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Create a deployment plan for VMware Cloud on AWS using the VMware workloads migration advisor

Contributors netapp-tonacki netapp-mwallis netapp-bcammett
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Log in to the NetApp workload factory to access the VMware migration advisor. You'll follow the steps in the wizard to create a deployment plan or migration plan that is customized for your needs.

When migrating to VMware Cloud, you can use the migration advisor to create a deployment plan for the following scenarios:

Note that you must have a user name and password to access workload factory. If you don't have access, create an account now. See the instructions here.

Create a deployment plan based on an on-premises vSphere environment

You can migrate your current virtual machine configurations in on-premises vSphere environments to virtual machines in VMware Cloud on AWS and use customized Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP file systems as external datastores.

Requirements

  • You must have created the inventory file from your existing systems by using the migration advisor VM collector (.csv file) or by using RVTools (.xlsx file).

  • You must have access to the inventory file from the system on which you are logging in to workload factory.

Steps

  1. Log in to workload factory using one of the console experiences.

  2. From the VMware workloads tile, select Access and plan and then select Migration to VMware Cloud on AWS.

    The VMware migration advisor main page is displayed.

  3. Select Create a new deployment plan.

  4. Select the type of inventory file you'll be using to populate workload factory with your current VM configuration and select Next.

    • Select Use the migration advisor VMware data collector to use the .csv file that you created using the VMware data collector.

    • Select Use RVTools to use the .xlsx file that you created using RVTools.

    The "Prepare for VMware Cloud onboarding" page is displayed.

  5. In the Upload VM configuration section, select the upload button and select the file that you want to use.

    • Select the .csv file when using the Migration advisor VM collector.

    • Select the .xlsx file when using RVTools.

    The VMs summary section is populated from the inventory file to reflect the number of VMs and the total storage capacity.

  6. In the VM inventory considerations section, select the options to filter the list of VMs that you want to migrate.

    1. Consider VMs: Indicate which VMs will be extracted from the .csv file based on their operating power state. You can bring in all VMs, or only those that are On, Off, or Suspended.

    2. VM Storage to consider: Select whether the datastores created for each onboarded VM are sized based on their currently utilized size (recommended) or their provisioned size.

      The external datastores will be implemented using Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP file system volumes.

    3. VM Memory to consider: Select whether the memory allocated for each onboarded VM is sized based on their currently utilized size (recommended) or their provisioned size.

  7. In the VMware Cloud on AWS deployment configuration section, enter details about the required VMware Cloud on AWS configuration.

    1. Region: Select the region where the VMs and Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP file systems will be deployed.

      For optimal performance and cost efficiency, this is typically the same region as where your existing VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC is deployed.

    2. VM estimated performance requirements: This option is available only when using RVTools. The Migration advisor VM collector captures this information from your environment. Provide the following per virtual machine average performance parameters that you want to be applied to your new VMs that will be deployed:

      • Average IOPS per VM: Enter the number of IOPS required for your file systems. If you are unsure, you can use the default of 3 IOPS per GiB of SSD storage for Amazon FSx for ONTAP file systems. For example, if you deploy 2,000 GiB of capacity, this will be translated to 6,000 IOPS. We recommend that you begin with a smaller IOPS setting. You can increase your provisioned SSD IOPS after the file system is created as workloads are migrated or deployed.

      • Average I/O block size: The size of each block containing read or write operations. The default size is 4 KB. A larger block size may be better for large sequential read and write workloads. A smaller block size may offer better performance for workloads that perform small random writes to sparse files or to large files.

      • Average write ratio: The percentage of operations that are write operations for your workloads. The default ratio is 30% writes and 70% reads.

  8. In the VM storage capacity considerations section, select from a few storage options.

    1. Average data reduction ratio: Choose from among the three common data reduction selection values. Select "1:1 - No reduction", "1:1.25 - 20% reduction", or "1:1.5 - 33% reduction".

    2. Headroom percentage: Enter the percentage of capacity growth that is added to the capacity for your FSx for ONTAP file systems.

      Note that if you select an amount less than 20% that you won't be able to create volume snapshots for protection and long-term backups.

