How to Migrate Desktop Servers - Server Migration Center

SMC allows you to migrate your desktop systems based on physical machines, local virtual machines (such as VMware, Xen, KVM, and Hyper-V), and other cloud vendors (such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Tencent Cloud) to Alibaba Cloud. It provides easy-to-use, secure, and efficient cloud desktop services to help you quickly build and efficiently manage your desktop office environment. Provide a secure and flexible office system. This topic describes how to migrate a desktop server to an Alibaba Cloud cloud computer.

Note

Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) is an easy-to-use, secure, and efficient cloud desktop service. It supports fast and convenient desktop environment creation, deployment, and centralized control and O&M. You can use WUYING Workspace to build a secure, high-performance, and cost-efficient office system without the traditional hardware investment. WUYING Workspace can be widely used in fields that have high requirements for data security management and control and high-performance computing, such as the secure office, finance, design, video, and education industries. For more information, see What is Alibaba Cloud WUYING Workspace?

Limits

Only Windows servers can be migrated to Elastic Desktop Service. The following versions of Windows are not supported:
- Windows 8.1 and earlier
- Windows 11
- Windows Server 2016 and earlier
Only the system disk of the desktop server is migrated. Data disks cannot be migrated.

Impacts

Before you migrate data, you must take note of the following items, as shown in the following table.

Item	Description
Intermediate Instance	Do not interfere with intermediate instances. To run a migration task, SMC creates a temporary intermediate instance named `No_Delete_SMC_Transition_Instance` within your Alibaba Cloud account. For more information, see the "How does SMC create an intermediate instance?" section of the SMC FAQ topic. During the migration, do not stop, start, restart, or release the intermediate instance. Otherwise, the migration fails. After the migration is complete, SMC automatically releases the intermediate instance. Note If you select a destination instance, the destination instance is an intermediate instance.
IP Address	After the migration, the IP address will change. If the service involves the configuration of the IP address, modify it after the migration. Note If a domain name has been bound to the source server, the public IP address of the source server will change after the migration. You must resolve the domain name to the new public IP address of the source server. For more information, see Add a website.
Underlying hardware	After the migration, the underlying hardware of the system changes, which may invalidate the licenses of some applications bound to the hardware.

Prerequisites

The preparations for server migration are completed. For more information, see Prepare for migration.

Procedure

Import the information about a migration source.

Migration sources can be servers of a variety of types, such as servers in data centers, VMs, and hosts on third-party cloud platforms. SMC supports multiple methods to import migration sources. You can select a method to import migration sources based on your business requirements. For more information, see How do I select a method to import a migration source?

Command line one-click import migration source (recommend)

Important

The source server must have Internet access.

Log on to the SMC console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Migrate to Cloud > Desktop Migration.
On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Migration source.

Configure the parameters as prompted and copy the activation code command. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Migration Source Type	The type of the migration source. Select Physical Server/VM/Cloud Server.
Import Method	The method that is used to import the information about the migration source. Select Use CLI to Import Server.
Migration Source Quota	The number of migration sources whose information you want to import by using the activation code. Valid values: 1 to 1000. Default value: 10.
Validity period	The validity period of the activation code. Unit: days. Valid values: 1 to 90. Default value: 30.
Activation Code	Generate the activation code and copy the generated command by performing the following steps: Click Generate. Click the Windows Powershell tab. Click Copy to copy the activation code command.

Execute the operation to import the migration source.
1. Log on to the Windows source server.
2. Open Windows PowerShell with administrator privileges.
3. Run the copied command to import the information about the migration source.
  After the command is executed, a similar Import Source Server [s-bp19rlidl3mwuptc****] Successfully! occurs A message is returned, indicating that the migration source is successfully imported.
On the Desktop Migration page of the SMC console, view the status of the migration source in the Migration Status column.
- If the status of the migration source is Online, the migration source is imported.
- If the migration source is in another state, the migration source fails to be imported. See the following solutions to resolve the issue and then re-import the migration source.
  - Solve the problem by following the error message in the console or by viewing the log file in the directory of the SMC client. The default installation directory of the SMC client is C:\smc.
  - For FAQ and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

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

Important

The source server must have Internet access.

If you use a RAM user to import data to a migration source, you must grant the following permissions to the RAM user.
- You must grant the AliyunRAMReadOnlyAccess permission to the RAM user. For more information, see Attach a custom policy to a RAM user.
- You must grant the Cloud Shell management permission AliyunCloudShellFullAccess to the RAM user. For more information, see RAM RAM.

Log on to the SMC console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Migrate to Cloud > Desktop Migration.
On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Migration source.

