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    Server Migration Center:Migrate desktop servers to Elastic Desktop Service

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    Server Migration Center:Migrate desktop servers to Elastic Desktop Service

    Last Updated:Aug 26, 2026

    You can use Server Migration Center (SMC) to migrate desktop systems from physical servers, on-premises virtual environments (VMware, Xen, KVM, Hyper-V), ECS instances, and other cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Tencent Cloud) to Elastic Desktop Service.

    Note

    Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) is a cloud desktop service for deploying and managing virtual desktops without upfront hardware investment. What is Elastic Desktop Service Enterprise Edition?

    Limitations

    • You can migrate only Windows source servers to Elastic Desktop Service. The following versions are not supported:

      • Windows 8.1 and earlier

      • Windows Server 2016 and earlier

    • Only the system disk is migrated. Transfer data from other disks (D:, E:) separately through OSS backup or a network transfer tool, then manually attach cloud disks to the Elastic Desktop Service instance.

    Migration impact

    Review the following impacts before migration.

    Item

    Description

    Intermediate instance

    Do not interfere with the intermediate instance.

    Do not stop, start, restart, or release the intermediate instance, or change its billing method during migration. The intermediate instance is automatically released after migration.

    Note

    • For each migration, SMC creates a temporary, pay-as-you-go intermediate instance named No_Delete_SMC_Transition_Instance in your destination Alibaba Cloud account to assist with the migration.

    • If you migrate to a destination instance, that instance serves as the intermediate instance and is not automatically released.

    How it works.

    IP address

    The IP address changes after the migration, potentially causing service interruptions. Perform the migration during off-peak hours. If your services involve IP address configurations, you must update the domain name resolution and ICP filing after the migration.

    Note

    If a domain name is mapped to the source server, remap it to the new instance's public IP address. Add a website resolution.

    Underlying hardware

    The underlying hardware changes after the migration. This may invalidate certain application licenses that are bound to specific hardware. Review your license agreements.

    Performance impact

    The migration process consumes server resources, including CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network bandwidth.

    Data consistency

    Data consistency issues after migration.

    Prerequisites

    Complete the pre-migration preparations.

    Migration procedure

    Step 1: Import migration source

    A migration source is a physical server, VM, or cloud host from another platform that you want to migrate.

    Command line (recommended)

    Important

    • The source server must have public network access. If the source server is behind a firewall, see What are the SMC service domains? to obtain the SMC endpoints and ports, and then add them to your firewall allowlist.

    • If your source server cannot access the public network or you want to use a private network for a faster migration, see private network migration.

    1. Go to the Desktop Migration page in the SMC console.

    2. On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Source Servers.

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

      Parameter

      Description

      Migration Source Type

      Select Physical servers/VMs/Cloud servers of other cloud platforms.

      Import Method

      Select Use CLI to Import Server.

      Migration Source Quota

      The number of migration sources that can be activated by the activation code. Valid values: 1 to 1,000. Default value: 200.

      Validity Period

      The validity period of the activation code, in days. Valid values: 1 to 90. Default value: 90.

      Activation Code

      Generate the activation code and copy the command.

      1. Click Generate.

      2. Click the Windows Powershell tab.

      3. Click Copy to copy the activation code command.

    4. Import the migration source.

      1. Log on to the Windows source server.

      2. Open Windows PowerShell with administrator privileges.

      3. Paste and run the copied command to import the migration source.

        image.png

        If a message similar to Import Source Server [s-bp19rlidl3mwuptc****] Successfully! is displayed, it indicates a successful import.

        If the command fails to run, see What do I do if a command fails to run when I import a Windows migration source by using the command line?.

    5. In the SMC console, on the Desktop Migration page, check the status of the migration source in the Real-time Migration Status column.

      • If the status is Migration SourceOnline, the import was successful.

      • If the status is anything else, the import failed. Troubleshoot the issue using the following methods and then import the migration source again.

        • Troubleshoot using console error messages or log files in the SMC client directory (default: C:\smc).

        • For information about common issues and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

    Import from console

    Important

    1. Go to the Desktop Migration page in the SMC console.

    2. On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Source Servers.

    3. Configure the parameters based on the migration source type.

      Parameter

      Description

      Migration Source Type

      Select ECS Instance.

      Import Method

      Select Import through Console.

      Region

      Select the region of the server to migrate.

