Prerequisites

Before using SMC for agentless VMware VM migration, register an Alibaba Cloud account, complete identity verification, activate Resource Access Management (RAM), and grant permissions.

Before you use SMC for OS migration, create an Alibaba Cloud account, complete real-name verification, activate RAM, and grant the required permissions.

Prepare your Alibaba Cloud account

To prepare your Alibaba Cloud account:

Register an account on the Alibaba Cloud website.
Ensure that you have added a credit card or PayPal account as a payment method.
If you need to migrate a server to a region in the Chinese mainland, you must complete real-name verification for your account.
You can complete the verification in one of the following ways:
- Method 1: Go to the Account Verification page and follow the instructions.
- Method 2: Log on to the SMC console and complete the verification as prompted.

Activate RAM and grant permissions

Authorize SMC: You must grant SMC permission to access your cloud resources. Ensure that you have activated RAM. Log on to the SMC console and follow the prompts to complete the authorization. To the right of Cloud resource access authorization, click Go to authorize, and then click Agree to authorize in the pop-up dialog box.
Authorize a RAM user: If you are using a RAM user, you must log on to the RAM console with your Alibaba Cloud account and attach the AliyunSMCFullAccess policy to the RAM user.

Activate snapshot service

SMC creates a snapshot of the source server during migration. Ensure that you have activated the snapshot service. Log on to the SMC console and activate the service as prompted.

To the right of Activate snapshot service, click Go to activate.

Back up data

To prevent data loss, create snapshots to back up the system disk and data disks of the source server. Snapshots incur charges. Snapshot billing.

Important

The migration modifies the OS kernel, software packages, and configurations. These changes are irreversible.

Migration network

SMC transfers data over the Internet or a private network. Ensure network connectivity between the VMware agentless connector and the intermediate instance.

Internet (default): The connector must access the Internet with outbound ports 8080 and 8703 open. Data transfers to the intermediate instance over the Internet.
Private network: Connect the connector to an Alibaba Cloud virtual private cloud (VPC) using VPN Gateway, Express Connect, or Smart Access Gateway. Data transfers to the intermediate instance over the VPC. Specify a VPC and vSwitch during migration. Private network migration is faster and more stable than Internet migration. Connect an on-premises data center to a VPC. Private network-based migration.

Note

If your network connects to a VPC, set Network Type to Private Network when creating a migration job. Private network transfer is faster and more stable.

Endpoints and ports

After deploying the connector, ensure it can reach the intermediate instance and SMC service endpoints.

Ensure the connector can access these endpoints:
- SMC client storage address:
  - Default public domain: https://p2v-tools.oss-cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com
- Default public domain (for command-line import or client import by generating and entering an activation code, or entering an AK/SK):
  - Default public domain: https://smc.aliyuncs.com (server IP addresses: 101.37.132.1, 47.111.202.72).
- Private domain (private network migration):
  - Activation code private domain: https://.axt.aliyun.com (accessible only from within Alibaba Cloud ECS).
  - AK/SK private domain: https://smc.vpc-proxy.aliyuncs.com (accessible only from within Alibaba Cloud ECS).
Note
- By default, SMC domains use HTTPS protocol on port 443. HTTP protocol on port 80 might not be supported.
- If you can directly access an Alibaba Cloud VPC from your on-premises data center, virtual machine environment, or cloud host, we recommend using SMC's private network migration solution. Private network migration is faster and more stable than public network migration, improving migration efficiency.
Required ports
The connector establishes these connections during migration:
1. Connects to vCenter Server on port 443 and the source VM's ESXi host on port 902 to read VM information and virtual disk data.
2. Connects to the intermediate instance on port 8080 for communication and port 8703 for data transfer. Allow outbound traffic on both ports.
  Note
  The connector requires no inbound ports, but must make outbound connections to the endpoints and ports listed above.