Configure the parameters as prompted and copy the activation code command. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Migration Source Type	The type of the migration source. Select Physical Server/VM/Cloud Server.
Import Method	The method that is used to import the information about the migration source. Select Import through Console.
Migration Source Name	The name of the migration source. The name must be 2 to 128 characters in length, and can contain letters, digits, periods (.), colons (:), underscores (_), and hyphens (-). The name must start with a letter but cannot start with `http://` or `https://`. The name can contain letters, digits, colons (:), underscores (_), and hyphens (-).
Operating system	Select Windows. Important The source server must have the OpenSSH service installed. Otherwise, the migration source cannot be imported. For more information, see How do I install OpenSSH on a Windows server?
IP address	The IPv4 address that is used to access the migration source over the Internet. Example: 120.55.XX.XX.
Port	The SSH port number of the migration source. Valid values: 1 to 65535. Default value: 22.
Username	Enter the user name of the operating system. The default value is `Administrator`.
Password	Enter the password for the username of the operating system.

After you configure the parameters, click Import.
The import process takes about 3 to 10 minutes. Wait until the import is complete.
On the Server Migration page in the SMC console, view the status of the migration source in the Migration Status column.
- If the status of the migration source is Online, the migration source is imported.
- If the migration source is in another state, the migration source fails to be imported. See the following solutions to resolve the issue and then re-import the migration source.
  - Solve the problem by following the error message in the console or by viewing the log file in the directory of the SMC client. By default, the SMC client is installed in the following directory:
    - Windows: C:\smc
    - Linux: /smc
  - For FAQ and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

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

For more information about the SMC client, see SMC client tools.

Log on to the SMC console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Migrate to Cloud > Desktop Migration.
On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Migration source.

In the Import Migration Source dialog box, configure the parameters. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Migration Source Type	The type of the migration source. Select Physical Server/VM/Cloud Server.
Import Method	The method that is used to import the information about the migration source. Select Use Client to Import Server.
Description	After Import Description, download the SMC client based on the architecture (Arm and x86) and 32-bit and 64-bit (64-bit) of the source server operating system.

Import the information about the migration source.
Important
During the migration, do not shut down the SMC client until the migration is complete. Otherwise, the migration source is disconnected from the SMC console, and the migration fails.
1. You can use a remote connection tool that supports file transfer. For example, you can use WinSCP to upload the SMC client package to the source Windows server.
2. On the Windows source server, use the built-in decompression tool of Windows or the decompression tool installed by yourself to decompress the SMC client package.
3. In the SMC client folder that corresponds to the source server, run the SMC client.
  - To run the Windows GUI version, double-click the go2aliyun_gui.exe file.
  - To run the Windows CLI version, double-click the go2aliyun_client.exe file.
  Note
  When you run the program, you must click OK to confirm that you have the administrator permissions.
4. Obtain an activation code or AccessKey pair.
  - (recommend) Obtain activation code: In the Import Instructions section of the SMC console, click Generate activation code and copy the activation code information.
  - AccessKey pair: The AccessKey pair consists of an AccessKey ID and an AccessKey secret. If no AccessKey pair is created, create one first. For more information, see Create an AccessKey pair.
5. Enter the activation code or AccessKey pair as prompted.
  - To run the Windows GUI version, enter the activation code or AccessKey pair in the Token Id/AK and Token Code/SK fields and click Start. For more information, see SMC client tools.
  - Command line version: Enter the activation code access_access_token_id and access_token_code values and press the Enter key.
  If the information about the migration source is imported, the following message appears: Import Source Server [s-bp11npxndknsycqj****] Successfully!
On the Server Migration page in the SMC console, view the status of the migration source in the Migration Status column.
- If the status of the migration source is Online, the migration source is imported.
- If the migration source is in another state, the migration source fails to be imported. See the following solutions to resolve the issue and then re-import the migration source.
  - Solve the problem by following the error message in the console or by viewing the log file in the directory of the SMC client. By default, the SMC client is installed in the following directory:
    - Windows: C:\smc
    - Linux: /smc
  - For FAQ and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

Step 2: Create a migration task

Find the migration source that you want to manage, click Create Migration Job in the Actions column.

In the Create Migration Job dialog box, configure the parameters and click Create.

Configure the basic parameters. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description	Example
Migration Job Name	The name of the migration job.	Migrate servers to Alibaba Cloud EDS
Job Description	The description of the migration job.	test
Destination Type (required)	Select Desktop Image.	Desktop Image
Destination region (required)	The destination region refers to the region where your source server is to be migrated to Alibaba Cloud. For more information about regions, see Regions and Zones.	Hangzhou
Image name	Enter a name for the desktop image.	test
Invocation Mode	Select a migration task execution mode: Run Now: The migration task immediately starts to run after it is created. This is the default value. Run Later: The migration task automatically starts to run at the specified time after it is created. Note The earliest time that you can specify to run a migration task is 10 minutes after the task is created. Create Only: Only a migration task is created. Click Start Task in the Actions column to manually start the migration task.	Keep the default setting.

