Cloud Migration Guide: Difference between revisions
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= Transferring Data and VMs= | = Transferring Data and VMs= | ||
There are basically two ways to | There are basically two ways to migrate to the new bwCloud-OS (Gen3): The recommended data transfer method via <code>rsync</code> over the network, and the snapshot method for transferring entire VMs | ||
== Transferring Data (recommended) == | == Transferring Data (recommended) == | ||
Revision as of 12:07, 12 June 2026
| In a Nutshell |
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General Information
This guide explains how to migrate your resources from the old bwCloud-OS (Gen2) environment to bwCloud-OS (Gen3). Because the two environments are completely separated, there is no automatic migration path. The recommended approach is to set up fresh instances in Gen3 and copy your data directly over the network using tools like rsync. Alternatively, you can manually export your resources (such as VM snapshots) from the old cloud, download them locally, and upload them to the new environment. Please note that network settings and Security Groups cannot be copied and must be manually reconfigured in the new environment.
Important Prerequisites: Entitlements and Quotas
The new bwCloud-OS (Gen3) will become a paid infrastructure platform. Therefore, it is necessary for each participating university or institution to actively assign the corresponding entitlements to its users. You cannot simply transfer your old projects directly without this authorization.
- Missing Entitlement? If you have not yet been assigned an entitlement, please get in touch directly with your local institution or university's IT support.
- Quota Allocation: Please note that the allocation of resource quotas is entirely managed and regulated through your respective institution.
Details can be found here.
Dashboard Login
Networks
The new infrastructure includes not only new networks but also new network-related features such as load balancers. You can find an overview here.
Network-specific differences between regions and details about the individual networks can be found in the following guide:
➡️ Guide: Network Configuration by Region
Transferring Data and VMs
There are basically two ways to migrate to the new bwCloud-OS (Gen3): The recommended data transfer method via rsync over the network, and the snapshot method for transferring entire VMs
Transferring Data (recommended)
Your data might reside directly on the root disk of your instance or on a separately attached Cinder volume. While it is technically possible to migrate an entire Cinder volume by converting it to an image and uploading it to the new cloud, we strongly advise against this approach. The process is extremely slow, and depending on the backend configuration, the upload may silently fail.
Our recommendation: Transfer your data directly over the network using rsync. This method works efficiently and universally, regardless of where your data is stored on the VM, and takes full advantage of the high network bandwidth available between the two cloud environments.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Prepare the Destination: Start a fresh VM in the Gen3 environment. If you need a separate volume for your data, please follow the Guide: Volumes and Images to create, attach, and mount it.
- Establish Connectivity: Ensure that your old Gen2 VM is reachable from your new Gen3 VM via SSH. You can achieve this by adding an SSH public key from the new VM to the
authorized_keysfile on the old VM, or by temporarily enabling password authentication. - Sync Your Data: Use rsync to securely copy your files and directories directly over the network.
rsync -avz --progress /path/to/old/data/ <username>@<NEW_VM_IP>:/path/to/new/destination/
Transferring VMs (not recommended)
Prerequisites
- Access to both bwCloud-OS environments and
- Application Credentials, as described here and
- OpenStack Client installed, as described here.
Procedure
When transferring a VM, you create a snapshot of its current state, download it, and use it as a base image in the new environment.
Step 1: Create a Snapshot
First, source your old bwCloud-OS Gen2 credentials and find the ID of the instance (VM) you want to migrate:
source old-creds.sh openstack server list openstack server image create --name <snapshot_name> <instance_id>
Step 2: Download the Snapshot
The Image ID should have been prompted in the previous step. However, it is also possible to find the ID of your created snapshot and download it to your local computer later:
openstack image list openstack image save --file myimage.img <snapshot_id>
Step 3: Upload to the New Environment (bwCloud-OS Gen3)
Source your new cloud credentials and upload the image file. Important: Always set the visibility to Private so other users cannot use your image as a base for their services.
source new-creds.sh openstack image create --file myimage.img --private myimage
Note on Dashboard Uploads: While it is technically possible to upload the downloaded .img file via the new Horizon Dashboard (by navigating to Compute -> Images), this method is highly prone to errors, especially with large image files. We strongly advise avoiding the dashboard for this task and using the CLI method described above instead to prevent corrupted or interrupted uploads.
Step 4: Start the Instance
You can now start a new instance using this uploaded image. To do so:
- Log in to the bwCloud-OS Gen3 Dashboard.
- Navigate to Project --> Compute --> Images. The uploaded snapshot should be listed there.
- Click on "Launch" (or "Start"), choose an instance name, and select the appropriate network and SSH key (or create a new one).