PlateSpin Migrate Evaluation Guide

For PlateSpin Migrate 12.2.2

 About This Guide
This document is intended to assist with the installation, configuration and evaluation of
PlateSpin Migrate (version 12.2.2) for its most common use-case, the migration of virtual or
physical Windows servers onto VMware ESXi using the PlateSpin Migrate Web Interface.

Much of the information in this guide is, however, also relevant for migrations onto other
platforms such as Hyper-V, Azure, Amazon Web Services and physical hardware.

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 What You Need
1. One or more physical or virtual Windows or Linux source servers on which to perform test
migrations
2. A VMware host or cluster onto which to migrate the source server(s)
3. A Windows server on which to install PlateSpin Migrate, typically a virtual machine
4. Network connectivity and administrator access to the source and target environments,
and the PlateSpin server
- PlateSpin server  VMware host or vCenter server

- PlateSpin server  source workload

- Target workload  source workload

- Target & source workloads  PlateSpin server

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 Contents

1. Introduction to workload 6. Configure migration settings

migration 7. Prepare migration
2. Download software and 8. Perform full replication
obtain an evaluation license
9. Perform test cutover
3. Install and activate PlateSpin
Migrate 10. Perform incremental replication
4. Discover target VMware 11. Perform cutover
environment
12. Where to get help
5. Discover source workloads
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 Home

1. Introduction to workload migration

 Virtual
PlateSpin migrates
entire server workloads
between physical, virtual OS

and cloud platforms

in any direction

Physical Cloud
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 Data centre
Transformation
 Virtual-to-virtual
 Managed services and cloud
 Server virtualization
 Server refresh

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 Migration challenges

Risk Downtime Lock-in

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Complexity Scalability Uncertainty
The enterprise-grade migration solution

PlateSpin helps partners and enterprises migrate

servers to more profitable platforms, or the cloud,
faster, with less risk, and at a lower overall cost.
 PlateSpin Migrate overview

 Hardware and application independent

Virtual
 No access required to source hypervisor
 Industry-leading levels of automation
 Target OS customisation
 Highly resilient and scalable
 Near-zero downtime
Physical Cloud
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 Configure, don’t do it yourself

VM Host name Hypervisor Source & target Incremental

creation & IP tools end states replication

Hypervisor Services/Daemons Drivers & BIOS<>UEFI Workload

files before/during/after OS kernel conversion testing

Volumes Memory NICs CPU Actions

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 Benefits of PlateSpin Migrate

A proven migration solution designed to minimise

Downtime Incremental replication keeps cutover
times to a minimum
Risk Test target systems as often as you wish
prior to cutover
Time Migrate multiple workloads
simultaneously quickly and reliably
Effort High levels of automation significantly
reduce manual effort
Complexity One toolset for any migration: Windows and
Linux, anywhere to anywhere
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 Supported Platforms (Migrate 12.2.2)

 Source Workloads  Target Platforms

- Windows Server 2003 – 2016 - VMware ESXi & vCloud Director

- Microsoft Clusters (active/passive) - Microsoft Hyper-V 2012 R2 & 2016

- Desktops: Windows 7, 8.x - Microsoft Azure
- Windows 2000 SP4 & XP supported by Migrate 12.0 - Amazon Web Services
- SUSE Enterprise Linux 9-11 - Any virtual platform that supports boot from ISO,
e.g. XenServer, KVM
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.x-7.4
- OpenStack, BT Cloud Compute, BlueMix etc.
- Oracle Enterprise Linux incl. Unbreakable Kernel
- Physical hardware
- CentOS

- Para-virtualised Linux kernels

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- NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, EXT4, REISERFS, and XFS
 PlateSpin Migrate tasks

Task Description
Discover workload Retrieves detailed inventory information necessary to determine the
machine’s use and to properly configure a migration task.
Configure migration Allows you to configure the settings required for migrating the workload.
Settings are configured in advance to enable other tasks to be performed
with just a few clicks
Prepare migration Installs the required data transfer software on the source and creates a
target virtual machine on the target VMware environment in preparation
for the workload replication
Run migration Starts replicating the workload according to specified settings

Test cutover Boots and configures the target workload for testing purposes

Run cutover Boots and configures the target workload to complete the migration cycle
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 Target VM networking
 There are 3 distinct phases of networking which are applied to the target VM during a typical
migration cycle. For each phase you define a VMware Port Group and an associated dynamic or static
IP configuration. The port groups for all phases must exist in advance on the target VMware
infrastructure before they may be configured in PlateSpin as Migrate does not create them.

