on 12-15-2017 09:54 AM
Summary:
This article focuses on how we can make use of CloudCenter to migrate existing applications to Cloud by navigating through different stages of migration like Application Discovery, Performance Baselining and Migration Service. CloudCenter interacts with different functions at different stages to migrate the application.
Product Versions Validated:
Product | Version |
Cisco CloudCenter | 4.8.0 |
AppDynamics APM | SaaS |
iQuate | SaaS |
CloudEndure | SaaS |
Details:
Moving applications to cloud can be overwhelming, customers want to move to cloud with near zero downtime. Users wants to move applications instead of individual VMs. Typical moves to cloud focuses on moving individual VMs. Usually the applications are group of VMs (1 or more). Moving one VM in the application may break the application or create an orphaned state for an application. It is critical that whole application moves (which may be 1 or more VMs). It has been a challenge to find application components that interact with each other for existing applications (aka brownfield). With the help of Application Discovery tools, application dependency can be derived and grouping of VMs can be done in an environment. Once the application discovery is done then the application move can be planned.
Following diagram depicts different stages for application migration using CloudCenter.
Figure 1 - Application Migration Flow
Application Discovery is the first step in identifying the application and its components. Making sure application performance is same or better in the public cloud requires that you have performance baselines established while the application is running in private cloud. Application is then migrated using lift and shift type migration tools. Performance baseline is again done with the application running in public cloud and comparing performance of application in pre-migration and post-migration phase gives you visibility into technical metrics and business metrics.
CloudCenter lets you navigate through different stages by interacting with various tools at various stages of the application migration cycle. There are different tools available for each of the stages and with CloudCenter’s extensible architecture you can plug-in various tools based on your environment, management and application needs.
Following is one way this can be achieved:
Action library feature in CloudCenter enhances the brownfield import feature by enabling day N operations on Brownfield and Greenfield deployments. Using Action library, CloudCenter can trigger AppDynamics Agent installs and application moves using application discovery data from iQuate. CloudCenter can call CloudEndure SaaS to do the migration. CloudEndure starts replicating the data to cloud and subsequently cutover can be planned.
Figure 2 - Example of Application Migration Flow
General flow for moving applications from VMWare vCenter to AWS
Enable iQuate application discovery for existing vCenter environment
Figure 3 – View of discovered application in iQuate
Export application discovery data from iQuate
Setup AppD access and dashboard metrics
Import application VMs and enable them for AppD monitoring at CloudCenter
Figure 4 – Import VM view in CloudCenter
Build Pre-Migration performance baseline at AppD Controller
Migrate Application VMs to AWS from CloudCenter using CloudEndure
Figure 5 – Migrate Action view in CloudCenter
Import VMs to CloudCenter after they get migrated to AWS
Build Post-Migration performance baseline at AppD Controller
Figure 6 – Performance Comparison dashboard of Pre and Post Migration stages
The script that gets called as part of Migrate action in CloudCenter contacts the CloudEndure SaaS and performs the following steps:
Figure 7 – View of Migration in CloudEndure SaaS
Script used in the validation is available at the following github location:
https://github.com/datacenter/c3-community/tree/master/Integrations/Migration/CloudEndure
Demo of the migration of application is available at the following location:
Additional Information
CloudCenter – http://www.cisco.com/go/cloudcenter
CloudCenter Documentation – http://docs.cloudcenter.cisco.com/
Quate – http://www.iquate.com/
AppDynamics – http://www.appdynamics.com/
CloudEndure – http://www.cloudendure.com/
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