This latest HCX release brings juicy capabilities to the table. In this post I want focus specifically on the Cloud to Cloud feature. I will cover the other R132 features in What’s New in R132 Part Deux.

Support for Cloud-to-Cloud (C2C) Deployments

HCX C2C is an excellent step forward for HCX, enabling new deployment architectures and simplified multi-phase projects. C2C is available for both HCX Advanced and Enterprise deployments.

HCX technology traditionally enables mobility services in the context environment pairs, where each side has a role. These are the typical relationships with see in HCX deployments:

In this relationship model depicted above, there is always a source environment that pairs to a destination environment (according to the relationships described above), and the HCX UI or plugin (at the initiator site) is used to extend networks and migrate VMs (also at the initiator site).
In this relationship model, the receiver HCX Manager is installed using the “HCX Cloud Manager OVA” and has higher version requirements (e.g vSphere 6+ & NSXv/t)
In this relationship model, the initiator HCX Manager is installed using the “HCX Enterprise Manager OVA” and supports various environments (vsphere 5.0+).

The arrival of C2C stirs up those relationships. If I wanted to describe this feature succinctly (in my own words), I might say it like this:

HCX C2C allows Receiver HCX Systems to become Site Pairing and HCX Operation Initiators. (The old Initiator HCX systems are not valid Receivers)

-Gabe 😼

This enables several use cases:

• C2C enables users to tether distinct Public Cloud environments using HCX (e.g. Azure VMware Solution to VMware Cloud on AWS). Previously a customer would need to move workloads from Public Cloud A back to the on-premises before consuming Public Cloud B. C2C enhances the Public Cloud story and allows users to execute on evolving cloud vendor preferences.
• C2C allows distinct consumption units within a Public Cloud service to be connected (e.g. VMC SDDC-1 to VMC SDDC-2), allowing cloud workload rebalancing and connectivity.
• In fully private deployments, the modern HCX system (previously a receiver) can now initiate site pairing to other modern systems for rebalancing or protecting workloads.
• In multiphase projects (e.g. Legacy to Modern then modern to cloud), the modern site that replaced a legacy environment can create connections to HCX enabled public clouds. Previously this required a new HCX initiator installation.

Cloud-to-cloud support requires that HCX “Type:Cloud” Manager is installed at both the source and destination cloud environments, both systems are updated to HCX release R132 (or later).   The HCX plug-in and operation interfaces appear in HCX-enabled Cloud sites for access to HCX services.

🖖🏼That’s it!

—
Gabe