Replication network This is a temporary network configuration that is applied to the target virtual machine during all
for target replication activities. During replications, the target VM is temporarily booted from a Linux ISO
image that communicates with the source workload to receive volume data. Naturally, it requires
connectivity to the source workload to do so. By default the target VM opens the replication port to
the source workload but this can be reversed if necessary.
Target workload This represents the final, i.e. future production network configuration of the target workload once
network connections the migration is complete. If required the original IP address of the source workload may be applied
since the source is typically powered off by the time this point in the process is reached.
Target Test workload This represents the network configuration for testing the target workload prior to cutover. During
network connections test phases, the target VM is powered on while the source workload is also online. It is, therefore,
essential to prevent communication between them to avoid any possible disruption to source
business services.

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 Migration Process Illustration (Windows to VMware)
7 5 3 10
6 8

1 4 2 8 4
9

Source Target
1. Discover target hypervisor & source OS
Prepare Phase

2. Create the target VM (no OS)

3. Boot target with Linux RAM disk or helper VM Migrate
Server
4. Install agent on target and source
1st Rep

5. Replicate volumes using VSS snapshot

6. Take VMware snapshot and power off target
7. Stop source app and perform delta sync
Cutover

8. Inject drivers and configure OS 1

9. Clean up agents and install VMware Tools Target VMware

Host or Cluster
10. Reboot target
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Typical Port Requirements
Source Workload Target VM

Replication: TCP 3725

Agent: HTTPS
Replication Test Production
SSH TCP 137,139 (Up to 3 separate phases of networking)
& 445, C$
Agent install & discovery Agent: HTTPS

Migrate
Server

User: HTTPS Target discovery, VM

creation & control: HTTPS
Migrate Target Hypervisor
UI or Cloud
 Home

2. Download software and obtain an

evaluation license
 Migrate Download and Evaluation Key

 PlateSpin Migrate may be

downloaded from
https://www.microfocus.com/products/platespin/migrate
 Also check the website for patches
(none at the time of writing)
 A Micro Focus representative will
provide an evaluation license key
which must be activated before the
software may be used
- It may be installed without the key

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 Home

3. Install and activate PlateSpin

Migrate
 Migrate Server pre-requisites

 Windows Server 2012 R2 or 2016  Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 or higher

- OS must be activated - SQL Server 2017 Express is included in the
binaries
- UAC must be disabled
 .NET Framework 4.7.1 or later
- Static IP address
 IIS 7 or higher
 2 CPUs
 Server may be located in either source or
 8 GB RAM target data centre
 40 GB disk space minimum

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 Pre-requisites installer script

 The required roles and features may be installed automatically via a PowerShell script
- This is available on the PlateSpin Migrate download page, version 12.2.1 onwards:
Install_PlateSpin_Migrate_Prerequisites.zip

 If the Migrate Server does not have internet access then Dot Net Framework 4.x and Microsoft
Visual C++ 2013 redistributable must be installed manually in advance
- Dot Net 4.7.1 or later for Migrate version 12.2.2

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 Tips for successful installation

 The Migrate Server installation will fail if any required Roles or Features are missing, so
review them carefully
- A PowerShell script is available on the download page that will install them automatically

 Do not install the Migrate Server on a server with other applications or roles, or that is
to be migrated
 If the Windows language and regional language settings differ then the installation may
fail
 The installer must be able to create local users & groups, and modify local
Administrator group membership
 The SQL Server silent installation fails on rare occasions but manual installation will
work too

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 Migrate Server installation

If you followed the pre-requisites then Migrate installation

is very simple - just follow the on-screen prompts:

1. Install SQL Server Express

2. Install PlateSpin Server

- Permit HTTP communication if no SSL Certificate

- If failure check the Roles & Features!