      Instance

      Select ECS instances by instance ID, name, or IP address. Multiple selections supported.

      Tag (Optional)

      Bind tags to the migration task for filtering and management. Use tags to manage migration sources and tasks. Implement fine-grained permission management by using tags.

      You can bind a maximum of 20 tags to a migration task.

      Resource Group (Optional)

      Organize migration resources by department or project using resource groups.

    4. After configuring the parameters, click Import.

      SMC automatically starts the Cloud Assistant agent to perform the import, which takes 3 to 10 minutes to complete.

    5. In the SMC console, on the Desktop Migration page, check the status of the migration source in the Real-time Migration Status column.

      • If the status is Migration SourceOnline, the import was successful.

      • If the status is anything else, the import failed. Troubleshoot the issue using the following methods and then import the migration source again.

        • Troubleshoot using console error messages or log files in the SMC client directory (default: C:\smc).

        • For information about common issues and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

    Import with SMC client

    The SMC client user guide covers client installation and usage.

    Important

    • The SMC client must run on the source server and uses public network access by default. If a firewall restricts traffic on the source server, obtain the SMC domain names and ports from What are the SMC service domain names? and add them to the firewall's allowlist.

    • If your source server cannot access the public network or you want to use a private network for faster migration, see Private network transfer.

    1. Go to the Desktop Migration page in the SMC console.

    2. On the Desktop Migration page, click Import Source Servers.

    3. On the Import Source Servers page, configure the parameters as described in the following table.

      Parameter

      Description

      Migration Source Type

      Physical servers/VMs/Cloud servers of other cloud platforms.

      Import Method

      Select Use Client to Import Server.

      You must manually download and install the SMC client on the source server.

      Description

      1. In the Description section, follow the prompts to download, install, and activate the SMC client that matches the operating system (Linux or Windows) and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) of your source server.

      2. Click Generate and copy the activation code.

        You must enter the activation code when you install the client.

    4. Import the migration source.

      Important

      Do not close the SMC client during the migration. Otherwise, the migration source will lose its connection to the SMC console and the migration will fail.

      1. Use a remote connection tool that supports file transfer, such as WinSCP, to upload the SMC client to the Windows source server.

      2. On the Windows source server, use the system's built-in decompression tool or a third-party tool to decompress the SMC client package.

      3. In the folder for the SMC client version that matches your server's system, double-click the go2aliyun_client.exe application.

        When prompted for administrator privileges, click OK.

      4. Obtain an activation code or an AccessKey pair.

        • (Recommended) Obtain an activation code: In the Description section of the SMC console, click Generate and copy the activation code.

        • Obtain an AccessKey pair: An AccessKey pair consists of an AccessKey ID and an AccessKey secret. If you have not created one, see Create an AccessKey pair.

      5. Follow the prompt and enter the values for the activation code, access_access_token_id and access_token_code, and press Enter.

        If a message similar to Import Source Server [s-bp18x8751kgz2oyh****] Successfully! is displayed, it indicates a successful import.

    5. In the SMC console, on the Desktop Migration page, check the status of the migration source in the Real-time Migration Status column.

      • If the status is Migration SourceOnline, the import was successful.

      • If the status is anything else, the import failed. Troubleshoot the issue using the following methods and then import the migration source again.

        • Troubleshoot using console error messages or log files in the SMC client directory (default: C:\smc).

        • For information about common issues and solutions, see SMC FAQ and Troubleshooting.

    Step 2: Configure migration task

    1. In the Actions column of the migration source that you want to manage, click Start Migration.

    2. Configure the parameters and click Start Migration.

      1. Configure basic parameters.

        Parameter

        Description

        Destination Type

        Select Desktop Image.

        Destination Region (Required)

        Destination region for the desktop image. Available regions: Regions and zones.

        Image name prefix

        Enter a name for the desktop image.

        Execution Method

        Select how to run the migration task:

        • Migrate Now: Starts the migration immediately after you create the migration job. By default, Migrate Now is selected.

        • Migrate Later: Schedules the migration job to start automatically at a specified time.

          Note

          The earliest you can schedule the job is 10 minutes from the current time.

        • Create Only: Creates the migration job but does not start it. You must manually start it later by clicking Start Migration Job in the Actions column.

        Automatic Incremental Synchronization

        Enables automatic, incremental data synchronization from the source server to Alibaba Cloud. By default, this feature is disabled.

