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    Server Migration Center:FAQ about Server Migration Center (SMC)

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    Server Migration Center:FAQ about Server Migration Center (SMC)

    Last Updated:Nov 19, 2024

    This topic provides answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Server Migration Center (SMC).

    How am I charged for SMC?

    SMC is a free service. However, when you use SMC to migrate servers, you are charged for the Elastic Compute Service (ECS) resources that are consumed during the migration process. ECS resources include intermediate instances, snapshots, and system disks and data disks that are attached to the intermediate instances. For more information, see Billing.

    What are the endpoints of SMC?

    The endpoint of SMC varies based on whether the migration source is activated by using an activation code or an AccessKey pair.

    • If the information about the migration source is automatically imported by using the console or the migration source is activated by using an activation code, one of the following endpoints is used:

      • Default public endpoint: https://smc-service.aliyuncs.com.

      • Internal endpoint: https://<region-id>.axt.aliyun.com. Only Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instances can access the internal endpoint.

    • If the information about the migration source is manually imported by using the SMC client and the migration source is activated by using an AccessKey pair, one of the following endpoints is used:

      • Default public endpoint: https://smc.aliyuncs.com. The IP addresses of the servers are 101.37.132.1 and 47.111.202.72.

      • Internal endpoint: https://smc.vpc-proxy.aliyuncs.com. Only ECS instances can access the internal endpoint.

    Note

    By default, all SMC endpoints use HTTPS port 443. HTTP port 80 may not be supported.

    How do I select the method to import the information about a migration source?

    SMC provides multiple methods for you to import the information about a migration source. You can select a method based on your business scenario.

    Method

    Description

    Limit

    Benefit

    Supported scenario

    Import the information about a migration source by using the CLI (recommend)

    Generate an activation code and a command in the SMC console as needed. Then, run the command on the source server to import the information about the source server.

    The source server must be accessible over the Internet.

    Semi-automated and general

    • Server migration

    • Operating-system-migration

    • Cross-zone-migration

    • Desktop migration

    Import the information about a migration source by using the SMC console

    Configure parameters in the SMC console. Then, the information about the migration source is automatically imported to Alibaba Cloud. The operations are simple and can be performed in a visualized manner.

    • If the migration source is a physical server, a VM, or a third-party cloud server, the migration source must be accessible over the Internet..

    • If the migration source is an ECS instance within the current Alibaba Cloud account, you must install Cloud Assistant Agent.

      Note

      By default, Cloud Assistant Agent is pre-installed on ECS instances that are created from public images after December 1, 2017.

    Fully automated

    Import the information about a migration source by using the SMC client

    Download the SMC client and run the SMC client on the source server to import the information about the source server.

    None

    Flexible and general

    Import the information about a migration source by configuring the Server Migration Connector without agents

    Deploy the Server Migration Connector by using the Open Virtualization Format (OVF) template. Then, run the SMC client to import the information about the migration source in the Server Migration Connector by using commands.

    • Supported vCenter Server versions: 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0

    • Supported VMware ESXi versions: 6.0, 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0

    For more information, see Migrate VMware VMs without agents.

    Note

    Note

    If the requirements for agentless migration of VMware VMs cannot be met, we recommend that you use the CLI to import the information about a migration source.

    • Zero resource consumption

    • High migration efficiency

    • High security

    • High compatibility

    VMware migration without agents

    How do I find a migration source in the SMC console?

    Take the search for the migration source of server migration as an example. Perform the following steps:

    1. Log on to the SMC console.

    2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Migrate to Cloud > Server Migration.

    3. On the Server Migration page, click the search box and select a search item from the drop-down list.

      Search items include Migration Source Name, Migration Source ID, Status, and Last Migration Job ID.

    4. Enter a value for the selected search item and press the Enter key.

    What do I do if I want to re-import a migration source?

    You must delete the migration source, restart the SMC client, and then re-import the migration source. If the migration source is associated with a migration job, you must stop and delete the migration job before you delete the migration source.

    Why am I unable to delete a migration source?

    You cannot delete a migration source if the migration source is associated with a migration job that is in progress. You must stop and delete the migration job before you delete the migration source.

    Why is an ECS instance not displayed on the ECS tab after I import the ECS instance as a migration source?

    • If the network type of your ECS instance is classic network, the migration source is displayed on the Physical Machine/VM/Cloud Server tab by default.

