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

What scenarios can I use SMC for?

You can use SMC to migrate various types of servers to Elastic Compute Service (ECS), such as physical servers, virtual machines (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 process.

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 block replication.
  • To ensure the transmission efficiency, integrity, and consistency of partition data, we recommend that you enable block replication.
  • If you enable the block replication feature, you cannot exclude files or directories from migration.

What migration modes does SMC support?

SMC supports daemon mode. In this mode, you can import the information of the migration source by using an SMC client. Then, you can log on to the SMC console to create and complete a migration task. For more information, see Migration process.

I have a single Oracle database instance 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 complete.

What migration process does SMC use?

SMC uses the following migration process:
  1. The information of the xx is imported to the SMC console.
  2. The SMC backend server prepares an intermediate instance.
  3. The SMC client transfers data from the migration source to the intermediate instance.
  4. SMC creates an image from the migration source and installs the image on Alibaba Cloud.

How do I estimate the time required for a migration task? How do I test the data transfer speed?

You can estimate the time required for a migration task based on the migration period. The migration period is divided into three phases: pre-migration, migration, and post-migration. The migration period is proportional to the number of servers that you want to migrate and the volume of data. We recommend that you perform a test migration to estimate the time required for a migration task.

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

Is bring your own license (BYOL) supported when I migrate servers by using SMC?

Yes, SMC supports 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 operating system

      Windows client access licenses (CALs) do not support License Mobility. Therefore, existing Windows licenses cannot be used within shared hardware environments. You must deploy the 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 the DDH documentation and ECS Bare Metal Instance documentation.

      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 where 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.

  • Redhat

    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: Sign up with Red Hat Cloud Access.

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 task to resume migration.

Does SMC support incremental data migration?

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

What can I do if a migration task is interrupted or fails?

If a migration task is interrupted or fails, use the following troubleshooting methods:

  • If the SMC client exits due to an exception or the migration process stalls, restart the client and the migration task to resume the migration.
  • If the migration task is in the InError state, check the log file of the migration task in the SMC console to locate the cause of error.

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

How does SMC create an intermediate instance?

SMC attempts to create an intermediate instance based on the following specifications in sequence:
  • x86 architecture:
    • 1 vCPU 2 GiB
    • 1 vCPU 4 GiB
    • 2 vCPU 2 GiB
    • 2 vCPU 4 GiB
    • t6, burstable instance family
    • t5, burstable instance family
    • 2 vCPU 8 GiB
  • ARM64 architecture
    Instance type vCPU 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 intermediate instances?

You need to know the following information about intermediate instances:
  • SMC creates, starts, stops, and releases an 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 the security group.
  • After the migration is completed, the intermediate instance is automatically released. If the migration fails, you must manually release the instance. For more information, see Release an instance.

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

You can apply for an elastic IP address and then bind it to the intermediate instance. For more information, see Getting Started.

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

A source server must access the following endpoint and ports:
  • The SMC endpoint: https://smc.aliyuncs.com:443.
  • Ports 8080 and 8703 of the intermediate instance. If the migration is performed over a virtual private cloud (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 2003, 2008, 2012, and 2016. To migrate servers that run other versions of Windows operating systems to Alibaba Cloud, you must apply for license mobility. For more information, see Apply for License Mobility through Software Assurance.

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: 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 SELINUX to disabled.

How do I migrate a server to Container Registry?

SMC allows you to migrate servers to Container Registry. You can use SMC to migrate containerized applications to Container Registry at low costs. For information about how to migrate a server to Container Registry, see Migrate source servers to Container Registry.

How do I migrate a server to an ECS instance?

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

How do I use the SMC plug-in of Cloud Assistant to import the information of a server?

If you have installed a Cloud Assistant client on your source server, you can use the SMC plug-in to import the information of the source server in a convenient and efficient manner. For more information, see Use the SMC plug-in of Cloud Assistant to import the information of a source server.

How do I use the Windows GUI version of an SMC client?

You can use the Windows GUI version of a SMC client to migrate Windows servers to Alibaba Cloud. For more information, see Use the Windows GUI version of an SMC client.

How do I migrate a server to Alibaba Cloud?

