Condensa User Guide

Introduction

Condensa is a powerful VM migration tool designed to facilitate the migration of virtual machines from various platforms (VMware, Nutanix, Sangfor, Windows Server) to Awanio cloud platform. It supports multiple migration methods including hot migration (running VMs), cold migration, and file-based migrations using OVA and VHD/VHDX formats.

Key Features

Hot Migration: Migrate running VMs with minimal downtime (VMware only)
Multi-Provider Support: VMware vSphere, OVA files, VHD/VHDX files
Changed Block Tracking (CBT): Efficient incremental data transfer for VMware
Web-Based UI: User-friendly interface for managing migrations
Real-time Progress Tracking: Monitor migration status and progress

Installation

Prerequisites

Before installing Condensa, ensure you have:

Awanio Dashboard
- You need to use a user that has Dashboard access privilege

Helm (v3.0 or higher)

bash

# Install Helm if not already installed
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/main/scripts/get-helm-3 | bash

Storage Pool configured in your Awanio Dashboard
Awanio API Access
- API endpoint URL (e.g., https://192.168.1.2/v2)
- Valid credentials for authentication

Installing via Helm

Add the Condensa Helm repository:

bash

helm repo add condensa https://storage.awan.io/assets/charts
helm repo update

Create a values file (condensa-values.yaml):

yaml

# REQUIRED: Public URL for Condensa (must be accessible by CDI for data imports)
publicUrl: "http://condensa.example.com:8080"

# REQUIRED: Awanio API configuration
awanio:
  apiEndpoint: "https://192.168.1.2/v2"
  username: "your-username"
  password: "your-password"

# Image configuration
image:
  repository: registry.awan.io/images/condensa
  tag: latest
  pullPolicy: IfNotPresent

# Service configuration
service:
  type: LoadBalancer  # or NodePort, ClusterIP
  port: 8080

# Storage configuration
persistence:
  enabled: true
  storageClass: "standard"  # Your storage class
  size: 100Gi  # Storage for uploaded OVA/VHD files

# Resource limits
resources:
  requests:
    memory: "512Mi"
    cpu: "500m"
  limits:
    memory: "2Gi"
    cpu: "2000m"

# Upload directory configuration
uploadDir: "/data/uploads"

# Namespace for VM migrations
migrationNamespace: "vm-migrations"

Install Condensa:

bash

# Create namespace
kubectl create namespace condensa

# Install with custom values
helm install condensa condensa/condensa \
  --namespace condensa \
  --values condensa-values.yaml

Verify installation:

bash

# Check pod status
kubectl get pods -n condensa

# Check service
kubectl get svc -n condensa

# Get the external IP/URL
kubectl get svc condensa -n condensa -o jsonpath='{.status.loadBalancer.ingress[0].ip}'

Access the Web UI:
Open your browser and navigate to the Condensa URL:
```
http://<external-ip>:8080
```

Configuration Options

Parameter	Description	Default	Required
`publicUrl`	Public URL accessible by CDI	-	Yes
`awanio.apiEndpoint`	Awanio API endpoint	-	Yes
`awanio.username`	Awanio username	-	Yes
`awanio.password`	Awanio password	-	Yes
`persistence.enabled`	Enable persistent storage	true	No
`persistence.size`	Storage size for uploads	100Gi	No
`service.type`	Service type	LoadBalancer	No
`uploadDir`	Directory for file uploads	/data/uploads	No

Preparing Source VMs

Proper preparation of source VMs is crucial for successful migration. Requirements vary by provider type.

VMware VMs

For VMware vSphere environments, especially for hot migration (migrating running VMs):

Prerequisites

VMware vSphere 6.0 or higher
VM hardware version 8 or higher
Administrator access to vCenter
Thumbprint, the SSL (SHA1) fingerprint of the remote VMware server and it is required when making a remote connection.

The following command will print the thumbprint of a VMware server called SERVER-NAME:

openssl s_client -connect SERVER-NAME:443 </dev/null |
   openssl x509 -in /dev/stdin -fingerprint -sha1 -noout

Enable Changed Block Tracking (CBT)

Important: CBT must be enabled BEFORE creating snapshots for migration.

