In this article, I will walk you through steps on how to migrate windows workload from the local data centre to AWS using AWS cloud endure.

Cloud endure a SAAS service offering from AWS for migrating any physical or virtual machine from the data centre, Azure, Google to AWS. Cloud endure can also be used for migrating EC2 instance from one region to another in AWS account or from one account to another AWS account. It also offers highly automated disaster recovery solution into AWS. Unlike snapshot-based solutions, cloud Endure provides real-time, block-level replication, which ensures sub-second Recovery Point Objectives(RPO's).

In this article, I will use block-level continuous replication to replicate data onto target AWS environment and automatic machine conversion to spin up the target machine.

Architecture

No alt text provided for this image

To get started with a server migration first, we need to sign up for CloudEndure account. Login to your AWS account and search for AWS Migration Hub.

No alt text provided for this image

Click on Migrate; This will take you to an AWS migration tool page.

No alt text provided for this image

Under CloudEndure, Click on connect. This will open a cloud endure console on a web browser. Use your credentials for logging into the cloud Endure console. One needs to register on cloud endure first before using this service. Click here for the different process for registering on cloud endure console.

No alt text provided for this image

Once you login into the cloud Endure, the first thing is to create a project for server migration. Click on the + button on the top left.

No alt text provided for this image

This will open a Create New Project pop up, Enter project Name for your server migration project.

No alt text provided for this image

After entering the project name click create project button, this will open a project setup & info page. On this page, provide AWS access key and Secret key in order to Cloud Endure work with AWS account and click Save button.

No alt text provided for this image

Click on ReplicationSetting tab and configure the Replication Setting. For migrating servers from AWS one region to another select AWS region and for migrating servers from on-premise to AWS select other infrastructure in Migration Source dropdown. For Migration Target select the AWS region in which servers need to be migrated. Configure replication settings and click Save Replication Setting button at the bottom.

No alt text provided for this image

Once done with project configuration setting for cloud endure project. Click on Machin Tab. This tab provides link and instruction for downloading and installing Cloud Endure agent on source infrastructure. Cloud Endure agent performs two main tasks:

  1. Initial block-level read of the content of disks that are attached to the Source machine and replication of the machine content to the Target infrastructure.
  2. Real-time monitoring of all block-level modification in the replicated disks attached to the source machine.

No alt text provided for this image

Install Cloud Endure agent on source machine from the command prompt by using Agent installation taken provided in cloud endure console.

No alt text provided for this image

Once Cloud Endure Agent is installed on the source machine, on Cloud endure console under Machines tab progress of replication can be viewed. Make sure that port no 1500 & 443 is open on Source machine as Cloud Endure uses these ports for communication.

No alt text provided for this image

Target Machine configuration can be changed by configuring the blueprint setting of the cloud Endure replication. Click on the machine in cloud endure. This will open a blueprint configuration. Change the target machine configuration in the blueprint configuration page and click on Save Blueprint button.

No alt text provided for this image

Replication can be paused and stoped by clicking on the Machine action button. Replication once stopped will start from initial however paused replication will start from the point where replication has been paused.

No alt text provided for this image

All events in replication can be viewed from the Event log. Click on the event log and all event logs can be viewed.

No alt text provided for this image

Once Replication gets completed, the Target machine will be ready for the test. Click on the machine checkbox and launch machine in test mode. This will launch a test machine in target infrastructure.

No alt text provided for this image

This will create a test machine in your target environment. Launch the target machine for performing testing. Both source and target machine will be in sync; any changes on the source machine will be replicated into a target machine.

No alt text provided for this image

Once done with testing, and are satisfied with the test results, launch a Source machine in Cutover Mode. Schedule a Cutover window for Source machines, during which the Cutover will occur, and the Source machines will not be used. Make sure to terminate the test machine created for testing of source machine in the target environment.

No alt text provided for this image

Progress of new instance launched can be viewed by clicking on job progress.

No alt text provided for this image

Once the job is finished, the new instance has been launched in the target environment. Once the new instance is up and running source machine can be shutdown. The new instance in the target environment is a complete replica of the source machine before cutover. Make sure to remove all snapshot and staging instance to avoid any additional charges.

Target Environment

No alt text provided for this image