Configure the disk parameters. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter

Description

Example

Destination Disk Size (GiB)

The disk structure of the server after migration. By default, the disk structure of the source server is displayed.

System Disk and Partition<N>: By default, this option is selected and cannot be modified.
- System Disk: the size of the destination Elastic Desktop Service system disk. Unit: GiB.
- Partition <N>: the size of the partition. SMC generates a partitioning scheme for the destination disk based on the partitioning scheme of the source disk. Unit: GiB. N specifies the serial number of the partition. For example, if the system disk of the source server has only one partition, Partition0 is generated.
- Block Replication: If you enable the block replication feature, the transfer speed is higher and the partition data is more consistent. By default, the block replication feature is enabled and cannot be disabled.
Data Disk and Partition<N>: By default, this option is not selected and cannot be modified.
Important
Data disks cannot be migrated.

Keep the default setting.

Optional. To configure parameters such as network type and automatic incremental synchronization, click Expert Mode and configure advanced parameters. The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description	Example
Install GPU Driver	Specifies whether to install a GPU driver. By default, no GPU driver is installed. Enable this feature if you want to use the image to create a cloud desktop of an Enterprise Graphics type, which is a GPU-based Elastic Desktop Service cloud computer. In this case, you must enable and install one of the following GPU drivers. NVIDIA GRID9: This GPU driver can be used to create a cloud desktop of the Enterprise Graphics - 4 vCPUs/23 GiB/4 GiB or Enterprise Graphics - 10 vCPUs/46 GiB/8 GiB type. NVIDIA GRID12: This GPU driver can be used to create a cloud desktop of an Enterprise Graphics type other than Enterprise Graphics - 4 vCPUs/23 GiB/4 GiB and Enterprise Graphics - 10 vCPUs/46 GiB/8 GiB. Manual Installation: If you want to create a cloud desktop of the Enterprise Graphics - G28 type, you must manually install a GPU driver. If an error occurs when you install a GPU driver,submit a ticket to contact technical support. If you do not enable this feature, no GPU driver is installed. In this case, you cannot use the image to create a cloud desktop of an Enterprise Graphics type.	Keep the default setting.
Protocol Type	The type of protocol. By default, ASP is selected.	Keep the default setting.
Protection Capability	Specifies whether to enable the security protection feature. We recommend that you enable this feature to ensure desktop security. If you enable the security protection feature, security protection is provided for cloud desktops that are created based on the image. By default, this feature is enabled. If you disable this feature, protection capabilities such as security protection and vulnerability scanning do not take effect for a Elastic Desktop Service cloud computer that is created based on the image.	Keep the default setting.
Network type	Select the network used to transfer the migrated data to the intermediate instance. By default, the public network is used. During migration, SMC creates an intermediate instance that connects to a vSwitch in a virtual private cloud (VPC). If you select Public Network, a public IP address is assigned to the intermediate instance. Internet transmission (default) SMC migrates data to the intermediate instance over the Internet. If you select Public Network, make sure that the source server can access the Internet. You can determine whether to specify a VPC and a vSwitch based on your business requirements. If you specify a VPC and a vSwitch, SMC creates an intermediate instance that connects to the specified VPC and vSwitch. If you do not specify the VPC or vSwitch, the migration task creates an intermediate instance in the VPC and vSwitch that are automatically created by the system. VPC SMC migrates data to the intermediate instance over a VPC. If you select VPC, you must specify a VPC and a vSwitch and make sure that the source server can connect to the VPC. Note If your server in a data center, your VM, or your third-party cloud server can connect to a VPC, we recommend that you select this network type to migrate data. Compared with migration over the Internet, migration over a VPC is more efficient and stable. You can use VPN Gateway, Express Connect, and Smart Access Gateway (SAG) to connect a migration source to a VPC. For more information, see Connect a data center to a VPC.	Keep the default setting.
Transmission Speed Limit	The maximum bandwidth for data transmission during migration. Unit: Mbit/s.	Keep the default setting.
Compression Ratio	The compression ratio of the data to be migrated. Set the compression ratio based on your business requirements. In an environment with limited bandwidth, using a high compression ratio can increase the data transmission speed. If a high bandwidth is available, we recommend that you do not compress data. Data compression consumes CPU resources of the migration source. Valid values: 0 to 10. Default value: 7. A value of 0 indicates that data is not compressed.	Keep the default setting.
Checksum Verification	Specifies whether to verify data integrity by using a checksum. By default, this feature is disabled. If you enable this feature, data integrity is ensured, but transmission speed may be reduced.	Keep the default setting.
License Type	The license type. Valid values: Alibaba Cloud: the Microsoft license provided by Alibaba Cloud. For more information, see the What Windows Server licenses does Alibaba Cloud support? section of the "FAQ" topic. This option is selected by default. BYOL: SMC allows you to bring your own license (BYOL). You can bring your own Microsoft license or register with Red Hat Cloud Access. For more information, see the Is BYOL supported when I migrate servers by using SMC? section of the "FAQ" topic.	Keep the default setting.
Automatic Incremental Synchronization	Specifies whether SMC automatically synchronizes incremental data of the migration source to Alibaba Cloud. By default, this feature is disabled. If enable this feature, you must configure the following parameters: Synchronization Interval: the interval at which SMC automatically synchronizes incremental data to Alibaba Cloud. Upper limit of Reserved Images: the maximum number of images that can be retained during incremental migration. SMC automatically synchronizes incremental data to Alibaba Cloud at the specified interval. For more information about the best practices for incremental migration, see Migrate incremental servers. If you disable this feature, incremental data is not synchronized.	Keep the default setting.
Migration Job Tags	The tags that you specify for the migration task. Each tag contains a key and a value. You can use tags to query and manage migration tasks. For more information, see Use tags to manage migration sources and tasks and Use tags to fine-grained permission management. Note You can specify up to 20 tags for a migration job.	Keep the default setting.
Intermediate Instance Type	You can select an intermediate instance type based on your business requirements. If you specify an instance type, SMC creates an intermediate instance of the specified type. If the specified instance type is unavailable, you cannot create the migration job. If you do not specify an instance type, SMC automatically creates an intermediate instance. Important To avoid migration errors, do not stop, start, restart, or release the intermediate instance during the migration.	Keep the default setting.