Connect to vCenter using vSphere Client

Power off the VM (if running):

Right-click VM → Power → Shut Down Guest OS

Enable CBT:
- Right-click the VM → Edit Settings
- Click "VM Options" tab
- Expand "Advanced"
- Click "Edit Configuration"
- Add the following parameter:
```
ctkEnabled = true
```
- Click OK to save
Power on the VM:
```
Right-click VM → Power → Power On
```
Create a snapshot (REQUIRED after enabling CBT):
```
Right-click VM → Snapshots → Take Snapshot
Name: "Pre-Migration Snapshot"
Description: "Snapshot for Condensa migration with CBT enabled"
```
⚠️ Critical: The snapshot MUST be created AFTER enabling CBT. Snapshots created before CBT enablement will cause migration failure.
Verify CBT is active:
- Check VM's .vmdk files
- You should see -ctk.vmdk files for each disk

Best Practices for VMware

Ensure VM Tools are installed and up-to-date
Clean up unnecessary snapshots before migration
Verify network connectivity between Condensa and vCenter
For large VMs, consider scheduling migration during maintenance windows

Nutanix VMs (OVA Export)

For migrating VMs from Nutanix AHV:

Access Nutanix Prism:
```
https://<nutanix-cluster-ip>:9440
```
Prepare the VM:
- Shut down the VM gracefully
- Remove any unnecessary snapshots
- Note down VM specifications (CPU, Memory, Disk)
Export as OVA:
a. Using Nutanix Move (Recommended):
- Install Nutanix Move on a Windows/Linux machine
- Configure source as Nutanix AHV
- Select VMs to export
- Choose "Export to OVA" option
- Save to local directory
b. Using acli (Nutanix CLI):
bash
```
# SSH to Nutanix CVM
ssh nutanix@<cvm-ip>

# List VMs
acli vm.list

# Export VM
acli vm.export <vm-name> format=ova path=/tmp/<vm-name>.ova

# Download the OVA file
scp nutanix@<cvm-ip>:/tmp/<vm-name>.ova .
```

Verify OVA file:

bash

# Check OVA contents
tar -tvf <vm-name>.ova

# Should contain:
# - .ovf file (VM descriptor)
# - .vmdk file(s) (Virtual disks)
# - .mf file (Manifest)

Sangfor VMs (OVA Export)

For migrating VMs from Sangfor HCI:

Access Sangfor HCI Console:
```
https://<sangfor-hci-ip>
```
Prepare the VM:
- Stop the VM from Sangfor console
- Remove snapshots if any
- Document VM configuration
Export Process:
a. Navigate to Virtual Machines section
b. Select the target VM
c. Click More Actions → Export
d. Choose export format:
- Select "OVA" format
- Include all disks
- Include VM configuration
e. Start export:
```
Export Location: Local Computer or Network Share
Format: OVA 1.0
Compression: None (for better compatibility)
```
f. Download the exported OVA file

Post-Export Verification:

bash

# Verify OVA integrity
sha256sum <vm-name>.ova

# Extract and check OVF descriptor
tar -xf <vm-name>.ova *.ovf
cat *.ovf  # Review VM specifications

Windows Server VMs (VHD/VHDX Export)

For migrating VMs from Hyper-V on Windows Server:

From Windows Server 2012/2016/2019/2022

Open Hyper-V Manager:
powershell
```
# Run as Administrator
virtmgmt.msc
```

Prepare the VM:

powershell

# Stop the VM
Stop-VM -Name "VMName"

# Remove checkpoints (snapshots)
Get-VMSnapshot -VMName "VMName" | Remove-VMSnapshot

Export the VM:

Method 1: Using Hyper-V Manager GUI

Right-click VM → Export
Choose export location
Wait for export completion

Method 2: Using PowerShell

powershell

# Export entire VM
Export-VM -Name "VMName" -Path "C:\VMExports"

# Or export just the VHD/VHDX
$vm = Get-VM -Name "VMName"
$vhd = Get-VMHardDiskDrive -VM $vm
Copy-Item $vhd.Path -Destination "C:\VMExports\VMName.vhdx"

Convert VHDX to VHD if needed (for compatibility):

powershell

Convert-VHD -Path "C:\VMExports\VMName.vhdx" `
            -DestinationPath "C:\VMExports\VMName.vhd" `
            -VHDType Dynamic

Prepare metadata file (create vm-info.json):

json

{
  "name": "VMName",
  "os_family": "windows",
  "os_version": "Windows Server 2019",
  "cpu": 4,
  "memory_mb": 8192,
  "disk_size_gb": 100,
  "architecture": "x86_64"
}

From Azure Stack HCI

powershell

# Connect to cluster
Enter-PSSession -ComputerName <cluster-node>

# Export VM
Export-VM -Name "VMName" -Path "\\share\exports"

# Or use Windows Admin Center for GUI export

Setting Up Providers

Providers are the source platforms from which VMs will be migrated. Each provider type requires specific configuration.

