Introduction to Migrating Databases and Virtual Machines to Google Cloud Platform

In this class, we will look at various issues of migrating databases and virtual machines to the Google Cloud platform. We will address general techniques that are best practices for migrating to the cloud as well as specific features of the Google Cloud platform that will support migrating databases and virtual machines to the cloud.

In the first section of this class, we will discuss general cloud migration techniques. We will begin with the importance of establishing a solid performance baseline before migration as well as the importance of documenting your candidate system. We will also look at planning a good time frame for your migration and some of the factors that you need to consider when scheduling your migration window. In addition, we will look at some post-migration steps that are necessary to ensure that your system is operating correctly after the migration has taken place. These include running necessary smoke test contacting the right personnel and preparing to establish a new baseline once the system has gone into full production.

In the next section of the class, we will look at database migration and some of the issues that are involved when migrating an on-premise database to the cloud. We will also look at the two major types of migrations homogeneous and heterogeneous and some of the issues that are unique to both of these types of migrations. In addition to the mechanics of performing the migration, we will look at some of the performance considerations when migrating an on-premise database system to the cloud.

Following the section on database-migration, we will begin to discuss the mechanics of migrating virtual machines to the Google Cloud platform. We will examine some of the pre-migration issues that you must consider as well as some compatibility issues when migrating an on-premise virtual machine to the cloud. In addition to the general steps of migration, we will look at the features that the Google Cloud platform offers to support virtual machine migration. Following this discussion, we will walk through two different migration examples of on-premise virtual machines to the Google Cloud platform.

In the last section of this class, we will look at some of the services that are offered by cloud service providers that you will be able to take advantage of to extend the functionality of your system after you have migrated to the cloud. Many of these services are easy to configure and will provide your system with many new capabilities.