Cloud on AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a powerful solution that enables organizations to seamlessly extend their data centers to the cloud, providing flexibility, scalability, and operational efficiency. One of the key components of VMware Cloud on AWS is the VMware HCX (Hybrid Cloud Extension) service, which facilitates the migration of live virtual machines (VMs) between on-premises VMware environments and AWS.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to using VMware HCX to migrate live VMs between on-premises VMware and AWS. We will cover the technical details, relevant commands, code snippets, use cases, real-life implementations, and step-by-step instructions for both CLI-based and AWS console-based operations.

Understanding VMware Cloud on AWS and HCX

VMware Cloud on AWS

VMware Cloud on AWS is a jointly engineered service by VMware and AWS that allows organizations to run VMware workloads on AWS infrastructure. It provides a seamless extension of on-premises VMware environments to the cloud, enabling businesses to leverage the scalability, agility, and cost-effectiveness of AWS while maintaining the familiarity and operational consistency of VMware.

VMware HCX

VMware HCX is a hybrid cloud mobility platform that simplifies workload migration, cloud motion, and infrastructure hybridization. It supports a wide range of migration scenarios, including bulk migration, live migration, and scheduled migration. HCX provides a unified interface for managing migrations, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss.

Use Cases for VMware HCX

1. Data Center Extension: Extend on-premises data centers to the cloud without the need for significant reconfiguration or re-architecture.
2. Disaster Recovery: Implement a robust disaster recovery strategy by replicating VMs to the cloud.
3. Workload Mobility: Move workloads between on-premises and cloud environments based on changing business needs.
4. Cloud Bursting: Temporarily extend on-premises capacity to the cloud during peak demand periods.
5. Data Center Consolidation: Consolidate multiple data centers into a single cloud environment.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the migration process, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

1. VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC: A VMware Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) must be provisioned on AWS.
2. On-Premises VMware Environment: A compatible on-premises VMware environment (vSphere 6.0 or later) must be in place.
3. HCX License: Ensure that the HCX license is activated on both the on-premises and cloud environments.
4. Network Connectivity: Establish secure network connectivity between the on-premises environment and VMware Cloud on AWS using VPN or Direct Connect.
5. HCX Manager: Deploy the HCX Manager appliance in both the on-premises and cloud environments.

Step-by-Step Guide to Migrate Live VMs Using VMware HCX

Step 1: Deploy HCX Manager

On-Premises Environment

1. Download HCX Manager OVA: Download the HCX Manager OVA file from the VMware website.
2. Deploy OVA: Use the vSphere Client to deploy the OVA file to your on-premises vCenter.

   ovftool --acceptAllEulas --X:injectOvfEnv --powerOn \
   --name=HCX-Manager \
   --net:"Network 1"="VM Network" \
   hcx-manager.ova \
   vi://username@vcenter-hostname/Datacenter/host/Cluster

3. Configure HCX Manager: Access the HCX Manager web interface and complete the initial configuration, including network settings, vCenter registration, and license activation.

VMware Cloud on AWS

1. Download HCX Manager OVA: Download the HCX Manager OVA file from the VMware Cloud on AWS console.
2. Deploy OVA: Use the vSphere Client to deploy the OVA file to your VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC.

   ovftool --acceptAllEulas --X:injectOvfEnv --powerOn \
   --name=HCX-Manager-AWS \
   --net:"Network 1"="SDDC-Network" \
   hcx-manager-aws.ova \
   vi://username@vcenter-cloud-hostname/Datacenter/host/Cluster

3. Configure HCX Manager: Access the HCX Manager web interface and complete the initial configuration, including network settings, vCenter registration, and license activation.

Step 2: Establish Site Pairing

1. Log in to HCX Manager: Access the HCX Manager web interface for the on-premises environment.
2. Add Remote Site: Navigate to the "Interconnect" tab and click "Add Site." Enter the HCX Manager URL for the VMware Cloud on AWS environment.
3. Authenticate: Provide the necessary credentials to authenticate the connection between the on-premises and cloud HCX Managers.
4. Complete Pairing: Follow the prompts to complete the site pairing process.