VMware Provider

Login to Condensa Web UI
Navigate to Providers:
- Click "Providers" in the main menu
- Click "Add Provider" button

Configure VMware Provider:

yaml

Provider Type: VMware vSphere
Name: vcenter-prod
Description: Production vCenter Server

Connection Details:
- vCenter URL: https://vcenter.example.com
- Username: administrator@vsphere.local
- Password: ********
- Allow Insecure: No (uncheck for production)

Advanced Settings:
- Port: 443
- Datacenter: Datacenter-01 (optional, for filtering)
- Concurrent Transfers: 4

Test Connection:
- Click "Test Connection"
- Verify successful connection
- Review discovered resources
Save Provider:
- Click "Save"
- Provider should show "Connected" status

OVA Provider

The OVA provider handles file-based migrations using OVA files.

Navigate to Providers → Add Provider

Configure OVA Provider:

yaml

Provider Type: OVA
Name: ova-imports
Description: OVA File Imports

Settings:
- Upload Directory: /data/uploads/ova
- Max File Size: 500GB
- Supported Formats: .ova, .ovf

Upload OVA Files:

Option 1: Web UI Upload

Click "Upload OVA" button
Select OVA file from local system

Add VM metadata:

yaml

VM Name: imported-vm-01
OS Type: Ubuntu Linux 20.04
CPUs: 4
Memory: 8192 MB

Click "Upload"

Option 2: CLI Upload (for large files)

bash

# Copy to Condensa pod
kubectl cp large-vm.ova condensa/condensa-pod:/data/uploads/ova/

# Or use curl
curl -X POST http://condensa.example.com:8080/api/v1/ova/upload \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
     -F "file=@large-vm.ova" \
     -F "metadata=@vm-info.json"

Verify Upload:
- Check "OVA Uploads" section
- Verify file integrity
- Review extracted VM specifications

VHD/VHDX Provider

The VHD provider handles migrations from Hyper-V exports.

Navigate to Providers → Add Provider

Configure VHD Provider:

yaml

Provider Type: VHD
Name: hyperv-imports
Description: Hyper-V VHD Imports

Settings:
- Upload Directory: /data/uploads/vhd
- Supported Formats: .vhd, .vhdx, .avhdx
- Auto-convert VHDX: Yes

Upload VHD Files:

Step 1: Upload VHD/VHDX

bash

# Web UI for small files (<10GB)
Navigate to "VHD Uploads" → "Upload VHD"

# For large files, use resumable upload
curl -X POST http://condensa.example.com:8080/api/v1/vhd/uploads \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
       "filename": "windows-server.vhdx",
       "vm_name": "WinServer2019",
       "os_family": "windows",
       "os_version": "Windows Server 2019",
       "num_cpu": 4,
       "memory_mb": 16384,
       "disk_size_gb": 200,
       "architecture": "x86_64"
     }'

Step 2: Use TUS Protocol for large file upload

bash

# Install tus client
npm install -g tus-js-client

# Upload using resumable protocol
tus-upload windows-server.vhdx \
  --endpoint http://condensa.example.com:8080/api/v1/tus \
  --metadata filename=d2luZG93cy1zZXJ2ZXIudmhkeA==,vm_id=<vm-uuid>

Verify VHD Upload:
- Check processing status
- Verify disk format compatibility
- Review VM specifications

Creating and Running Migrations

Once providers are configured and source VMs are prepared, you can create and execute migrations.

Creating a Migration

Navigate to Migrations → Create Migration

Basic Configuration:

yaml

Migration Name: prod-to-awanio-batch1
Description: Production VMs migration batch 1

Source Provider: vcenter-prod (or ova-imports, hyperv-imports)
Target Namespace: vm-migrations
Organization: My Organization

Select VMs:
For VMware Provider:
- Browse available VMs
- Use filters:
  - Datacenter
  - Folder
  - Power State
  - OS Type
- Select VMs to migrate
- Review VM details (CPU, Memory, Disks)
For OVA Provider:
- Select from uploaded OVA files
- Verify "Ready" status
- Review extracted specifications
For VHD Provider:
- Select from uploaded VHD files
- Verify "Processed" status
- Confirm OS compatibility