SMC allows you to migrate servers that run various versions of Windows or Linux operating systems to Alibaba Cloud. Servers can be deployed in data centers, on-premises VMs, or on other cloud platforms. For more information, see How do I migrate a server 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 custom images and Share or unshare a custom image. If these two features cannot meet your business needs, you can use SMC to migrate data. For more information, see Migrate data between Alibaba Cloud VMs.

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

To exclude files or directories from a migration task, add the file paths or directory paths to the following configuration files. The configuration files reside in the Excludes directory of the client.
Notice
  • If you enable the block replication feature, you cannot exclude files or directories from 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 by adding the suffix disk [disk index number] to the system disk, for example, rsync_excludes_win_disk1.txt.
    • Linux: The configuration file is named by adding a suffix disk [disk index number] to the system disk, for example, rsync_excludes_linux_disk1.txt.
Examples:
  • Example 1: Exclude files or directories from the migration of a Windows Server
    • System disk:
      • Specify the 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:
      • Specify the 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, you must remove D:.
      • Replace \ with /.
  • Example 2: Exclude files or directories from the migration of a Linux server
    • System disk (root directory/):
      • Specify the 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:
      • Specify the 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, you must remove /mnt/disk1.

What can I do if I want to reimport a migration source?

You must delete the migration source, restart the client, and then reimport the migration source. If the migration source is associated with a migration task, you must delete the migration task before you delete the migration source.

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

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

What can I do if I cannot create a migration task because the migration source is not in the Active state?

Restore the migration source to the Active state, and then create a migration task. Perform the following steps to fix the issue:
  • If the migration source is in the Inactive state,

    the migration source is disconnected from the SMC console. You must restart the SMC client and wait until the migration is completed. For more information, see Step 1: Import the information of a migration source.

  • If the migration source is in the InError state, you must check the console logs. You must also check the client logs in the Logs directory and the error messages on the client 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. For more information, see Contact us.

Why am I unable to delete a migration source?

You cannot delete a migration source if it is associated with an unfinished migration task. You must stop and delete the migration task before you can delete the migration source.

Why are the data disk parameters of a migration source not displayed in the Create Migration Task panel?

This issue occurs because your migration source is not equipped with data disks or no data disk is attached to the migration source. If your migration source has no data disk or is not attached to a data disk, the data disk parameters are not displayed in the Create Migration Task panel. To resolve this issue, perform the following steps:
  1. Attach the data disk.
  2. Restart the SMC client.
  3. Refresh the Migration Sources page in the SMC console, and open the Create Migration Task panel again.

Can I create a migration task for a migration source that has a running or failed migration task?

No, you cannot create a migration task for the migration source in this case. However, you can create a migration task after you perform the following steps:
  • If an existing migration task is in progress, stop and delete the migration task.
  • If an error occurs on an existing migration task, delete the migration task.

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

A migration task 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 task, you can set a value for the validity period based on your needs. The validity period ranges from 7 to 90 days.

The validity period starts from the time at which the migration task is created. The following two methods are used to process an expired migration task:
  • If the migration task is in the Running state, no operations are performed.
  • If the migration task is in the Ready, Stopped, or InError state, it enters the Expired state. SMC deletes the migration task seven days after the task expires.

What are the statuses of migration tasks? What do these statuses indicate?

