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Azure Migrate

Azure Migrate Appliance Configuration

Azure Migrate appliances are the core components responsible for discovering and collecting data from your on-premises environment. This guide covers the essential steps to configure these appliances for successful data collection.

Overview

Azure Migrate appliances are lightweight, agentless tools that discover servers, applications, and dependencies in your on-premises environment. They collect performance data, configuration information, and dependency mapping to provide comprehensive assessment data for your migration planning.

Key Benefits

  • Agentless Discovery: No software installation required on target servers
  • Secure: Uses read-only access with minimal permissions
  • Scalable: Single appliance can discover thousands of servers
  • Real-time Data: Collects live performance metrics for accurate sizing

Appliance Types

Azure Migrate offers different appliance types based on your environment:

VMware Appliance
For VMware vCenter environments
VMware
 Hyper-V Appliance
For Hyper-V environments
Hyper-V
 Physical Appliance
For physical servers and other environments
Physical

Prerequisites

Before configuring your Azure Migrate appliance, ensure you have:

Azure Requirements

  • Azure Subscription: Active subscription with Contributor or Owner permissions
  • Entra ID Permissions: Application Developer role or higher for app registration
  • Azure Migrate Project: Created in your Azure subscription

Network Requirements

  • Internet Connectivity: Direct or proxy-based access to Azure services
  • Firewall Rules: Ports 443 (HTTPS) and 3389 (RDP) open
  • DNS Resolution: Ability to resolve Azure service endpoints

Environment-Specific Requirements

VMware Environment

  • vCenter Server 6.0 or later
  • ESXi hosts 5.5 or later
  • VMware Tools 10.2.1+ on target VMs
  • Read-only vCenter account

Hyper-V Environment

  • Hyper-V hosts running Windows Server 2012 R2 or later
  • PowerShell 2.0+ on target servers
  • Read-only Hyper-V administrator account

Physical Servers

  • Windows Server 2012 R2+ or Linux servers
  • PowerShell 2.0+ (Windows servers)
  • SSH access (Linux servers)

Appliance Deployment

Step 1: Download the Appliance

  1. Navigate to Azure Portal: Go to your Azure Migrate project
  2. Select Appliance Type: Choose the appropriate appliance for your environment
  3. Download OVA/VHD: Download the appliance template file
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The appliance download includes a configuration script that will be used to register the appliance with your Azure Migrate project.

Step 2: Deploy the Appliance

VMware Deployment 

# Deploy OVA template to vCenter
# Configure network settings
# Power on the appliance

Hyper-V Deployment 

# Import VHD to Hyper-V
# Create new VM with the VHD
# Configure network settings

Physical Server Deployment 

# Extract appliance files
# Run setup script
# Configure network connectivity

Step 3: Configure Network Settings

Ensure your appliance has:

  • Static IP Address: Recommended for stability
  • Internet Access: Direct or proxy-based
  • DNS Resolution: For Azure service endpoints
  • Firewall Rules: Allow outbound HTTPS traffic

Appliance Registration

Step 1: Access the Appliance

  1. RDP to Appliance: Use the provided credentials
  2. Launch Configuration: Run the Azure Migrate configuration tool
  3. Accept Terms: Review and accept Microsoft terms

Step 2: Connect to Azure

  1. Enter Project Details: Provide your Azure Migrate project key
  2. Authenticate: Use Azure credentials or service principal
  3. Verify Connection: Confirm successful registration
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Keep your project key secure. It’s required for appliance registration and should not be shared publicly.

Discovery Configuration

Step 1: Add Discovery Sources

For VMware Environments

  1. vCenter Credentials: Add read-only vCenter account
  2. ESXi Credentials: Add host-level credentials if needed
  3. VM Credentials: Add Windows/Linux credentials for software inventory

For Hyper-V Environments

  1. Hyper-V Host Credentials: Add administrator account
  2. Domain Credentials: Add domain account for software inventory
  3. Local Credentials: Add local admin accounts if needed

For Physical Servers

  1. Server Credentials: Add Windows/Linux credentials
  2. Domain Credentials: Add domain account for software inventory
  3. Network Credentials: Add network device credentials if applicable