        • If you enable this switch, you must configure the following parameters:

          • Synchronization Interval: The interval at which the incremental migration job automatically runs.

          • Maximum Reserved Images: The maximum number of images that the incremental migration job retains.

          The migration job runs periodically to synchronize incremental data to Alibaba Cloud. Incremental server migration.

        • If you disable this switch, the migration job runs only once.

        Network Type

        Select the network for data transfer. By default, SMC transfers data over the public network, creating the intermediate instance in the selected VPC and vSwitch with a public IP.

        Public Network (Default)

        Transfers data over the public network. The source server must have internet access. You can optionally specify a VPC and vSwitch.

        • Specify VPC and vSwitch: The intermediate instance is created in the specified VPC and vSwitch.

        • No VPC or vSwitch specified: The system creates a new VPC and vSwitch automatically.

        VPC

        Transfers data over the VPC internal network. Requires connectivity between the source server and an Alibaba Cloud VPC. You must specify a VPC and vSwitch.

        Note

        Recommended when the source server has direct VPC access. Private network transfer is faster and more stable. Connect through VPN Gateway, Express Connect, or Smart Access Gateway. Connect a VPC to an on-premises data center/other cloud.

      2. You can also adjust the disk partition structure. Parameters are described in the following table.

        Parameter

        Description

        Destination Disk Size (GiB)

        By default, SMC displays the source server's disk structure.

        • System disk and system partitions: Selected by default and cannot be changed.

          • System Disk: The size of the system disk on the destination Elastic Desktop Service instance, in GiB.

          • Partition <N>: SMC automatically generates destination disk partitions based on the source server's partitions. The unit is GiB. The variable <N> represents the partition number. If the source system disk has only a single partition, only Partition 0 is generated.

        • Data disks and partitions: Not selected by default and cannot be changed.

          Important

          Migrating data disks is not supported.

      3. (Optional) To configure parameters such as network mode, private IP address, or transfer throttling, click Advanced Settings. Parameters are described in the following table.

        Parameter

        Description

        Migration Job Name

        Name of the migration task.

        Job Description

        Description of the migration task.

        Install GPU Driver

        Select whether to install a GPU driver. Disabled by default.

        • Enable: Required for creating GPU-accelerated Elastic Desktop Service instances with enterprise graphics instance types. Select a driver:

          • NVIDIA GRID9: For creating Enterprise Graphics - 4 vCPU/23 GiB/4 GiB and Enterprise Graphics - 10 vCPU/46 GiB/8 GiB desktops.

          • NVIDIA GRID12: For creating other primary enterprise graphics desktops, excluding the two types listed above.

          • Manually Install: To use desktops of the Enterprise Graphics - G28 type, the system-provided drivers are not suitable. You must install the GPU driver yourself.

        • Disable: No GPU driver is installed. This image will not be used with enterprise graphics instance types.

        Protocol Type

        ASP is selected by default.

        Protection Capability

        Enable security protection for desktops created from this image. Recommended.

        • Enable (default): Security protection is active for desktops created from this image.

        • Disable: Security protection and vulnerability scanning are inactive for Elastic Desktop Service instances created from this image.

        Transmission Speed Limit

        Limits the data transfer speed, in Mbit/s. If Compression Ratio is set to a value greater than 0, the actual network transfer speed for the compressed data is lower than the speed displayed in Real-time Migration Status.

        Compression Ratio

        Sets the data compression level for migration.

        • In environments with limited bandwidth, a higher compression ratio can increase data transfer speed.

        • In environments with high bandwidth, we recommend that you do not compress data to reduce CPU usage on the source server.

        Valid values: 0 to 10. The default value is 7. A value of 0 indicates that data is not compressed.

        Checksum Verification

        This feature is disabled by default. Enabling it enhances data consistency checks but may decrease transfer speed.

        SSL encryption

        The default value is Auto-Select. SSL encryption for data transfer improves security and data integrity.

        License Type

        Select a license type.

        • Alibaba Cloud (Default): Only Microsoft Windows Server licenses are supported. After migration, you are charged a license fee when you create an ECS instance from the image in the China (Hong Kong) region or other regions outside the Chinese mainland. The instance is automatically activated. The actual fee is displayed when you create the instance.