The statuses of a migration task are divided into the following two types: The following figure shows the relationships between the statuses and business statuses of a migration task. job_status
Table 1. Statuses of a migration task
Status Description Supported operation
Ready The migration task is created but is not started. Start the migration task.
Running The migration task is running. The business status rather than the running status is displayed in the Status column of the SMC console. For more information, see Business statuses of a migration task. Stop the migration task when it is completed or when it is in the Syncing state.
Note You cannot delete a migration task that is in the Running state.
Stopped The migration task is stopped. Restart or delete the migration task.
InError The migration task fails. Check the error message or migration logs in the client or console to identify the cause and fix the issue. If the migration source is in the Inactive or InError state, the failure is caused by the SMC client. You must restart the client before you restart the migration task.
Finished The migration task is completed. Go to the Custom Images tab in the Elastic Compute Service (ECS) console to view the image generated by SMC.
Waiting The task is pending execution. Only incremental migration tasks can reach this status. For more information, see Migrate incremental data from a source server. If the migration task is in the Waiting state, you can perform the following steps:
  • Use the image generated by the migration task to create an ECS instance.
  • Stop the migration task.
  • Delete the migration task.
  • Perform incremental migration of source servers.
  • Modify the settings of automatic incremental migration. The settings include the interval at which the migration task runs and the maximum number of images that can be retained for the task.
Expired The migration task has expired. Delete the migration task.
Note Each migration task is valid for 30 days. When a migration task expires, the status of the task changes to Expired but the task is retained for seven days. SMC deletes the migration task seven days after the task expires. For more information, see What is the validity period of a migration task? What happens after a migration task expires?.
Deleting The migration task is being deleted. Wait until the migration task is deleted, or create another migration task for the migration source.
Note After a migration task is deleted, SMC releases the resources used during the migration process, such as the intermediate instance. This process may take a while to complete.
Table 2. Business statuses of a migration task
Business status Description Supported operation
Preparing After you start a migration task, the status of the task changes to Preparing. None.
Syncing The migration task is uploading data from the migration source. Stop the migration task.
Processing The migration task is creating an image of the migration source. None.
Cleaning The intermediate instance is being released and the migration task is almost completed. None.

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

To find a migration source, perform the following steps:
  1. Log on to the SMC console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Migration Sources.
  3. On the Migration Sources 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 Latest Migration Task ID. All search queries return the results that exactly match the search items.

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

What can I do if I cannot select a destination instance when I create a migration task?

Perform the following steps to troubleshoot the issue:
  1. If you perform migration across accounts, check whether the migration task is created by using the destination account.
  2. Check whether the destination region 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.

How do I import multiple migration tasks at a time?

You can use an Excel template provided by SMC to import multiple migration tasks at a time in the SMC console. For more information, see Import multiple migration tasks by using an Excel template.

Why do I receive a "Forbidden.SubUser" error?

You receive the error because SMC requires a RAM user who has permissions to purchase instances. You must use the AccessKey pair of the account to call the ECS API and create resources such as intermediate instances and disks. Service provider accounts may not have the permissions to purchase instances. If you need to migrate resources, contact Alibaba Cloud. For more information, see Contact us.

Why do I receive a "Forbidden.Unauthorized" error?

You receive the error because you are using a RAM user who has no permissions to access SMC. For more information about the authorization methods, see Procedure.

Why do I receive a "Your Account Haven't Completed Real-name Authentication" error?

You receive the error because your account has not passed real-name verification. For more information about how to complete real-name verification, see Procedure.

Why do I receive a "Your Account Haven't Authorized For SMC RAM Role" error?

You receive the error because the required role is not created or assigned to SMC. For more information about the authorization methods, see Procedure.

Why do I receive an "IllegalTimestamp" error?

You receive the error because the system time of a migration source is inconsistent with the standard time of the region where the migration source is located. Make sure that the system time is consistent with the standard time of the region.

Why do I receive an "InvalidAccountStatus.NotEnoughBalance" error?

You receive the error because your account balance is insufficient. The default billing method of intermediate instances is pay-as-you-go. If your account balance is insufficient, migration cannot be completed. You must add sufficient funds to your account and try again. For more information, see Pay-as-you-go.

Why do I receive a "Forbidden.RAM" error?

You receive the error because you are using a RAM user that has no permissions to call the operation.

You must grant full access permissions on ECS and VPC to the RAM user by attaching the AliyunECSFullAccessECS and AliyunVPCFullAccess policies to the RAM user. For more information, see Account access control.

Why do I receive an "InvalidImageName.Duplicated" error?

You receive the error because the specified image_name already exists.

Why do I receive an "InvalidAccountStatus.SnapshotServiceUnavailable" error?

You receive the error because the snapshot service has not been activated for your Alibaba Cloud account. For more information, see Activate ECS Snapshot.

Why do I receive a "Connect to Server Failed" error?