    • If the network type of your ECS instance is virtual private cloud (VPC), the migration source is displayed on the ECS tab by default.

    What scenarios can I use SMC for?

    You can use SMC to migrate various types of servers to ECS, such as physical servers, VMs, and third-party cloud servers. These servers can run on Windows or Linux. For more information, see What is SMC?

    How do I migrate a server?

    For information about how to migrate a server, see Migration guide.

    How do I estimate the amount of time required for a migration job? How do I test the data transfer speed?

    You can estimate the amount of time required for a migration job based on the migration phases. These migration phases are pre-migration, migration, and post-migration. The migration duration is proportional to the number of servers that you want to migrate and the actual data volume. We recommend that you perform a test migration to estimate the amount of time required for a migration job.

    For more information, see Estimate the time required for migration and test the data transfer speed.

    How do I exclude files or directories from a migration job?

    To exclude files or directories from a migration job, add the file paths or directories to the following configuration files. The configuration files reside in the Excludes directory of the SMC client.

    Important

    • If you enable the block replication feature, you cannot exclude files or directories from the migration.

    • If a configuration file is lost or deleted by accident, you can create another one.

    • System disk configuration file:

      • Windows: rsync_excludes_win.txt.

      • Linux: rsync_excludes_linux.txt.

    • Data disk configuration file:

      • Windows: The configuration file is named with the suffix disk[Disk index number] added to the name of the system disk configuration file, such as rsync_excludes_win_disk1.txt.

      • Linux: The configuration file is named with the suffix disk[Disk index number] added to the name of the system disk configuration file, such as rsync_excludes_linux_disk1.txt.

    Examples:

    • Example 1: Exclude files or directories from the migration of a Windows server

      • System disk:

        • Files or directories that you want to exclude: 

          C:\MyDirs\Docs\Words
C:\MyDirs\Docs\Excels\Report1.txt

        • Add the following information to the rsync_excludes_win.txt file: 

          /MyDirs/Docs/Words/
/MyDirs/Docs/Excels/Report1.txt

      • Data disk:

        • Files or directories that you want to exclude: 

          D:\MyDirs2\Docs2\Words2
D:\MyDirs2\Docs2\Excels\Report2.txt

        • Add the following information to the rsync_excludes_win_disk1.txt file: 

          /MyDirs2/Docs2/Words2/
/MyDirs2/Docs2/Excels2/Report2.txt
        Note

        To exclude a Windows directory, perform the following operations:

        • Remove the prefix of the directory (scr_path). In the preceding example, D: is removed.

        • Replace \ with /.

    • Example 2: Exclude files or directories from the migration of a Linux server

      • System disk (Root directory/):

        • Files or directories that you want to exclude: 

          /var/mydirs/docs/words
/var/mydirs/docs/excels/report1.txt

        • Add the following information to the rsync_excludes_linux.txt file: 

          /var/mydirs/docs/words/
/var/mydirs/docs/excels/report1.txt

      • Data disk:

        • Files or directories that you want to exclude: 

          /mnt/disk1/mydirs2/docs2/words2
/mnt/disk1/mydirs2/docs2/excels2/report2.txt

        • Add the following information to the rsync_excludes_linux_disk1.txt file: 

          /mydirs2/docs2/words2/
/mydirs2/docs2/excels2/report2.txt
        Note

        To exclude a Linux directory, you must remove the prefix of the directory (scr_path). In the preceding example, /mnt/disk1 is removed.

    Is BYOL supported when I migrate servers by using SMC?

    Yes, SMC supports bring your own license (BYOL). BYOL licenses are used in the following scenarios:

    • Microsoft

      Microsoft BYOL licenses are used in the following scenarios:

      • BYOL implemented by using Software Assurance (SA)

        BYOL can be implemented for software programs such as SQL Server and SharePoint that support License Mobility when ECS instances are created.

      • Windows

        Windows client access licenses (CALs) do not support License Mobility. Therefore, existing Windows licenses cannot be used within shared hardware environments. You must deploy a Windows operating system in a dedicated physical environment, which can be an Alibaba Cloud dedicated host or an ECS bare metal instance. For more information, see What is DDH? and Overview of ECS Bare Metal Instance.

        Alibaba Cloud does not provide Key Management Service (KMS), Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), or software technical support for these types of ECS instances. You can contact Microsoft for software technical support.

      • No SA or no support for BYOL implemented by using SA

        This scenario is similar to the scenario in which a Windows operating system is used. You can reuse software licenses that you have purchased and downloaded, and deploy software programs in a dedicated hardware environment.

