What is Migrate to Virtual Machines?
Migrate to Virtual Machines is Google’s free service for migrating VMs to Google Compute Engine. It enables migration from on-premises environments, AWS, Azure, and physical servers with minimal downtime. Streaming technology continuously replicates data toward Google Cloud.
The service supports the entire migration process, from assessment through replication to cutover. Integration with other migration tools enables comprehensive cloud migration strategies.
Core Features
- Streaming-based replication for minimal downtime
- Support for VMware, AWS, Azure, Hyper-V, and physical servers
- Automatic conversion of VM formats
- Test clones for validation before cutover
- Integrated monitoring and reporting
Typical Use Cases
Data Center Migration: Migrate complete data centers to Google Cloud. The service migrates VMs in waves with minimal disruption. Dependency analysis helps plan the migration sequence.
Multi-Cloud Consolidation: Migrate AWS or Azure VMs to Google Cloud. The service automatically converts between cloud formats, enabling standardization on one cloud platform.
Disaster Recovery: Replicate VMs to Google Cloud for DR purposes. Continuous replication keeps the DR environment current and enables faster failover in the event of a production outage.
Benefits
- Free migration service without additional license costs
- Minimal downtime through streaming replication
- Support for diverse source systems
- Integrated test and validation features
Integration with innFactory
As a certified Google Cloud partner, innFactory supports you with VM migrations: assessment, migration planning, cutover coordination, and post-migration optimization.
Available Tiers & Options
Standard
- Free migration service
- Automated migration
- Minimal downtime
- Complex workloads require careful planning
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Migrate to Virtual Machines?
Migrate to Virtual Machines is a free service for migrating VMs to Google Compute Engine. It supports migration from VMware, AWS, Azure, and physical servers.
Which source systems are supported?
The service supports VMware vSphere, AWS EC2, Azure VMs, Hyper-V, and physical servers, among others. Common Linux and Windows versions are supported.
How long does a migration take?
Duration depends on VM size and network bandwidth. Streaming-based migration enables early test operation while data is still synchronizing.
Is there downtime during migration?
Typically only minimal downtime during the final cutover, since streaming technology replicates data continuously. The actual cutover generally takes much less time than a classic offline migration.
What does Migrate to Virtual Machines cost?
The migration service itself is free. You are only billed for the Compute Engine resources used during and after migration.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of Google Cloud (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by Google Cloud.