        • BYOL: BYOL is supported for operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. After migration, no license fee is charged when you create an ECS instance from the image. You must activate the instance by using your own license.

          Note

          If you have an existing ECS instance, you can purchase software licenses, such as for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, for the instance. Purchase software licenses for an ECS instance.

        Tag

        Add tags (key-value pairs) to the migration job for easier searching and management. Use tags to manage migration sources and jobs. Implement fine-grained permission management by using tags.

        Note

        You can add a maximum of 20 tags to a single migration job.

        Intermediate Instance Type

        Select an intermediate instance type:

        • If you specify this parameter, the system uses the selected instance type to create the intermediate instance. If the specified instance type is out of stock, the migration job fails to be created.

        • If you do not specify an instance type, the system attempts to create the intermediate instance by using a default sequence of instance types.

        Important

        To prevent migration errors, do not stop, start, restart, or release the intermediate instance during the migration. After the migration is complete, the instance is automatically released.

        Report diagnostic logs

        Automatically uploads SMC client logs to the SMC server for diagnostic analysis. This helps troubleshoot issues if a migration error occurs. This feature is enabled by default.

        SMC client logs are typically stored in the /smc/go2aliyun_client*/Logs directory within the installation path.

    3. In the dialog box that appears, read the notes and click Got It.

    4. On the Desktop Migration page, view the real-time migration status.

      If you enabled a migration drill, SMC runs the drill first. Transfer time depends on data volume and bandwidth.

      Note

      • Speed: Transfer rate (uncompressed data). If Compression Ratio exceeds 0, the displayed speed is higher than the actual network speed due to compression.

      • Time Remaining for Synchronization: Calculated as (Total Data - Transferred Data) / Speed.

      • If transfer speed is slow, increase the bandwidth of the source and destination servers. Estimate migration time and test transfer speed.

      Subscribe to migration error events, modify, or pause the migration:

      • Subscribe to SMC migration task error event notifications in CloudMonitor to receive email alerts.

      • When the migration task is in the Synchronizing state, you can also perform the following actions as needed:

        • Modify the migration task: In the Actions column, click Modify Migration Job to change parameters such as the transfer speed limit, compression ratio, or Checksum verification.

        • Pause the migration task: In the Actions column, click Pause Migration Job.

    5. (Optional) View migration details.

      To view details, click a migration source ID in the Migration Source ID/Name column.

    Verify migration results

    • When the Real-time Migration Status is Completed, the migration was successful.

      After a successful migration, SMC generates a desktop image. You can view the image or use it to create a desktop:

      • View the desktop image: Click the image link to open the Elastic Desktop Service console. Manage the image from Image Center > Image.

      • In the Actions column, click Create Desktop to open the Elastic Desktop Service console. Create a desktop template with this image and then create an Elastic Desktop Service instance from the template. Create and manage custom templates. Create a cloud computer.

        Note

        When creating a desktop template and selecting an image, select Custom Image and choose the desktop image generated by the migration.

      After the server is migrated, perform the following steps to ensure that your services run correctly:

    • If the Real-time Migration Status is Error, the migration task failed.

      Troubleshoot the issue and retry:

      1. In the Actions column, click Troubleshoot Errors and fix the issue based on the error code and message. SMC FAQ. Troubleshooting.

      2. After fixing the issue, in the Actions column, click Retry Migration Job.

        The migration task resumes from where it left off.

        Important

        If the intermediate instance has been released, restart the migration. What do I do if I accidentally release an intermediate instance?

    Clean up resources

    During migration, SMC creates a temporary pay-as-you-go intermediate instance named No_Delete_SMC_Transition_Instance in your account. Whether cleanup is needed depends on the outcome:

    • Successful migration: The intermediate instance is released automatically. No action required.

    • Failed migration: The intermediate instance is not released and continues to incur charges. Release it by one of the following methods:

      • If you no longer need the migration task, click the migration source ID. In the Actions column for the migration task, click Cancel Migration Job. This deletes the task and automatically releases the intermediate instance.

      • Manually release the intermediate instance. Release an instance.

    References

    • To migrate incremental data repeatedly, run incremental migrations at custom intervals after the initial full migration is complete. This process synchronizes incremental data from the source server to Alibaba Cloud, reducing business downtime and the final cutover time. For more information, see Incremental server migration.

    • FAQ. Troubleshooting.