Google Cloud
VM Migration to Google Cloud
We move virtual machines from VMware, AWS and Azure to Compute Engine with assessment-led wave planning, continuous replication, tested clones and short, rehearsed cutovers.
Move Your Servers Without Disrupting Your Business
Data center exits, hardware refreshes, VMware licensing changes and multicloud consolidation are all common reasons to move virtual machines to Google Cloud. The mechanics of copying a disk are well solved; the risk lies in everything around it. Applications have hidden dependencies, licensing rules differ, operating systems need adaptation, and business owners need confidence that the migrated system behaves exactly like the original before they accept a cutover window.
Hanoi Technology runs VM migrations using Google’s own tooling. Migration Center discovers and assesses your estate and estimates Google Cloud costs. Migrate to Virtual Machines replicates VMs from vSphere, AWS, Azure or Google Cloud VMware Engine into Compute Engine, adapts them to run on Google Cloud, and lets us create test clones before cutover. We group servers into waves by dependency, prepare a secure landing zone, and run each cutover with a tested runbook and rollback plan.
Each wave follows the same pattern: confirm dependencies with application owners, replicate, test clones in an isolated network, agree on go or no-go criteria, cut over during an approved window and monitor closely during hypercare. Business stakeholders receive weekly written updates and a cutover calendar, so nobody is surprised by a change. After migration, we right-size instances based on real usage on Google Cloud rather than on the original allocations.
The Challenge
What Makes VM Migrations Risky
The issues that cause delays and failed cutovers when they are not addressed early.
Unknown Application Dependencies
Servers talk to databases, file shares, license servers and external partners in ways nobody documented. Moving one server without its dependencies causes latency problems or outright failures.
Sizing Based on Allocation, Not Usage
On-premises VMs are often allocated far more CPU and memory than they use. Copying those sizes to Compute Engine carries the waste into the cloud and inflates monthly costs.
Licensing and OS Compatibility
Windows Server, SQL Server and other commercial licenses have specific rules for cloud use, and older operating systems may need upgrades or special handling. These issues can block a wave late in the plan.
Tight Cutover Windows
Business-critical systems may allow only a few hours of downtime. Without continuous replication, rehearsed steps and agreed rollback criteria, cutovers overrun and confidence drops. A missed window can delay the entire program by weeks.
Business Value
Benefits of Migrating VMs to Google Cloud
Faster Data Center Exit
Wave-based migration with continuous replication moves large estates steadily without long outages.
Right-Sized from Day One
Usage-based sizing from Migration Center and monitoring data reduces cost compared with like-for-like allocations.
Low-Risk Testing
Test clones let teams validate migrated VMs in an isolated network while the source keeps running.
Short, Predictable Cutovers
Final synchronization happens at cutover, so downtime is limited to the last data sync and switch-over steps.
Modern Operations
Migrated workloads gain managed instance groups, snapshots, Cloud Monitoring and backup policies from Google Cloud.
A Path to Modernization
Once on Google Cloud, selected workloads can move to managed databases, GKE or Cloud Run at their own pace.
Migrate First, Modernize Deliberately
Not every server needs to be re-architected before it moves. For most estates, a well-planned rehost exits the data center quickly, and modernization follows for the applications where it creates real value. We help you decide which path suits each workload.
Rehosting quickly also reduces the period in which you pay for two environments at once, which is often one of the largest hidden costs of a slow migration.
Our Services
Hanoi Technology’s End-to-End VM Migration to GCP Services
Services that cover every stage of a VM migration program.
Discovery and Assessment
We use Migration Center discovery to collect inventory, utilization and dependency data, then validate it with application owners to build an accurate picture of the estate.
- Server and application inventory
- Dependency map
- Cost and TCO estimate
Migration Strategy and Wave Planning
We classify each workload as rehost, replatform, refactor, retain or retire, and group servers into waves based on dependencies, risk and business calendars.
- Disposition per workload
- Wave plan
- Cutover calendar
Landing Zone and Network Setup
We build the resource hierarchy, VPC design, hybrid connectivity through Cloud VPN or Cloud Interconnect, IAM and logging needed before migration starts.
- Landing zone as code
- Network and connectivity design
- Security baseline
Replication, Testing and Cutover
We configure Migrate to Virtual Machines sources and migrations, set target details, run test clones and execute cutovers using rehearsed runbooks.
- Replication configuration
- Test clone results
- Cutover runbooks
Licensing and OS Readiness
We review Windows, SQL Server and Linux licensing options, identify unsupported OS versions and plan upgrades or alternatives early.
- Licensing assessment
- OS compatibility report
- Remediation plan
Post-Migration Optimization
We right-size instances, apply backup policies, set up monitoring and schedule decommissioning of source systems.
- Right-sizing report
- Backup and monitoring setup
- Source decommissioning plan
Our Approach
Our VM Migration Method
A repeatable process applied to every wave.
- 01
Discover
We collect inventory, performance and dependency data for at least several weeks to capture realistic usage patterns.
Deliverables: Discovery data · Assessment report
- 02
Plan
We define the target design, waves, cutover windows and success criteria with application owners.
