The migration process includes setting up a new NSX-T Data Center environment and running the migration coordinator. You also might need to change your existing NSX Data Center for vSphere environment to ensure that it can migrate to NSX-T Data Center.

Caution:

Deploy a new NSX-T Data Center environment to be the destination for the NSX Data Center for vSphere migration.

During the Import Configuration step, all NSX Edge node interfaces in the destination NSX-T Data Center environment are shut down. If the destination NSX-T Data Center environment is already configured and is in use, starting the configuration import will interrupt traffic.

During the migration, you will complete the following steps:
  1. Create a new NSX-T Data Center environment.
    • Deploy a single NSX Manager appliance to create the NSX-T Data Center environment.
    • If you plan to use Maintenance Mode migration for hosts, configure a shared storage on the cluster to be migrated from NSX Data Center for vSphere to NSX-T Data Center. This enables automated vMotion for the migration process. Any VMs that do not meet this criterion must be manually powered off prior to migration or manually vMotioned.
    • Configure a compute manager in the NSX-T environment. Add the vCenter Server as a compute resource.
      Important: Use the exact IP or hostname specified in NSX Data Center for vSphere vCenter Server registration.
    • Start the migration coordinator service.
    • If you want to import users from NSX Data Center for vSphere, set up VMware Identity Manager.
    • If your NSX Data Center for vSphere topology uses Edge Services Gateways, create an NSX-T IP pool to use for the NSX-T Edge TEPs. These IPs must be able to communicate with all the existing NSX Data Center for vSphere VTEPs.
    • Deploy NSX Edge nodes.
      • Deploy the correct number of appropriately sized NSX-T Edge appliances.
      • Join the Edge nodes to the management plane from the command line.
  2. Import configuration from NSX Data Center for vSphere.
    • Enter the details of your NSX Data Center for vSphere environment.
    • The configuration is retrieved and pre-checks are run.
  3. Resolve issues with the configuration.
    • Review messages and the reported configuration issues to identify any blocking issues or other issues that require a change to the NSX Data Center for vSphere environment.
      • If you make any changes to the NSX Data Center for vSphere environment while a migration is in progress, you must restart the migration and import the configuration again.
    • Provide inputs to configuration issues that must be resolved before you can migrate your NSX Data Center for vSphere environment to NSX-T Data Center. Resolving issues can be done in multiple passes by multiple people.
  4. Migrate configuration.
    • After all configuration issues are resolved, you can migrate the configuration to NSX-T Data Center. Configuration changes are made on NSX-T Data Center, but no changes are made to the NSX Data Center for vSphere environment yet.
  5. Migrate Edges.
    • Routing and Edge services are migrated from NSX Data Center for vSphere to NSX-T Data Center.
      Caution: North-South traffic is interrupted during the Migrate Edges step. All traffic that was previously traversing through the Edge Services Gateways (North-South traffic) moves to the NSX-T Edges.
  6. Migrate Hosts.
    • NSX Data Center for vSphere software is removed from the hosts, and NSX-T software is installed. VM interfaces are connected to the new NSX-T Data Center segments.
      Caution: If you select In-Place migration mode, there is a traffic interruption for a few seconds during the Migrate Hosts step. However, if you select Maintenance migration mode, traffic interruption does not occur.
  7. Finish Migration.
    • After you have verified that the new NSX-T Data Center environment is working correctly, you can finish the migration, which clears the migration state.
  8. Perform post-migration tasks.
    • Deploy two additional NSX Manager appliances before you use your NSX-T Data Center environment in production environment.
    • Uninstall NSX for vSphere environment.