Migrating Virtual Machines

Workloads can be migrated bi-directionally between data centers using various VMware HCX migration technologies.

Virtual Machines can be moved to and from HCX-activated data centers using multiple migration technologies mentioned below which I have tested in my lab:

• vMotion Migration
  

• Bulk Migration

• Replication Assisted vMotion (RAV)

Briefly, let us look into each migration type to understand how it works

vMotion Migration:

This migration method uses the VMware vMotion protocol to move a virtual machine to a remote site.

• The vMotion migration option is designed to move a single virtual machine simultaneously.

• The virtual machine state is migrated. There is no service interruption during an HCX vMotion migration.

Bulk Migration:

This migration method uses the VMware vSphere Replication protocols to move the virtual machines to a destination site.

• The Bulk migration option is designed for moving virtual machines in parallel.

• This migration type can be set to complete on a pre-defined schedule.

• The virtual machine runs at the source site until the failover begins. The service interruption with the bulk migration is equivalent to a reboot.

Replication Assisted vMotion (RAV):

Replication Assisted vMotion (RAV) combines the advantages of Bulk Migration (parallel operations, resiliency, and scheduling) with vMotion Migration (zero downtime virtual machine state migration)

In the following articles let us look into each migration type in detail.