You receive the error because SMC cannot connect to the intermediate instance. To resolve the error, perform the following steps:
  1. Check the detailed migration logs.
  2. Perform the following steps:
    • Check whether the intermediate instance is running as expected.
    • Check whether the network of the on-premises server is connected. Check whether TCP ports 80, 443, 8703, and 8080 are enabled on your server. SMC must have access to these ports.
  3. After you resolve the error, run the SMC client again.

Why do I receive a "Create transition vpc failed. (QuotaExceeded.Vpc: VPC quota exceeded.)" error?

You receive the error because your VPC quota is exceeded. If you do not specify a VPC and vSwitch for your migration task, SMC creates an intermediate VPC and vSwitch during the migration. After the migration task is completed, SMC deletes the intermediate VPC and vSwitch.

Each Alibaba Cloud account can have a maximum of 10 VPCs in a region. If you perform multiple migration tasks at a time or the number of VPCs in the destination region reaches the quota, we recommend that you increase the VPC reuse rate. To increase the VPC reuse rate, you can specify the same VPC and vSwitch when you create migration tasks. For more information, see Migration task parameters.

If the VPC quota is reached, perform one of the following steps:

Why do I receive an "InvalidAccessKeyId.NotFound" error?

You receive the error because the AccessKey pair you specified is invalid. To resolve this error, perform the following steps:
  1. Open the user_config.json file.
  2. Delete the values of AccessKeyId and AccessKeySecret.
  3. Save and close the file.
  4. Run the SMC client and enter a valid AccessKey pair.

Why do I receive a "Do Rsync Disk x Failed" error?

You receive the error because the data transfer is interrupted. To resolve the error, perform the following steps:
  1. Check the migration logs for exceptions. If the log file contains return: 3072 or return: 7680, check whether the database or container services such as Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, or Docker are enabled on the source server. If the services are enabled, disable these services or exclude the related directories before you migrate data.
  2. Perform the following steps:
    • Check whether the intermediate instance is running as expected.
    • Check whether the network of the on-premises server is connected. Check whether TCP ports 80, 443, 8703, and 8080 are enabled on your server. SMC must have access to these ports.
  3. After you resolve the error, run the SMC client again.

Why do I receive a "check rsync failed" or "rsync not found" error on my Linux server?

You receive the error because you have not installed the rsync component on the source server. For more information, see How do I install rsync?.

Why do I receive a "check virtio failed" error on my Linux server?

You receive the error because you have not installed the virtio driver on the source server. For more information, see Install a virtio driver.

Why do I receive a "check selinux failed" error on my Linux server?

You receive the error because you have enabled SELinux on the source server. For more information, see How do I disable SELinux?.

Why do I receive a "Do Grub Failed" error on my Linux server?

You receive the error because you have not installed GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB) on the source server. If GRUB is not installed, install GRUB and then restart the SMC client and the migration task. For more information, see Install GRUB on a Linux server.

What can I do if Windows server migration stops in the "Prepare For Rsync Disk 0" stage?

If Windows server migration stops in the "Prepare For Rsync Disk 0" stage and VssSnapshotul::VssSnapshotul GetSnapshotul Failed: 0x80042308 is displayed in the log file, perform the following steps:
  1. Enable the Volume Shadow Copy service.
    1. Log on to your on-premises server. Click Start, enter services.msc in the search box, and then press Enter.
    2. Find the Volume Shadow Copy service and click Start Service.
  2. Uninstall the QEMU Guest Agent software.
    1. Log on to your on-premises server. Click Start, enter services.msc in the search box, and then press Enter.
    2. Check whether the QEMU Guest Agent VSS Provider service is running. If this service is unavailable, restart the SMC client.
    3. Find the uninstall.bat file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\virtio\monitor\uninstall.bat directory, and execute the file to uninstall QEMU Guest Agent.
  3. Restart the SMC client.

What can I do if I am prompted to activate the Windows service after I migrate a Windows server?

You can reinstall KMS to activate the Windows service.
  1. Connect to the Windows instance.
  2. On the Microsoft KMS Client Setup Keys page, find your KMS client key. For example, the key is xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.
  3. Open Command Prompt as an administrator, and run the following commands: 
    slmgr /upk
    slmgr /ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
  4. Use KMS to activate the Windows service.