Step 3: Configure Network Profiles

1. Create Network Profiles: In the HCX Manager web interface, navigate to the "Network" tab and create network profiles for both the on-premises and cloud environments. These profiles define the network segments used for migration.

   hcxcli network profile create \
   --name "OnPrem-Network-Profile" \
   --gateway "192.168.1.1" \
   --subnet "255.255.255.0" \
   --dns "8.8.8.8" \
   --domain "onprem.local"

2. Map Networks: Map the on-premises network profiles to the corresponding network profiles in the VMware Cloud on AWS environment.

Step 4: Create Service Mesh

1. Navigate to Service Mesh: In the HCX Manager web interface, go to the "Interconnect" tab and click "Create Service Mesh."
2. Select Sites: Choose the on-premises and cloud sites that you paired earlier.
3. Configure Uplink: Select the appropriate uplink network profiles for both sites.
4. Review and Create: Review the configuration and click "Create" to establish the service mesh.

Step 5: Migrate Live VMs

1. Select Migration Type: In the HCX Manager web interface, navigate to the "Migration" tab and choose the type of migration (e.g., vMotion, Bulk Migration).
2. Select VMs: Select the VMs that you want to migrate from the on-premises environment to VMware Cloud on AWS.
3. Configure Migration Settings: Specify the destination network, storage, and compute resources in the VMware Cloud on AWS environment.
4. Start Migration: Initiate the migration process. HCX will handle the live migration with minimal downtime.

   hcxcli migration start \
   --vm "VM1,VM2,VM3" \
   --destination "Cloud-vCenter" \
   --network "Cloud-Network-Profile" \
   --storage "Cloud-Storage-Profile"

5. Monitor Progress: Monitor the migration progress in the HCX Manager web interface. HCX provides real-time status updates and logs for troubleshooting.

Step 6: Validate and Test

1. Verify VM Status: After the migration is complete, verify that the VMs are running successfully in the VMware Cloud on AWS environment.
2. Test Connectivity: Ensure that the migrated VMs can communicate with other resources in the cloud environment.
3. Validate Applications: Test the applications running on the migrated VMs to ensure they are functioning as expected.

Real-Life Implementation: Case Study

Company Background

A mid-sized financial services company with a significant on-premises VMware environment wanted to extend its data center to the cloud to improve scalability and disaster recovery capabilities. The company chose VMware Cloud on AWS and HCX to achieve this goal.

Implementation Steps

1. Assessment: The company conducted a thorough assessment of its on-premises environment, including VM inventory, network configuration, and storage requirements.
2. HCX Deployment: The IT team deployed HCX Manager in both the on-premises and VMware Cloud on AWS environments.
3. Network Configuration: The team configured network profiles and established a secure connection between the on-premises environment and VMware Cloud on AWS using AWS Direct Connect.
4. Migration Planning: The company identified critical VMs for migration and created a detailed migration plan, including timelines and resource allocation.
5. Live Migration: Using HCX, the company successfully migrated live VMs to VMware Cloud on AWS with minimal downtime.
6. Validation: Post-migration, the IT team validated the VMs and applications, ensuring they were fully operational in the cloud environment.

Results

• Scalability: The company achieved greater scalability by leveraging AWS's elastic infrastructure.
• Disaster Recovery: The implementation of VMware Cloud on AWS and HCX enhanced the company's disaster recovery capabilities.
• Operational Efficiency: The seamless migration process minimized disruption to business operations, allowing the company to maintain high service levels.

Conclusion

VMware Cloud on AWS, combined with VMware HCX, provides a powerful solution for extending data centers to the cloud and migrating live VMs between on-premises VMware environments and AWS. By following the detailed steps outlined in this article, organizations can achieve seamless migration, improved scalability, and enhanced disaster recovery capabilities. Real-life implementations, such as the case study presented, demonstrate the tangible benefits of adopting this hybrid cloud strategy.

As businesses continue to embrace hybrid cloud environments, VMware Cloud on AWS and HCX will play a critical role in enabling seamless workload mobility, operational efficiency, and business continuity. Whether you are looking to extend your data center, implement disaster recovery, or achieve cloud bursting, VMware HCX offers a robust and reliable solution for your hybrid cloud needs.