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GCP - Installing and configuring VMs

Updated

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for configuring VMs in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to host your CloudM Migrate Self-Hosted servers.

CloudM Recommendation

In order to minimize network traffic costs and optimize performance during the migration process, it's recommended to keep data transfers within the corresponding cloud provider of the destination migration platform:

  • CloudM strongly recommends using Google Cloud for VM setup when Google Workspace is your migration destination.
  • Conversely, if Microsoft 365 is your destination, we recommend using Microsoft Azure for VM setup.

Prerequisites

Before you begin configuring your GCP VMs, ensure you have the following:

  • A Google Cloud billing account with sufficient funds.
  • An associated Google Cloud project designated for creating your VM instances.

Note on Costs:

Be mindful of the associated costs when configuring your VMs. Google Cloud provides estimated monthly costs during the creation process, which will change as you adjust settings. To avoid unnecessary charges, always shut down any VMs that are not actively in use.

Network Requirement

All CloudM Migrate secondary servers must reside on the same subnet as the primary server to ensure proper communication and clustering. The default network configuration for new VM instances in Google Cloud typically satisfies this requirement and usually does not require modification.

Important: Instructions within this guide may differ slightly depending on whether you are creating a primary or secondary CloudM Migrate server. Refer to CloudM Migrate's system requirements for specific VM sizing and configuration details for each role.

Creating a VM Instance

Follow these steps to create a new VM instance in Google Cloud Platform:

  1. Access GCP Console: Open your web browser and navigate to the Google Cloud Platform console.
  2. Select Project: At the top of the screen, use the dropdown icon to select the Google Cloud project that will host your CloudM Migrate server(s).
  3. Navigate to VM Instances: In the left-hand navigation menu, go to Compute Engine > VM instances.
  4. Initiate VM Creation: Click the CREATE INSTANCE button.
  5. Enter VM Name: Provide a descriptive name for your VM instance.
  • Recommendation: Keep the name to less than 15 characters to prevent potential connection issues in multi-server CloudM Migrate environments. Refer to general Google Cloud Resource Naming Conventions for best practices.
  • Standardize Naming: Adopt a consistent naming convention for all your CloudM Migrate instances (e.g., cloudm-primary-01, cloudm-secondary-a), using numbering or lettering to easily differentiate between them.
  1. Select Region and Zone: Choose the appropriate Region and Zone closest to your data source or destination for optimal performance.
  2. Configure Machine Type:
  • Locate the 'Machine Type' dropdown menu and select Custom.
  • Recommendation: We advise using a Custom machine type to specify CPU and memory resources precisely, based on CloudM Migrate's system requirements for primary or secondary servers.
  • Primary VM Virtual Memory (For Large Migrations): In larger migrations that utilize numerous secondary servers, you should change the Virtual Memory of the Primary VM from the default 'Custom' setting (which has a low threshold) to 'System Managed'. This is crucial to improve the performance of the Primary Server, especially its communication with the REDIS database.
  1. Select OS and Storage:
  • In the left-hand menu, go to OS and Storage.
  • Under 'Operating system and storage', click Change.
  • On the 'Public Images' tab:
  • Set 'Operating system' to 'Windows Server'.
  • Select the latest Datacenter version (or another supported version of your choice).
  • Set the Size (GB) of the boot disk based on the specific system requirements for your primary or secondary CloudM Migrate server.
  • Click Select at the bottom of the page.
  1. Configure Networking and Firewall:
  • Go to Networking from the left-hand menu.
  • Firewall Settings: Carefully consider the HTTP/HTTPS firewall settings:
  • If you plan to configure a public-facing URL for your CloudM Migrate deployment, check the box to 'Allow HTTPS traffic'. This is optional but allows for easier access to download installation files.
  • Both HTTP and HTTPS need to be enabled for both the primary and secondary servers if you intend to build a server cluster by cloning, as this facilitates internal communication for the clustering process.
  1. Create VM Instance: Click Create to provision your new VM instance.

Connecting to a VM Instance

Once your VM instance is created, follow these steps to establish a connection:

  1. Go to VM Instances: Navigate back to Compute Engine > VM instances in the Google Cloud console.
  2. Set Windows Password: In the 'Connect' column for your newly created VM, click the small down arrow and then select Set Windows password.
    • [Optional] Update Username: You can optionally update the Username field if desired.
  3. Copy Password: Copy the generated password and make a secure note of it for future use. This password is required for RDP access.
  4. Download RDP File: Under the 'Connect' column, click the small down arrow again and select Download the RDP file.
  5. Establish Connection: Use the downloaded RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) file to establish a connection to your VM instance. Log in using the username (default is 'admin' unless changed) and the password you noted down earlier.
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