In the message that appears, read the migration notes and click Got It.
On the Migration Tasks page, view the real-time migration status.
The time required to transfer data is affected by factors such as the source data size and network bandwidth. Wait until the migration task is complete.
If the migration task is in the Synchronizing state, you can perform the following operations on the migration task:
- Edit a migration task: In the Actions column, click Edit Task to modify the transmission speed limit, compression ratio, and checksum verification parameters.
- Pause a migration task: Click Pause Task in the Actions column to pause the migration task.

Verify the migration results

If Migration Status is Completed, the migration is successful.
After the migration is complete, a desktop image is generated. You can click Create Desktop in the Actions column to go to the ECS console. You can create a desktop template that contains the desktop image and then create a Elastic Desktop Service based on the desktop template. For more information, see Customize a cloud computer template and Create a cloud computer.
Note
When you create a desktop template and select an image, select Custom Image and select the desktop image that is generated after the migration.
After the server is migrated, you need to perform the following operations to ensure the normal operation of your business:
- Verify and verify the data to ensure the integrity and correctness of the data. For more information, see the How do I check my system after I migrate a Linux server? or How do I check my system after I migrate a Windows server? section of the "FAQ" topic.
- If applications and services on the source server are not automatically started, you must manually start the applications and services after the migration.
- The IP address will change after the migration.
  If the service involves the configuration of IP addresses, modify the configuration.
  If a domain name has been bound to the source server, the public IP address of the source server will change after the migration. You must resolve the domain name to the new public IP address of the source server. For more information, see Add a website.
If Migration Status is Error, the migration task fails.
In this case, you need to troubleshoot the issue and try again:
1. In the Actions column, click Troubleshoot Errors and fix the error based on the error code and error message. For more information, see FAQ and Errors occurred during a server migration.
2. On the Migration Tasks page, click Retry Task.
  The migration task continues at the last completed progress.
  Important
  If the intermediate instance is released, you must create another migration job. For more information, see the What do I do if I release an intermediate instance by accident? section of the "FAQ" topic.

Clean up resources

During migration, SMC creates a temporary pay-as-you-go intermediate instance named No_Delete_SMC_Transition_Instance under your Alibaba Cloud account to assist in the migration. You need to select whether manual cleanup is required based on whether the migration is successful:

If the migration is successful, the intermediate instance is automatically released. You do not need to manually clean it up.
Migration error: The intermediate instance always exists with the migration task and costs are incurred. You can choose one of the following methods to release the intermediate instance to avoid unnecessary fee deduction:
- If you no longer want to use the migration task, choose > Delete in the Actions column to delete the migration task.
- Manually release the intermediate instance. For more information, see Release an instance.

References

If you need to migrate incremental data multiple times, you can perform multiple incremental migrations at a custom interval after the first full migration is complete. This synchronizes the incremental data generated by the source server to Alibaba Cloud and reduces the service suspension time and delivery time of the source server. For more information, see Migrate incremental data from a source server.

Server Migration Center:Migrate desktop servers to cloud computers