    • Red Hat

      Red Hat provides the Cloud Access program. If you migrate Red Hat subscriptions to Alibaba Cloud by using the bring your own subscription (BYOS) method, you can register with Red Hat Cloud Access. For more information, see Step 1: Enroll in the Red Hat Cloud Access program.

    Does SMC support resumable data transfer?

    Yes, SMC supports resumable data transfer. If data transfer is interrupted, you can restart the client and the migration job to resume migration.

    Does SMC support incremental data migration?

    Yes, SMC supports incremental data migration. For more information, see Migrate incremental data from a server.

    How do I check my system after I migrate a Windows server?

    After you migrate your Windows server, you must perform the following steps when you start the created instance for the first time:

    1. Check whether the system disk data is complete.

    2. Check whether the data disk data is complete. If a data disk is missing, go to the Disk Management utility to check whether the drive letter is missing. For details, see What do I do if the drive letters of data disks are missing or invalid during instance startup after I migrate a Windows server?

    3. Check whether the hostname is valid and the network is connected.

    4. Check whether other system services are running as expected.

    How do I check my system after I migrate a Linux server?

    After you migrate your Linux server, you must perform the following steps when you start the created instance for the first time:

    1. Check whether the system disk data is complete.

    2. Check whether the data disk data is complete. If a data disk is missing, attach it to the instance. For details, see What do I do if no data exists in the original data disk directory during instance startup after I migrate a Linux server?

    3. Check whether the hostname is valid and the network is connected.

    4. Check whether other system services are running as expected.

    How do I migrate a server again?

    To migrate a server again, create a migration job for the server, and then start the job.

    What do I do after a migration job is complete and a custom image is generated?

    We recommend that you use the image to create a pay-as-you-go instance, and then check whether the system is running as expected. After you confirm that the custom image is available, select the instance types that meet your business requirements and create one or more ECS instances. For more information, see Overview of instance families and Create an instance on the Custom Launch tab.

    What happens after a migration job is complete?

    After a migration job is complete, SMC generates one of the following migration results based on the destination type:

    • If the destination type is ECS Image, an ECS image is generated. You can use the ECS image to create an ECS instance.

    • If the destination type is ECS Instance, the source server is directly migrated to the destination ECS instance.

    • If the destination type is Container Image, a container image is generated. You can use the container image to deploy applications.

    How do I migrate a source server to Alibaba Cloud?

    SMC allows you to migrate servers that run various versions of Windows or Linux operating systems to Alibaba Cloud. Source servers can be those deployed in data centers, on-premises VMs, or those on third-party cloud platforms. For more information, see Migrate servers to Alibaba Cloud.

    How do I migrate data between Alibaba Cloud ECS instances?

    If you want to migrate data between Alibaba Cloud ECS instances, we recommend that you use the Copy Image and Share Image features. For more information, see Copy a custom image and Share a custom image. If the two features cannot meet your business requirements, you can use SMC to migrate data. For more information, see Migrate data between ECS instances that belong to the same Alibaba Cloud account or different Alibaba Cloud accounts.

    What do I do if a migration job is interrupted or fails?

    If a migration job is interrupted or fails, troubleshoot the issue by using the following methods:

    • If the SMC client exits due to an exception or the migration process stalls, restart the SMC client and the migration job to resume the migration.

    • If the migration job is in the Error state, check the log file of the migration job in the SMC console to identify the cause of the error.

      If the issue persists, we recommend that you join the SMC DingTalk group for technical support. For more contact information, see Contact us.

    How do I fix the IP address of an intermediate instance?

    You can apply for an elastic IP address (EIP) and then associate the EIP with the intermediate instance. For more information, see Quick start

    What public endpoints and ports does my source server need to access?

    A source server must access the following endpoint and ports:

    • SMC endpoint: https://smc.aliyuncs.com:443.

    • Ports 8080 and 8703 of the intermediate instance. If the migration is performed over a VPC, the source server must also access the private IP address of the intermediate instance.

    Note

    You do not need to enable inbound ports for the source server. However, you must make sure that the server can access the preceding endpoint and ports.

    What Windows Server licenses does Alibaba Cloud support?

    Alibaba Cloud supports licenses for Windows Server 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022. Microsoft no longer supports licenses for Windows Server 2008 and earlier. To migrate Windows servers that run Windows Server 2008 or earlier to Alibaba Cloud, you must apply for License Mobility. For more information, see Apply for License Mobility.