  9. Select Next and the "VMware cloud on AWS node configuration" page is displayed.

    This page enables you to define the VMware cloud on AWS cluster configuration using an estimated savings analysis and the recommended node type. You can configure the following:

    1. vSAN architecture: Select whether you want to use vSAN Express Storage Architecture (ESA) or vSAN Original Storage Architecture (OSA) architecture.

    2. vSAN Fault Tolerance: Select the level of fault tolerance that is required for the VMs. You can choose "Auto", which is recommended, or from among a variety of RAID levels.

      • RAID-1 (FTT 1): consists of an exact copy (or mirror) of a set of data on 2 or more disks.

      • RAID-5 (FTT 1): consists of block-level striping with distributed parity - parity information is distributed among 3 or more drives, and it can survive a single disk failures.

      • RAID-5 (FTT 2): consists of block-level striping with distributed parity - parity information is distributed among 4 or more drives, and it can survive any two concurrent disk failures.

      • RAID-6 (FTT 2): extends RAID 5 by adding another parity block; thus, it uses block-level striping with two parity blocks distributed across all member disks. It requires 4 or more drives, and it can survive any two concurrent disk failures.

    3. Nodes configuration selection list: Select an EC2 instance type for the nodes.

  10. Select Next and the "Select virtual machines" page displays the VMs that match the criteria you provided in the previous page.

    1. In the Selection criteria section, select the criteria for the VMs that you plan to deploy:

      • Based on cost and performance optimization

      • Based on the ability to easily restore your data with local snapshots for recovery scenarios

      • Based on both sets of criteria: the lowest cost while still providing good recovery options

    2. In the Virtual machines section, the VMs that matched the criteria you provided in the previous page are selected (checked). Select or deselect VMs if you want to onboard/migrate fewer or more VMs on this page.

      The Recommended deployment section will be updated if you make any changes. Note that by selecting the checkbox in the heading row you can select all VMs on this page.

    3. Select Next.

  11. On the Datastore deployment plan page, review the total number of VMs and datastores that have been recommended for the migration.

    1. Select each Datastore listed across the top of the page to see how the datastores and VMs will be provisioned.

      The bottom of the page shows the source VM (or multiple VMs) for which this new VM and datastore will be provisioned.

    2. Once you understand how your datastores will be deployed, select Next.

  12. On the Review deployment plan page, review the estimated monthly cost for all the VMs that you plan to migrate.

    The top of the page describes the monthly cost for all deployed VMs and FSx for ONTAP file systems. You can expand each section to view details for "Recommended Amazon FSx for ONTAP file system configuration", "Estimated cost breakdown", "Volume configuration", "Sizing assumptions", and technical "Disclaimers".

  13. When you are satisfied with the migration plan, you have a few options:

    • Select Deploy to deploy the FSx for ONTAP file systems to support your VMs. Learn how to deploy an FSx for ONTAP file system.

    • Select Download plan > VM deployment to download the migration plan in a .csv format so you can use it to create your new cloud-based intelligent data infrastructure.

    • Select Download plan > Plan report to download the migration plan in a .pdf format so you can distribute the plan for review.

    • Select Export plan to save the migration plan as a template in a .json format. You can import the plan at a later time to use as a template when deploying systems with similar requirements.

Create a deployment plan based on an existing plan

If you are planning a new deployment that is similar to an existing deployment plan that you've used in the past, you can import that plan, make edits, and then save it as a new deployment plan.

Requirements

You must have access to the .json file for the existing deployment plan from the system on which you are logging in to workload factory.

Steps

  1. Log in to workload factory using one of the console experiences.

  2. From the VMware workloads tile, select Access and plan and then select Migration to VMware Cloud on AWS. The VMware migration advisor main page is displayed.

  3. Select Import an existing deployment plan.

  4. Select the upload button and select the existing plan file that you want to import in the migration advisor.

  5. Select Next and the Review plan page is displayed.

  6. You can select Previous to access the Prepare for VMware Cloud onboarding page and the Select VMs page to modify the settings for the plan as described in the previous section.

  7. After you have customized the plan to your requirements, you can save the plan or begin the deployment process for your datastores on FSx for ONTAP file systems.