Adapt VM instances to run on Google Cloud

To function properly on Google Cloud, migrated VMs and imported images require changes to their configuration. These changes are referred to as OS adaptations. Migrate to Virtual Machines performs OS adaptations automatically at the end of each replication cycle and during the image import process.

OS adaptations are made to both Linux and Windows VMs. At a high level, these adaptations include changes to:

  • Enable booting on Google Cloud
  • Enable the serial console
  • Configure network settings
  • Install packages required by the VM to enable Google Cloud features and functionality

The specific changes for both Linux and Windows VMs are described below.

Linux adaptations

At the end of each replication cycle for a Linux VM, Migrate to Virtual Machines performs OS adaptations on the replicated VM. These adaptations include:

  • Configuring NIC to use DHCP

    • If it exists, remove persistent network udev rules.

  • If the VMware Tools/open-vm-tools service is already installed, disable and try to uninstall it. Note: You can safely uninstall the VMware Tools/open-vm-tools service manually post migration, or leave it disabled.

  • Set the bootloader to print console logs to serial port 1.

  • Validate virtio drivers:

    • If virtio drivers are not available in the default kernel, choose an existing kernel which is compatible with virtio driver.

    • If virtio drivers are missing from initrd then rebuild initrd with virtio drivers.

  • Add Google Cloud repositories to the repository list. These repositories include:

  • Install the following Google packages:

  • Set systemd.target to multiuser.

  • Where applicable, set fstab to use volume UUIDs.

  • If target instance license is PAYG:

    • Red Hat - Install the google-rhui-client-rhel package specific to the Red Hat version.

    • SLES - Install Google's region service client packages.

  • If the OS is Oracle Linux with a Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 7 (UEK7) kernel, install the kernel-uek-modules-extra package for Google Virtual NIC (gVNIC) support.

Windows adaptations

At the end of each replication cycle for a Windows VM, Migrate to Virtual Machines performs OS adaptations on the replicated VM. These adaptations include:

  • Set bootloader to print console logs to serial port 2.

  • Enable RDP.

  • Configure the power scheme:

    • Disable hibernation mode.

    • Set power scheme to balanced.

    • Disable display turn off in power configurations.

  • Disable startup animation.

  • Disable CTRL-ALT-DEL.

  • If the VMware Tools/open-vm-tools service is already installed, disable and try to uninstall it. Note: You can safely uninstall the VMware Tools/open-vm-tools service manually post migration, or leave it disabled.

  • Set the time:

    • Change timezone to UTC.

    • Configure NTP.

  • Add access to instance metadata:

    • Add allow access rule to instance metadata server IP address in Windows firewall.

    • Add instance metadata server to hosts file.

  • On first boot:

    • If target instance license is PAYG (default), then register KMS and Windows activation.

    • Configure DHCP settings.

    • Install Google guest packages

Adaptation reports

Migrate to Virtual Machines generates adaptation reports during your replication cycles, clones, and cut-over cycles for you to use for troubleshooting, problem solving, and deeper insight into your migration process.

For more information about adaptation reports, see Adaptation reports.