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Files: Share Migration

Overview

Many customers have existing file shares on existing NAS infrastructure that need to be migrated to Nutanix Files. A lot of time they will leverage free migration tools like robocopy to migrate SMB shares. The common challenges of using common tools are the migration speed and complex management.

Nutanix offers Nutanix Move tool which will enable migrating files to a new files server. Move also helps in moving virtual machines, but this lab will focus on Move's file migration capabilities.

Move also provides a Web UI which could be useful in managing migration of many shares.

Lets now explore the Move Files Migration Tool.

Lab Preparation

We will download a zip file, extract it and use this a source share.

  1. Connect to your Initials-WinToolsVM (E.g User01-WinToolsVM) via RDP or console with the following credentials:

    • Username - ntnxlab\administrator
    • Password - default (refer to HPOC lookup tool)

  2. Download and extract the following folder (right-click and download) using Chrome browser or curl tool

  3. Right click on the extracted folder Properties > Sharing

  4. Click on Advanced Sharing

  5. Select the Share this folder check box

  6. Click on Apply

  7. Click on OK

Setup Files Server API Permissions

  1. In File Console, Configuration > Manage Roles

  2. Under REST API access users, click + New User

    • Username - ntnxlab\administrator
    • Password - default (refer to HPOC lookup tool)

  3. Click the check button to save it

Setup Move for Files Migration

Adding Target File Server

A target file server has been provisioned for you. Refer to the HPOC lookup tool for target file server.

  1. In your WinTools VM, open Chrome browser and type the IP address(find the IP address from the HPOC lookup tool) of the Move VM

  2. Logon using the following credentials

    • Username: nutanix
    • Password: default (refer to HPOC lookup tool)

  3. Choose Files as the Migration Type

  4. Click on +New Migration Plan

  5. Use MP-userYY (E.g. MP-user01) as the name of your migration plan

Note

Another user using the same target file server might have already configured it.

Select your target file server from the drop-down menu if it is already configured.

If this is the first time to login and without source and target file server, do the following:

  1. Click on + Add New Target

  2. Enter the following details:

    • Name - UserXX-Target (e.g User01-Target)
    • FQDN Details/Address - POCXXX-X.ntnxlab.local (e.g.POC096-3.ntnxlab.local)
    • Username - ntnxlab\administrator (this is the REST API access user)
    • Password - default (refer to HPOC lookup tool)

  3. Click Add

Adding Source File Server

  1. Click on + Add New Source

  2. Enter the following details:

    • Name - UserXX-Source (e.g User01-Source)
    • FQDN Details/Address - X.X.X.X (IP address of your UserXX-WinToolsVM e.g. 10.42.81.116)
    • Username - ntnxlab\administrator (this is the REST API access user)
    • Password - default (refer to HPOC lookup tool)

  3. Click Add

Performing Migration

Move UI will now present the wizard to configure the migration plan.

  1. Select the target and source (UserXX-WinToolsVM) file servers

  2. Select Mirror as the Replication Type

  3. Click on + Add Share and fill the following details:

    • Source - SampleData_Small
    • Target - usershareXX (e.g. usershare01 depending on your username)

  4. Click on the check mark

  5. Click on Next

    The wizard will now go through a validation phase.

  6. Click Next on the Migration Settings page of the wizard

  7. Confirm the migration details and click on Save and Start

  8. Monitor the progress of the migration by click on the Status message until it is ready to cutover

  9. Select the share > Actions > Cutover, the migration will be marked as completed

    Info

    Cutover simply means that we can no longer re-sync from source to target.

Using Move multiple shares (from different sources and targets) can be managed from a single GUI.