    SMC allows you to use one of the following methods to activate a Windows server:

    How do I migrate a source server to Container Registry?

    SMC allows you to migrate source servers to Container Registry. You can use SMC to migrate containerized applications to Container Registry in a cost-effective way. For more information, see Migrate a server to Container Registry.

    How do I migrate a source server to an ECS instance?

    SMC can be used to migrate source servers to ECS instances. After you purchase an ECS instance, you can migrate your source server to the ECS instance. For more information, see Migrate servers to ECS instances.

    What do I do if I release an intermediate instance by accident?

    If you release an intermediate instance by accident, delete the current migration job, create a migration job for the migration source, and then start the migration job. If the issue persists, you can submit a ticket to resolve the issue.

    What do I need to know about intermediate instances?

    You need to know the following information about intermediate instances:

    • SMC creates, starts, stops, and releases the intermediate instance named No_Delete_SMC_Transition_Instance during a migration process. To ensure a smooth migration, do not modify the status of the intermediate instance.

    • The default security group of the intermediate instance allows access to ports 8080 and 8703. These ports are the migration service ports of the intermediate instance. Do not modify or delete relevant security group rules.

    • After the migration is complete, the intermediate instance is automatically released. If the migration fails, you must manually release the instance. For more information, see Release an instance.

    What specifications are available for intermediate instances?

    SMC attempts to create an intermediate instance based on the following specifications in sequence: The following part describes the specifications of intermediate instances:

    • x86 architecture

      • 1 vCPU and 2 GiB of memory

      • 1 vCPU and 4 GiB of memory

      • 2 vCPUs and 2 GiB of memory

      • 2 vCPUs and 4 GiB of memory

      • t6, burstable instance family

      • t5, burstable instance family

      • 2 vCPUs and 8 GiB of memory

    • ARM64 architecture

      Instance type

      Number of vCPUs

      Memory (GiB)

      ecs.c6r.large

      2

      4

      ecs.g6r.large

      2

      8

      ecs.c6r.xlarge

      4

      8

      ecs.g6r.xlarge

      4

      16

      ecs.c6r.2xlarge

      8

      16

      ecs.g6r.2xlarge

      8

      32

      ecs.c6r.4xlarge

      16

      32

    If the preceding instance specifications are unavailable, SMC selects other cost-effective instance specifications.

    What do I need to know about block replication?

    You need to know the following information about block replication:

    • If you migrate a Windows server, you must enable the block replication feature.

    • To ensure the transmission efficiency, integrity, and consistency of partition data, we recommend that you enable the block replication feature.

    • If you enable the block replication feature, you cannot exclude files or directories from the migration.

    What do I do if I am unable to create a migration job because the migration source is not in the Online state?

    Restore the migration source to the Online state, and then create a migration job. To fix the issue, perform the following operations:

    • If the migration source is in the Offline state, the migration source is disconnected from the SMC console. You must restart the SMC client and wait until the migration is complete. For more information, see Import the information about a migration source by using the SMC client.

    • If the migration source is in the Unavailable state, you must check the console logs. You must also check the client logs in the Logs folder and the error messages on the client user interface (UI). Resolve the error based on the logs. You can also use the error codes and troubleshooting methods in this topic for reference. If the issue persists, contact Alibaba Cloud technical support. For more information, see Contact us.

    How do I install rsync?

    To install rsync, run one of the following commands based on the operating system of your source server:

    • CentOS: yum -y install rsync.

    • Ubuntu: apt-get -y install rsync.

    • Debian: apt-get -y install rsync.

    • SUSE: zypper install rsync.

    • Other operating systems: For more information, see the installation documentation on the official website.

    How do I disable SELinux?

    To temporarily disable SELinux, run the setenforce 0 command. To permanently disable SELinux, open the configuration file in the /etc/selinux/config directory, and then set the SELINUX parameter to disabled.

    Why are the data disk parameters of a migration source not displayed in the Create Migration Job dialog box? What do I do?

    This issue occurs because your migration source is not configured with data disks or has a data disk that is not attached. If your migration source has no data disk or has a data disk that is not attached, the data disk parameters are not displayed in the Create Migration Job dialog box. To fix this issue, perform the following steps:

    1. Attach a data disk to your migration source.

    2. Restart the SMC client.

    3. Refresh the Migration Sources page in the SMC console, and open the Create Migration Job dialog box again.

    Am I able to create a migration job for a migration source that has a running or failed migration job?