Step 2: Configure Discovery Scope

  1. Select Datacenters: Choose which datacenters to discover
  2. Select Clusters: Specify which clusters to include
  3. Select Resource Pools: Define resource pool scope
  4. Select Folders: Choose VM folders to discover

Step 3: Start Discovery

  1. Validate Credentials: Test all provided credentials
  2. Start Discovery: Initiate the discovery process
  3. Monitor Progress: Track discovery status in the appliance

Performance Data Collection

Configuration Options

  1. Performance History: Choose data retention period (1-12 months)
  2. Performance Interval: Select data collection frequency
  3. Utilization Thresholds: Set CPU/memory utilization limits

Data Collection Process

The appliance collects:

  • CPU Utilization: Average and peak usage
  • Memory Usage: RAM utilization patterns
  • Disk I/O: Read/write performance metrics
  • Network I/O: Bandwidth utilization
  • Application Data: Installed software and services
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Performance data collection typically takes 24-48 hours to gather sufficient data for accurate assessments.

Dependency Mapping

Software Inventory

The appliance automatically discovers:

  • Operating Systems: Windows and Linux distributions
  • Installed Applications: Software inventory and versions
  • SQL Server Instances: Database discovery and configuration
  • Web Applications: IIS, Apache, and other web servers

Network Dependencies

Configure network discovery to identify:

  • Server Dependencies: Inter-server communication patterns
  • Application Dependencies: Service-to-service relationships
  • Network Topology: Subnet and routing information

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection Problems

Issue: Appliance cannot connect to Azure Solution:

  • Verify internet connectivity
  • Check firewall rules for port 443
  • Validate DNS resolution
  • Confirm project key is correct

Discovery Failures

Issue: Discovery process fails or incomplete Solution:

  • Verify credentials have appropriate permissions
  • Check network connectivity to target servers
  • Ensure required ports are open
  • Review appliance logs for specific errors

Performance Data Issues

Issue: Limited or no performance data collected Solution:

  • Allow sufficient time for data collection (24-48 hours)
  • Verify target servers are powered on
  • Check that credentials have read access to performance counters
  • Review network connectivity between appliance and targets

Security Considerations

Network Security

  • Firewall Rules: Restrict access to appliance management ports
  • Network Segmentation: Isolate appliance in dedicated network segment
  • VPN Access: Use VPN for secure remote management

Credential Security

  • Principle of Least Privilege: Use minimal required permissions
  • Credential Rotation: Regularly update discovery credentials
  • Secure Storage: Store credentials securely, not in plain text

Data Protection

  • Encryption: All data transmitted to Azure is encrypted
  • Data Retention: Configure appropriate data retention policies
  • Access Control: Limit access to appliance management

Best Practices

Appliance Management

  • Regular Updates: Keep appliance software updated
  • Monitoring: Monitor appliance health and performance
  • Backup: Regularly backup appliance configuration
  • Documentation: Maintain detailed configuration documentation

Discovery Optimization

  • Scope Planning: Start with smaller scope, expand gradually
  • Credential Management: Use domain accounts when possible
  • Network Planning: Ensure adequate network bandwidth
  • Timing: Run discovery during off-peak hours

Performance Tuning

  • Resource Allocation: Ensure adequate CPU/memory for appliance
  • Network Bandwidth: Provide sufficient network capacity
  • Storage: Allocate adequate disk space for logs and data
  • Monitoring: Track appliance resource utilization

Next Steps

Once your Azure Migrate appliance is configured and collecting data:

  1. Monitor Discovery: Track discovery progress in Azure portal
  2. Review Data: Verify collected data quality and completeness
  3. Create Assessments: Generate migration assessments in Azure Migrate
  4. Integrate with Dr Migrate: Connect your Azure Migrate project to Dr Migrate for advanced analytics
Your Azure Migrate appliance is now configured and collecting data from your on-premises environment. The collected data will be used by Dr Migrate to provide intelligent migration recommendations and cost analysis.

Additional Resources

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For enterprise environments or complex configurations, consider engaging with Microsoft or your Dr Migrate support team for additional guidance.