Deliverables: Wave plan · Success criteria
- 03
Prepare
We build the landing zone, connectivity and replication infrastructure, and run a pilot migration of non-critical servers.
Deliverables: Landing zone · Pilot migration
- 04
Migrate in Waves
We replicate each wave, test clones in isolated networks, then cut over during agreed windows with rollback ready.
Deliverables: Migrated waves · Cutover reports
- 05
Optimize and Close
We right-size, harden and document migrated workloads, then decommission source systems.
Deliverables: Optimization report · Handover documentation
Use Cases
VM Migration Scenarios
Common reasons clients migrate virtual machines to Google Cloud.
Data Center Exit
A company with a colocation contract ending moves several hundred VMware VMs to Compute Engine across a series of planned weekend waves.
VMware Licensing Change
An organization facing higher virtualization licensing costs moves most workloads to Compute Engine and keeps a few in Google Cloud VMware Engine.
Cloud Consolidation
After an acquisition, a business moves EC2 instances from AWS to Google Cloud to run on a single platform and contract.
Disaster Recovery Site Replacement
A secondary data center used only for DR is replaced by a Google Cloud recovery environment, removing idle hardware.
Windows and SQL Server Estates
A services firm migrates Windows application servers and SQL Server databases, choosing licensing options per workload.
Gradual Modernization
A retailer rehosts its e-commerce back office quickly, then moves selected services to GKE and Cloud SQL over the following year.
Technology
VM Migration Toolset
Google Cloud services and tools we use for VM migrations.
- Migration Center
- Migrate to Virtual Machines
- Compute Engine
- Google Cloud VMware Engine
- Persistent Disk
- Cloud VPN
- Cloud Interconnect
- Cloud DNS
- Cloud Load Balancing
- Cloud Monitoring
- Backup and DR Service
- Cloud SQL
- Google Kubernetes Engine
- Terraform
- VMware vSphere
Platforms
Deliver VM Migration to GCP on Your Preferred Platform
Why Hanoi Technology
Why Organizations Choose Hanoi Technology
Senior, Cross-Functional Teams
Strategy, data, AI, cloud and engineering specialists work as one team, so nothing is lost between hand-offs.
Proven Delivery
More than 50 projects delivered for clients in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Radical Transparency
A written update every week and a demo of working software every sprint, so you always know where things stand.
Cost-Effective Global Delivery
Experienced engineers from our Hanoi delivery hub, with working-hour overlap for every major time zone.
Success Story · Logistics
Route optimization and fleet visibility for a regional logistics company
A regional delivery company handling thousands of shipments a day was planning routes and dispatching by hand. We built dynamic route optimization, a fleet dashboard and a driver app.
Read the Full StoryMore Success Stories
Fintech
+162%monthly active usersAll-in-one digital banking app for a traditional bank
A traditional financial institution wanted to compete with neobanks for mobile-first customers. We replaced a set of separate banking, investing and payment apps with one product that people use every day.
Resources
Featured Resources
Industry trends and practical guidance to help you get more value from data, AI and technology.
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Plan Your Move to Google Cloud
We can assess your server estate and outline a wave plan with realistic timelines. Book a free consultation and hear back within 24 hours.
VM Migration to GCP FAQ
Which source environments can you migrate from?
Migrate to Virtual Machines supports VMware vSphere on-premises, AWS, Azure and Google Cloud VMware Engine as sources, with Compute Engine VMs or Persistent Disk volumes as targets. For physical servers or unsupported platforms, we evaluate image import or alternative approaches. We confirm support for every operating system in your estate during assessment.
How much downtime should we expect?
Migrate to Virtual Machines replicates data continuously while the source runs, so downtime is limited to the final synchronization and switch-over, plus any application checks. For many servers this fits within a planned maintenance window of a few hours. Highly sensitive systems may need additional patterns such as database replication. We rehearse each cutover with test clones so the timing is known in advance.
How long does a VM migration program take?
Discovery and planning usually take four to eight weeks, since utilization data should cover normal business cycles. After a pilot wave, migration speed depends on dependencies, testing requirements and how many cutover windows the business allows. Small estates can finish in a few weeks; estates with hundreds of servers are typically planned over several months in recurring waves.
Should we rehost everything or modernize first?
For most estates, we recommend rehosting the majority quickly to meet the business deadline, then modernizing selected applications where it clearly saves cost or effort, such as moving databases to Cloud SQL or containerizing web services. Some workloads are better retired or replaced with SaaS. The assessment assigns a path to each workload with reasoning you can review.
What about software licensing?
Licensing is checked early. For Windows Server and SQL Server, Google Cloud offers pay-as-you-go licensed images, and some licenses may be eligible for bring-your-own-license on sole-tenant nodes under the vendor’s terms. Other commercial software has its own rules. We document licensing options and costs per workload so your licensing team can confirm compliance before migration.
How do you keep migrated workloads secure?
Migrated VMs land in a pre-built landing zone with least-privilege IAM, segmented VPC networks, firewall policies, centralized logging and OS patching processes. Replication traffic is encrypted, and we use dedicated service accounts for migration tooling. After cutover we apply backup policies and monitoring, and review exposed services before decommissioning the source.