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HCX Components (part1)

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In this blog post, we will discuss about major components of HCX.


HCX Connector:

 

  • Always deployed at the source datacenter from which the applications will be migrated
  • Connector OVA should be downloaded from HCX Cloud Manager GUI, so it means HCX Cloud manager should be deployed and configured on the destination first
  • A connector cannot be paired with another connecter
  • A connector is always a source and cannot be target for site pairing
  • Source side usually runs old vSphere environments (End of support versions)
  • Source side does not require NSX to be available
  • Service mesh appliances created on source side are tunnel initiators (HCX-IX-I, HCX-WO-I, HCX-NE-I)

HCX Cloud Manager:


  • Generally, it is deployed at destination site
  • Only exception is Cloud to cloud migration scenario, in this we deploy HCX Cloud manager on both sites.
  • Don’t get confused with the term cloud here, the destination environment can be on-premises vSphere environment (VCF/SDDC) as well.  Not necessarily to be public cloud instance.
  • Must run current vSphere versions and NSX
  • HCX Cloud manager typically be the end point for the site pair, but it can initiate site pairing in cloud-to-cloud migration scenario
  • Service mesh components are receivers (HCX-IX-R, HCX-WO-R, HCX-NE-R)

HCX Manager with vCenter relationship:

HCX Manager is typically deployed one-to-one with each vCenter Server


Site Pair:

HCX Site pair establishes the connection between HCX Connector and HCX Cloud Manager

Typically, HCX Site pair is created from HCX Connector, it means site pair is always initiated from source side to destination

In Cloud-to-cloud deployments, site pairing can be unidirectional or bidirectional

In bidirectional site pairing, the HCX Cloud systems are site paired with each other, share a common Service Mesh, and can initiate Migration and Network Extension operations from either HCX Cloud system.

Network profile (NP):

  • It is a subcomponent of Compute profile
  • It refers to the existing network configuration and defines the IP addresses that are allocated to HCX appliances
  • It defines how HCX appliances are connected to local environment Management, Replication, vMotion, and peer appliances in remote site.
  • A network profile can be utilized with multiple compute profiles if they are sized correctly
  • A network profile can be expanded when it is in use, service mesh needs to be re-synced

Network profile configuration examples:

Note these examples are taken from VMware documentation





Compute profiles (CP):

  • A compute profile is a subcomponent of a service mesh
  • It defines which cluster/resource pool/datastore will be used by HCX appliances
  • It also defines service clusters (the clusters which holds the VMs to be migrated)
  • User also can select which services enabled which services disabled when creating compute profile.

Service mesh:

  • Service mesh is the effective HCX services configuration for a site pair.
  • When we create service mesh, HCX appliances will be deployed on both sites.

In the next post, we will discuss about HCX Appliances.


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