Cloud Extensions Overview

A Cloud Extension is a conduit for VM storage between two hosting environments, such as:

  • An on-premises data center and Google Cloud
  • AWS and Google Cloud
  • Azure and Google Cloud

A Cloud Extension uses a dual-node active/passive configuration for high availability; each node serves its own workloads while providing backup for the other.

Migrate for Compute Engine Architecture, showing all components of the infrastructure

Cloud Extension deployments on Google Cloud

A Cloud Extension is a pair of Cloud Edge nodes, known as Node A and Node B.

Determining the number of Cloud Extensions you need

Each Cloud Extension supports up to 20 or up to 50 concurrent VMs, depending on the Cloud Extension size. You can run more than one Cloud Extension simultaneously to handle a larger migration.

The total number of Cloud Extensions necessary for a migration is a function of the total number of VMs divided by the capacity of the Cloud Extension. For example, for a migration of 1000 VMs, Migrate for Compute Engine recommends using five Cloud Extensions, each hosting 50 VMs. The migration would use these Cloud Extensions in four waves.

Cloud Extensions are created and configured either using the Migrate for Compute Engine vCenter plug-in or the Migrate for Compute Engine Manager.

Cloud Extension sizes

The available Cloud Extension VM sizes are:

Relative size Number of VMs Instance type SSD PD quota size requirement
Small Up to 20 concurrent n1-highmem-2 500 GB
Large Up to 50 concurrent n1-standard-8 1.5 TB

Impaired Cloud Extensions

A Cloud Extension is impaired when it has not fully failed, but is experiencing trouble with one of its nodes or network connectivity. For more information, see Cloud Extensions high availability model.

What's next?