What can I do if the drive letters of data disks are missing or invalid after I migrate a Windows server?

  • If the drive letters are missing, add them in the Disk Management utility.
    1. Choose Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Computer Management.
    2. In the Disk Management utility, right-click the data disk whose drive letter is missing, and click Change Drive Letters and Path.
    3. Click Add and specify a drive letter.
  • If the drive letters are invalid, you can change them in the Disk Management utility.
    1. Choose Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Computer Management.
    2. In the Disk Management utility, right-click the data disk whose drive letter is missing, and click Change Drive Letters and Path.
    3. Click Change to change the drive letter.

What can I do if the file system access is inaccessible or the system menus are displayed in different languages during instance startup after I migrate a Windows server?

You must wait until the access permissions on the file system automatically recover. For more information, see How do I check my system after I migrate a Windows 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 the first time you start the created instance:
  1. Check whether the system disk data is complete.
  2. If a data disk is missing, go to the Disk Management utility to check whether the drive letter is missing.
  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 the first time you start the created instance:
  1. Check whether the system disk data is complete.
  2. If data disks exist, you must attach them to the instance. For more information, see Attach a data disk.
  3. Check whether the hostname is valid and the network is connected.
  4. Check whether other system services are running as expected.

Why does no data exist in the original data disk directory during instance startup after I migrate a Linux server?

This is because the data disks are not attached during instance startup by default after you migrate a Linux server with data disks. To resolve this issue, run the ls /dev/vd* command to view the data disks. Attach the data disks based on your needs. Edit the configuration file in the /etc/fstab directory to allow the data disks to be attached during instance startup.

What can I do if I am unable to start the ECS instance created based on the custom image after a Linux server migration?

To resolve this issue, perform the following steps:
  • Check the driver. Before you create an I/O optimized instance, make sure that the virtio driver is installed on the source server. For more information, see Install a virtio driver.
  • Check whether the GRUB configurations of the source server are valid.
  • If the following conditions apply, you must upgrade GRUB to version 1.9 or later, and then perform the migration again: The operating system of your source server is CentOS 5 or Debian 7 and the GRUB version is earlier than 1.9. In addition, the following output appears when you connect to the ECS instance by using the Management Terminal in the ECS console. For information about how to connect to the ECS instance, see Connect to a Linux instance by using password authentication. Linux server check during startup

    You must upgrade GRUB to version 1.9 or later, and then perform the migration again. For information about how to upgrade GRUB to version 1.9 or later, see Install GRUB on a Linux server.

Why do the LVM partitions of my Linux server change to standard partitions?

SMC does not allow you to replicate Logical Volume Manager (LVM) partitions. After a Linux server is migrated, the LVM partitions of the server are changed to standard partitions.

Why is the network service unavailable when an Others Linux instance is started?

If your operating system is not a mainstream Linux distribution, it may be regarded as an Others Linux instance. Alibaba Cloud does not perform configurations such as network or Secure Shell (SSH) configurations on ECS instances that are created from the imported images of an Others Linux instance. To resolve this issue, you can change the network configurations.

The network configurations of the images generated by the SMC client were changed on March 31, 2018. By default, IP addresses are allocated based on the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

How do I migrate a server again?

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

What do I do after a migration task is completed 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. Select instance types that meet your business requirements and create ECS instances. For more information, see Instance family and Create an instance by using the wizard.

What happens after a migration task is completed?

After a migration task is completed, SMC generates one of the following migration results based on the destination image type:
  • If the destination image type is ECS Image, an ECS image is generated. You can use the ECS image to create an ECS instance.
  • If the destination image type is ECS Instance, the source server is directly migrated to the destination ECS instance.
  • If the destination image type is Container Image, a container image is generated. You can use the container image to deploy applications.

Why does the hostname of the ECS instance created after a migration task contain the name of another cloud platform?

This is because cloud_init is not installed or started on the ECS instance, or the cloud-init versions of the source server and Alibaba Cloud are incompatible. To resolve this issue, you can install cloud-init and then restart the instance to update the hostname. For more information, see Install cloud-init.