3. Optionally install PlateSpin Client

- Not required for performing migrations onto VMware or
Azure

- Required for migrations onto other platforms and for

the Command Line Interface

4. Also check the website for patches and install as per

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instructions
 Activating the Migrate Server

 Enable the Migrate Server for internet access

- Alternatively perform an offline activation from another machine

 Access the Web Interface at http(s)://<Migrate Server>/migrate

 Enter the 7-digit evaluation key and its associated email address
- Valid for 30 days

- Permits up to 5 migration activities on up to 3 workloads

- If you require additional migrations or time to evaluate the product then contact your account manager
before you activate the key

 The evaluation key includes technical

support 8x5

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 PlateSpin Migrate activation

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 Home

4. Discover target VMware

environment

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Target VMware Discovery

 Requirements
- A paid-for VMware license
- vCenter & ESXi 4.1 or later
- Administrator credentials for vCenter or ESXi hosts
- VMware Web services API and File management API
 Discovery
- Targets > Add Target
- Add a DRS Cluster or individual host. For performance reasons do not discover a large cluster
– add host(s) instead

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 VMware Discovery

 When discovering a cluster, Migrate shows each host in that cluster in the UI

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 Home

5. Discover source workloads

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Source Workload Requirements: Windows

 Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later with .NET Framework 3.5 installed

- Windows Server 2000 SP4 with .NET 2 also supported (using PlateSpin Migrate version 12.0)

- Minimum 10% free disk space for Microsoft VSS snapshots

- Note additional requirements for Microsoft Cluster, refer to User Guide for details

 Communication requirements

- File & Printer sharing enabled in the Windows firewall, or specific inbound rules

- As a minimum, SMB-in (TCP 445) & NB-Name-In (TCP 137-139)

- And equivalent ports opened for other firewalls

- HTTP or HTTPS outbound to Migrate Server

- TCP 3725 inbound from target

- Administrative shares must be enabled

31 - Note, additional ports may be required for other migration types, refer to User Guide
 Source Workload Requirements: Linux

 Supported distributions:
- SLES, RHEL, CentOS, and Oracle Enterprise Linux

 SSH access & root or sudo account

 Minimum 10% free disk space for LVM snapshots
 If a blkwatch module has not been created for the specific kernel, refer to the
Knowledge Base for instructions

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 Home

6. Configure Migration Settings

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Initial Transfer Method

 Select Full Replication if you wish Migrate to create the target VM automatically
 Select Incremental Replication to use an existing VM as the target – must be the same
OS & SP as the source machine
- If replicating volume blocks, an existing target VM must have the same block structure as the
source otherwise the entire workload will be replicated initially

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 Schedule Settings

 Define how often an incremental replication will be performed

 Full Replication enables the initial copy to be scheduled in the future
 Blackout Window calendar is to prevent conflict with other VSS applications
 Compressing data may significantly reduce replication time

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 Migration Settings: Transfer Method (Windows)

 Block based transfer (BBT) is the recommended transfer method. Use File Based
transfer to resize volumes
 The Windows BBT driver offers significantly faster incremental replications than
driverless method but it requires the source machine to be rebooted to take effect
- Migrate will reboot the source if it installs the driver, but it may be installed manually in
advance.
- Read the documentation carefully before using the BBT driver on a MS Cluster
- Note: Linux migrations always use a BBT driver and no reboot is required

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 Migration Settings: VMware configuration

 Define the name and location of VMX & VMDK files

 Default values may be changed
 The OS volume must always be replicated, data volumes are optional

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 Migration Settings: Replication Network

 Configure the temporary target VLAN and IP configuration, and the source NIC that will
be used for replication
- Must have connectivity to the Migrate Server & the source workload
- Does not need to be the same as the target’s final settings

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 Migration Settings: Services Configuration

