I'm planning to migrate my VMware server to GCE using Migrate to Virtual Machines (v5.0). Google documentation clarifies the formal way involves setting up a Migrate to Virtual Machines Backend instance in vSphere, running a manager instance on GCP, and connecting them via VPN.
However, researching the Migrate to Virtual Machines Connector option, I found resources like this showing the process by using SSH to register the connector with the GCP project and directly adding the VM to the source list for replication, and then replicatin the vm using Google Cloud Console.
My question is: when using the Connector approach, are the Manager and Backend instances still necessary? Or am I misunderstanding the purpose of these components?
I've thoroughly reviewed Google's documentation on this migration tool, but it still remains unclear and seems inconsistent in some areas. Also viewing the differences between this and that Google documentation architectures left me confused...
Any explanation would be helpful. Thanks!
The Migrate to Virtual Machines Google Cloud service, also known as M2VM, doesn't necessitate the installation of any components on the Google Cloud side.
Unlike the legacy version M4CE V4, the Migrate Manager you mentioned is not required for M2VM.
When utilizing M2VM to migrate from an on-premises vSphere-based environment, it's essential to deploy a Migrate Connector, accessible through a provided download link. This connector facilitates data replication from your vSphere vCenter/ESXi. there is a need to register it with the Google project that you've enabled the Migration service on.
To ensure successful migration, the Migrate Connector needs access to the necessary Google Cloud API URL endpoints. You can establish this connection either through an Internet connection from the Migrate Connector appliance or via a VPN tunnel, depending on your preference.
For more detailed guidance on the process, I have included some links in my description that can assist you further.
Best regards, Alon