    No, you cannot create a migration job for the migration source in this case. However, you can create a migration job after you perform the following operations:

    • If an existing migration job is in progress, stop and delete the migration job.

    • If an error occurs in an existing migration job, delete the migration job.

    What is the validity period of a migration job? What happens after a migration job expires?

    A migration job expires 30 days after it is created in the SMC console. The expiration time cannot be changed in the console. If you call the CreateReplicationJob operation to create a migration job, you can specify the validity period based on your business requirements. The validity period ranges from 7 to 90 days.

    The validity period starts from the point in time at which the migration job is created. You can use the following two methods to process an expired migration job:

    • If the migration job is in the Migrating state, do not perform operations on the migration job.

    • If the migration job is in the Not Started, Stopped, or Error state, change the state of the migration job to Expired. SMC deletes the migration job seven days after the job expires.

    What are the states of migration jobs? What do these states indicate?

    The states of migration jobs are divided into the following two types:

    • Status of a migration job: the states of the migration job throughout the entire lifecycle. For more information, see the States of a migration job table of this topic.

    • Business status of a migration job: the states of a migration job in the Migrating state. For more information, see the Business states of a migration job table of this topic.

    The following figure shows the relationships between the states and business states of a migration job.job_status

    Table 1. States of a migration job

    State

    Description

    Supported operation

    Not Started

    The migration job is created but is not started.

    Start the migration job.

    Migrating

    The migration job is in progress. A business state rather than the Migrating state is displayed in the Status column of the SMC console. For more information, see the Business states of a migration job table of this topic.

    Wait until the migration job is complete, or stop the migration job when it is in the Syncing state.

    Note

    You cannot delete a migration job that is in the Migrating state.

    Stopped

    The migration job is stopped.

    Restart or delete the migration job.

    Error

    The migration job fails.

    Check the error message or migration logs on the SMC client or in the console to identify the cause and fix the issue. If the migration source is offline or abnormal, the failure is caused by the SMC client. You must restart the client before you restart the migration job.

    Completed

    The migration job is complete.

    Go to the Custom Images tab in the ECS console to view the image generated by SMC.

    Waiting

    The job is waiting to be run. This state is applicable only to incremental migration jobs. For more information about incremental migration, see Migrate incremental data from a server.

    If the migration job is in the Waiting state, you can perform the following operations:

    • Use the image generated by the migration job to create an ECS instance.

    • Stop the migration job.

    • Delete the migration job.

    • Perform the incremental migration of source servers.

    • Modify the settings of automatic incremental migration. The settings include the interval at which the migration job is run and the maximum number of images that can be retained for the migration job.

    Expired

    The migration job has expired.

    Delete the migration job.

    Note

    By default, the validity period of a migration job is 30 days. If a migration job expires, the state of the job changes to Expired but the job is retained for seven days. SMC deletes the migration job seven days after the job expires. For more information, see the What is the validity period of a migration job? What happens after a migration job expires? section of this topic

    Deleting

    The migration job is being deleted.

    Wait until the migration job is deleted, or create another migration job for the migration source.

    Note

    After a migration job is deleted, SMC releases the resources used during the migration process, such as the intermediate instance. This process may take a long time to complete.

    Table 2. Business states of a migration job

    Business state

    Description

    Supported operation

    Preparing

    After you start a migration job, the state of the job changes to Preparing.

    None.

    Syncing

    The migration job is uploading data from the migration source.

    Stop the migration job.

    Processing

    The migration job is creating an image of the migration source.

    None.

    Cleaning

    The intermediate instance is being released, and the migration job is almost complete.

    None.

    What do I do if I am unable to select a destination instance when I create a migration job?

    Perform the following steps to troubleshoot the issue:

    1. If you perform migration across Alibaba Cloud accounts, check whether the migration job is created by using the Alibaba Cloud account that owns the destination instance.

    2. Check whether the region in which the destination resides is valid.

    3. Check whether the source server and the destination instance run the same operating system. If the source server runs Windows, the destination instance must also run Windows. If the source server runs Linux, the destination instance must also run Linux.

    I have a single-instance Oracle database on a physical server. Do I need to migrate the entire server, including the operating system and database, or only the database to Alibaba Cloud? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods?