 Migrate can stop services temporarily before taking a VSS snapshot, for
example anti-virus applications
- Some AV and backup applications are known to interfere with the migration process

 To prevent application data loss during the cutover phase, application

services should be configured to be stopped prior to the final sync

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 Target Workload Settings

 Defines the configuration of the

target VM post-cutover
 VMware tools are removed and
reinstalled as appropriate
 Workload identity does not have to
be the same as the original
 Service States changes the service
start mode on the target, e.g.
hardware agents on a VM

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 Target Workload Test Settings

 Enables the target workload to be

tested prior to cutover, if required
 Settings are usually the same as the
final configuration except for the
VLAN which must be isolated from
the source
 Testing may involve several servers
e.g. AD, DNS, database, web

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 Windows BBT driver manual installation
 Copy MigrateAgent.zip from the Migrate Server to the source workload

- C:\Program Files\PlateSpin Migrate Server\bin

- Or from the Download link on the Migrate Web Interface

 Extract to a temporary directory

 From Administrator Command Prompt, run command

MigrateAgent.cli.exe din
 Reboot the server for the driver to take effect

 Note, also possible to install the PlateSpin agent and push discovery in restricted networks.
Refer to User Guide for further details

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 Configuration Best Practices
 Use the block-based transfer driver for incremental sync

 Enable data compression to reduce replication times

 Ensure that Replication network settings allow communications to the

source workload and Migrate server
 Configure Workload Test settings such that no communication is possible
between source and target environments, e.g. use isolated VLANs
 Configure Anti-Virus services to be disabled during each replication

 For P2V migrations disable hardware agent services on the target

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 Home

7. Prepare Migration

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Preparation Phase
Prepares source and target systems for migration
1. Install source agent (aka OFX controller)
2. If required, also install BBT driver and reboot source
3. Refresh target discovery
4. Create target VM, ready for first replication

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 Home

8. Perform Full Replication

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Full Replication
Performs the initial copy of the workload
 May be performed well in advance of planned cutover

 Virtually no impact on source

1. Boot target VM using PlateSpin Linux RAM Disk (LRD)

2. Register target VM with the Migrate Server
3. Copy volumes directly from source to target using Volume Shadow Copy
Service (VSS)
4. Shutdown target and take VMware snapshot

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 Home

9. Perform Test Cutover

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Home

Test Cutover
Enables the target to be tested prior to cutover
1. Revert target to snapshot and reconfigure OS
2. Install VMware Tools and prepare target ready for testing
3. After testing, there is no need to undo changes or shutdown the target –
just mark as success or failure

Important Notes
 The test configuration must prevent communications between source and target
 Application testing may require additional systems in the isolated environment, e.g. Active
Directory, DNS and other application components
 Multiple test cutovers may be performed if required

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 Home

10. Perform Incremental Replication

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Incremental Replication
 Replicates changes from source to target

- Reduces cutover time by minimising the data to be transferred during the switch

- BBT driver tracks changed volume blocks in real-time, so is much more efficient than the
checksum-based agentless method

 Runs on a schedule or executed manually

- Scheduled replication requires less bandwidth and offers greater control of network use than real-
time replication, without increasing cutover times.

 Unlimited syncs may be performed prior to cutover

- Target VM is always reverted to snapshot first

 Best practice is to perform an incremental immediately before commencing cutover

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 Home

11. Perform Cutover

Full
Discover Configure Prepare
Replication

Incremental
Cutover Test
Replication
 Cutover Phase

Switches from source to target with minimum downtime

1. Stop source application and perform incremental sync
2. Shut down source workload
3. Reconfigure target OS and install VMware tools
4. Reboot target, cutover is now complete
No further workload configuration should be necessary post-cutover

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 Home

11. Where to Get Help

 Resources

Migrate evaluation
Migration Factory demo
Migration Factory website
User guide
References
Technical Support
 If Something Goes Wrong
 Generate Diagnostics and send to Technical Support along with a screenshot of target
workload console. Technical support is available during regular office hours for evaluation
users.

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 Home

https://www.microfocus.com/products/platespin/migrate/tech-specs/v12-2-2/