    You can migrate the entire server or only the database based on your business requirements. The two methods have the following advantages and disadvantages:

    • If you need only the Oracle database, we recommend that you migrate only the database. However, you may need to deploy the database in a new environment.

    • If you need both the database and its operating environment, we recommend that you migrate the entire server to Alibaba Cloud. However, if the server has a large volume of resources, the migration may require more time to be complete.

    How do I install OpenSSH on a Windows server?

    In this example, Windows 2016 is used. To install OpenSSH, perform the following steps:

    1. Download and decompress the OpenSSH-Win64.zip file to the specified directory, such as C:\OpenSSH-Win64.

    2. Open Windows PowerShell with administrator privileges and go to the directory in which the OpenSSH-Win64.zip file is decompressed. 

      cd \OpenSSH-Win64

    3. Run the following command to install OpenSSH: 

      powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install-sshd.ps1

      PS C:\OpenSSH-Win64> powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install-sshd.ps1
  [*] C:\OpenSSH-Win64\moduli
Inheritance is removed from 'C:\OpenSSH-Win64\moduli'.
'BUILTIN\Users' now has Read access to 'C:\OpenSSH-Win64\moduli'.
      Repaired permissions

[SC] SetServiceObjectSecurity SUCCESS
[SC] ChangeServiceConfig2 SUCCESS
[SC] ChangeServiceConfig2 SUCCESS
sshd and ssh-agent services successfully installed

    4. Run the following commands to configure SSH: 

      cmd /c sc.exe config sshd start=auto
cmd /c sc.exe config ssh-agent start=auto
cmd /c net.exe start sshd
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\OpenSSH" -Name DefaultShell -Value "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -PropertyType String -Force
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\OpenSSH" -Name DefaultShellCommandOption -Value "/c" -PropertyType String -Force

    For more information, see Install Win32 OpenSSH.

    Does the image generated by incremental migration contain the data of the source server at the beginning or end of the migration job?

    The data that is migrated in an incremental migration job is the data of the source server at the start of the incremental migration job. The data generated by the source server during the incremental migration is migrated in the next incremental migration job.

    Does a modification to the synchronization interval for incremental migration immediately take effect?

    No, a modification to the synchronization interval for incremental migration does not immediately take effect. The modification takes effect when the next migration job starts.

    Why do more disks exist after a Windows server is migrated to an image and an ECS instance is created from the image?

    When you create a migration job, you must set the value of the disk size to an integer in units of GB. In most cases, the value that you specify is hundreds of MB larger than the system volume of the source server. If an extra drive letter exists after migration, you can use Disk Management to delete the drive letter.

    Why does the disk space usage of the source server continue to increase after the server migration fails or is interrupted?

    The disk space usage of the source server increases after the server migration fails or is interrupted. This issue may be caused by increased snapshots created by SMC. If you no longer need to migrate the source server, clear your disks at the earliest opportunity. To clear your disks, perform the following steps:

    • Linux server:

      1. Connect to a Linux server.

      2. Run the following command to go to the SMC client directory of the source server:

        By default, the SMC client directory of the migration source that is automatically imported by using the console is /smc/go2aliyun_client****. In this example, /smc/go2aliyun_client2.6.6_linux_x86_64 is used. 

        cd /smc/go2aliyun_client2.6.6_linux_x86_64

      3. Run the following command to delete snapshots: 

        sudo ./Check/client_check--ssclearsmcss

        If the following information is returned, the snapshots are deleted: 

        [ecs-user@iZbp1dqulfhozse3jbp**** go2aliyun_client2.6.6_linux_x86_64]$ sudo ./Check/client_check --ssclear smcss
clear snapshot with smcss: smcssbd_destroy...
smcssbd_destroy ioctl return 0

    • Windows server:

      1. Open Command Prompt on a Windows server.

      2. Run the following commands in sequence to query the existing snapshots that are created by Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), and record the IDs of snapshots: 

        cd \WINDOWS\System32
vssadmin list shadows

        The Shadow Copy ID parameter in the returned information indicates the snapshot ID. Example: {ad39055a-3aa0-494c-b787-f8589ab8****}.ada566

      3. Run the following command to delete VSS snapshots:

        Important

        Before you delete a VSS snapshot, check whether the time when the snapshot is created matches the time when the SMC migration job is created and check the ID of the VSS snapshot to be deleted. If you want to delete multiple snapshots, specify the snapshot IDs in sequence in the command. 

        vssadmin delete shadows/shadow={shadow_id}

        Example:

        vssadmin delete shadows/shadow={ad39055a-3aa0-494c-b787-f8589ab8****}

        Enter Y as prompted to delete the VSS snapshots.adad56

    How do I migrate an operating system?

    CentOS has announced the end of life (EOL) for CentOS Linux versions, including CentOS 7 and CentOS 8. If you need future technical support for your CentOS operating system, you must migrate your CentOS operating system to another Linux distribution with long-term support (LTS). For more information, see Migrate a Linux operating system.

    What operating systems can be migrated by using SMC?

    Migrate CentOS 7 or CentOS 8

    Operating system architecture

    Source operating system

    Destination operating system

    x86

    CentOS 7.x

    • AnolisOS 7

    • AnolisOS 8

    • Alibaba Cloud Linux 2

    • Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

      Note

      For more information about Alibaba Cloud Linux, see Overview.

    CentOS 7.9

    RHEL 7

    CentOS 8.x

    • AnolisOS 8

    • Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

    CentOS 8.5

    RHEL 8

    ARM64

    CentOS 7.x

    • AnolisOS 7

    • AnolisOS 8

    • Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

    CentOS 8.x

    • AnolisOS 8

    • Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

    Migrate RHEL 7 or RHEL 8

    Operating system architecture

    Source operating system

    Destination operating system

    x86

    RHEL 7.9

    Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

    RHEL 8.x

    Upgrade Alibaba Cloud Linux 2

    Operating system architecture

    Source operating system

    Destination operating system

    x86

    Alibaba Cloud Linux 2

    Alibaba Cloud Linux 3

    For more information, see Migrate a Linux operating system.

    What is VMware migration without agents?

    SMC allows you to migrate VMware VMs without agents. This way, the migration does not modify the settings of the operating system of the SMC client or occupy the computing resources of the operating system on the SMC client. This can effectively eliminate your concerns about server security and performance. For more information, see Migrate VMware VMs without agents.

    What are the benefits of VMware migration without agents?

    VMware migration without agents has the following benefits:

    • Zero resource consumption

      The SMC client does not run inside VMs. Therefore, the migration does not consume the resources of VMs.

    • High migration efficiency

      You do not need to separately install an agent for each VM. This reduces the costs of labor and time.

    • High security

      No operations are performed within the operating system of a VM. This eliminates your concerns about security.

    • High compatibility

      The migration does not depend on the internal environment of the VM operating system. This improves the success rate of migration.

    How do I migrate the specified VM or a VM on the specified host by performing VMware migration without agents?

    1. Log on to the Server Migration Connector.

      In this example, an SSH remote connection is established. Perform the following steps:

      On a terminal from which the Server Migration Connector is accessible over a network, run the following command to connect to the Server Migration Connector. The default username is root, and the default password is left empty. 

      ssh root@<IP address of the Server Migration Connector>
      Important

      For account security, we recommend that you change your password at the earliest opportunity.

    2. Run the following commands to configure the connection: 

      cd /root/smc
./dist/connect_configure

    3. Configure the IP address, username, password, and port number of VMware vCenter or ESXi in sequence. We recommend that you use the default port 443. The following returned information indicates that the Server Migration Connector is connected: 

      [root@localhost ~]# cd /root/smc
[root@localhost smc]# ./configure.sh
Please input vCenter/ESXI IP:192.168.XX.XX
Please input username:administr****@vsphere.local
Please input password:
Please input port number(default 443):443
Test to connect the vCenter/ESXI...
Connect success!
save to ./vmware_connect_config.json

    4. Add a VM of the specified host or add the specified VM to the migration list.

      Add a VM of the specified host

      1. Run the following command to add a VM of the specified host: 

        ./dist/migrate_configure -h <hostname>

        • If you deploy the Server Migration Connector on vCenter Server, specify the actual name of your host in the <Hostname> field.

        • If you deploy the Server Migration Connector on ESXi, the default hostname is localhost.localdomain.

          In this example, the Server Migration Connector is deployed on ESXi. Example:

          [root@smc-connector smc]# ./dist/migrate_configure -h localhost.localdomain
========Aliyun SMC VMware Configure Tool 1.2========
Connect success!

Host List:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID       Name                       Version                  Connected
1        localhost.localdomain      7.0.3                         *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please input the ID of Host(input 0 to exit):1

      2. After you enter the host ID, a list of VMs is generated. Enter the ID of the VM to be migrated. You must select a VM that is in the Connected state. If an asterisk (*) is displayed in the Connected column of a VM, the VM is connected. 

        Test to connect localhost.localdomain
Connect success!
 Getting vm list progress:
 [>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>100.00%]time: 2.3s


VM List of 192.168.XX.XX:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID      Name                               Connected      CBT      Add
1080    test1                                  *
1084    win16bios                              *
1011    centos7-bios-2                         *
3008    centos7-uefi                           *
2001    centos-hw10                            *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please input the ID of VM to be migrated (input 0 to exit):1084

      Add the specified VM

      Important

      If VMs that use duplicate names exist on vCenter Server, we recommend that you do not directly add the specified VM to the migration list.

      Run the following command to add the specified VM. Enter the ID of the VM to be migrated as prompted. 

      ./dist/migrate_configure -v <VM name>

      Example:

      [root@smc-connector smc]# ./dist/migrate_configure -v centos7-sta
========Aliyun SMC VMware Configure Tool 1.2========
Connect success!

VM List of 192.168.XX.XX:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID          Name         Connected         CBT            Add
3005        centos7-sta      *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please input the ID of VM to be migrated (input 0 to exit):3005

    5. Select the architecture of the VM to be migrated. For example, you can enter 0 to select the x86_64 architecture. 

      --------------------------------------------------------------
0    x86_64
1    i386
2    arm64
--------------------------------------------------------------
Please choose the architecture:0

    6. Check whether the operating system recognized by the system is the actual operating system of the specified VM.

      If the operating system recognized by the system is the actual operating system of the specified VM, enter y.

      If the operating system recognized by the system is not the actual operating system of the specified VM, enter n. After you enter n, a list of operating systems is displayed. Then, enter the corresponding number of the operating system. For example, you can enter 10 to select the Windows Server 2016 operating system.

      Note

      The operating system that is preset when a VM is created on VMware vCenter may not be correct. You must confirm the operating system of the VM. 

      Is [CentOS 7 (64-bit)]' truly the OS of VM (y or n)?n
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0  CentOS
1  Ubuntu
2  SUSE
3  OpenSUSE
4  Debian
5  RedHat
6  Others Linux
7  Windows Server 2003
8  Windows Server 2008
9  Windows Server 2012
10  Windows Server 2016
11  Windows Server 2019
12  Windows Server 2022
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please choose the OS of VM:

    7. Select the system disk. By default, the virtual disk with the number 0 is selected. 

      --------------------------------------------------------------
0    [datastore1] win16bios/wins16bios-000001.vmdk
1    [datastore1] wins16bios/wins16bios_1-000001.vmdk
--------------------------------------------------------------
Please choose the system disk (default 0):0

      If an asterisk (*) is displayed in the Add column that corresponds to the VM name, the VM is added to the migration list. 

      VM List of 192.168.XX.XX:
--------------------------------------------------------------
ID      Name                     Connected      CBT      Add  
481     TEST_CLONE_1                 *      
389     win16bios                    *                    *  
338     hanjun_test_001              *  
386     Aliyun_SMC_Agent_6.5         *  
393     win16uefi   
--------------------------------------------------------------
Please input the ID of VM to be migrated (input 0 to exit):0

      • Scenario in which the Server Migration Connector is deployed on vCenter Server:

        • If you want to migrate another VM, enter the ID of the VM to be migrated.

        • If you want to migrate only one VM, enter 0 and return to the host list. If you want to migrate VMs on other hosts, repeat the preceding steps. Otherwise, enter 0 to exit the configuration.

      • Scenario in which the Server Migration Connector is deployed on ESXi:

        • If you want to migrate only one VM, enter 0 and return to the host list. Then, enter 0 to exit the configuration.

        • If you want to reconfigure the specified VM, enter the ID of the specified VM.

    What servers can be migrated to Simple Application Server?

    You can use SMC to migrate the lightweight servers provided by other cloud service vendors, such as Tencent Cloud Lighthouse, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Lightsail, and Huawei Hyper Elastic Cloud Server (HECS), to Alibaba Cloud Simple Application Server. For more information, see Migrate data from a lightweight server provided by a third party to an Alibaba Cloud simple application server.

    Am I charged for the temporary disks and snapshots that are created when I migrate servers to Simple Application Server?

    No, you are not charged for the temporary disks and snapshots that are created when you migrate servers to Simple Application Server.