Migration Settings:

yaml

Migration Type:
- Hot Migration (VMware only, VM stays running)
- Cold Migration (VM powered off first)

Network Mapping:
- Source Network: VM Network → Target Network: default
- Source Network: Management → Target Network: mgmt-net

Storage Settings:
- Storage Class: fast-ssd
- Volume Mode: Filesystem
- Access Mode: ReadWriteOnce

Advanced Options:
- Preserve MAC Addresses: Yes
- Start VM after Migration: No
- Delete Source after Success: No

Review and Create:
- Review migration summary
- Verify resource requirements
- Click "Create Migration"

Starting a Migration

View Migration Details:

Migrations → Select Migration → View Details

Pre-flight Checks:
- Verify source connectivity
- Check target namespace exists
- Validate storage availability
- Review network mappings

Start Migration:

Option 1: Web UI

Click "Start Migration" button
Confirm action in dialog

Option 2: CLI

bash

curl -X POST http://condensa.example.com:8080/api/v1/migrations/<id>/start \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

Migration Phases:
Phase 1: Preparation
- Create target namespace
- Set up DataVolumes
- Initialize transfer jobs
Phase 2: Data Transfer
- For VMware: VDDK transfer with CBT
- For OVA/VHD: HTTP import via CDI
- Progress shown in real-time
Phase 3: Conversion
- Convert disks to QCOW2
- Apply OS optimizations
- Configure drivers
Phase 4: VM Creation
- Create VirtualMachine CR
- Configure networks
- Apply resource limits
Phase 5: Verification
- Verify VM creation
- Check disk attachments
- Validate configuration

Monitoring Progress

Real-time Progress:
- View overall progress percentage
- Monitor individual VM status
- Check data transfer rates
- View logs in real-time

Progress Indicators:

Overall Progress: 45%

VMs Status:
- vm-web-01: ✓ Completed (100%)
- vm-app-01: ⟳ Transferring (67%)
- vm-db-01: ⏸ Queued

Log Viewing:

bash

# View migration logs
kubectl logs -n condensa condensa-pod -f

# View specific VM transfer
kubectl get datavolume -n vm-migrations vm-web-01-disk-0 -o yaml

Notifications:
- Email alerts on completion
- Webhook notifications
- Slack integration (if configured)

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

VMware Migration Fails

Issue: "CBT not enabled" error

Solution:
1. Enable CBT on source VM
2. Create new snapshot AFTER enabling CBT
3. Retry migration

Issue: "Cannot connect to vCenter"

Solution:
1. Verify network connectivity
2. Check firewall rules (port 443)
3. Verify credentials
4. Try with "Allow Insecure" if using self-signed certificates

Issue: "Snapshot not found"

Solution:
1. Create snapshot on source VM
2. Wait for snapshot to consolidate
3. Refresh provider connection

OVA Upload Issues

Issue: "Invalid OVF descriptor"

Solution:
1. Verify OVA file integrity:
   tar -tvf vm.ova
2. Extract and validate OVF:
   tar -xf vm.ova *.ovf
   xmllint --noout *.ovf
3. Re-export from source if corrupted

Issue: "Unsupported disk format"

Solution:
1. Convert disk to supported format:
   qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O qcow2 disk.vmdk disk.qcow2
2. Repackage OVA with converted disk

VHD Upload Issues

Issue: "VHD file corrupted"

Solution:
1. Verify file checksum
2. Re-export from Hyper-V
3. Try converting VHDX to VHD:
   Convert-VHD -Path source.vhdx -DestinationPath dest.vhd

Issue: "Metadata missing"

Solution:
1. Create vm-info.json with required fields
2. Upload metadata along with VHD
3. Or update via API after upload

DataVolume Stuck

Issue: DataVolume in "Pending" state

bash

# Check DataVolume status
kubectl describe datavolume -n vm-migrations <dv-name>

# Common solutions:
1. Check PVC bound status
2. Verify storage class exists
3. Check available storage capacity
4. Review CDI pod logs:
   kubectl logs -n cdi deployment/cdi-deployment

Migration Performance Issues

Slow Transfer Rates

Solutions:
1. Enable parallel transfers (VMware)
2. Increase CDI resource limits
3. Use faster storage class
4. Check network bandwidth
5. Schedule during off-peak hours

Debug Commands

bash

# Check Condensa logs
kubectl logs -n condensa deployment/condensa -f

# Check migration status
curl http://condensa.example.com:8080/api/v1/migrations/<id>/status

# Check DataVolume progress
kubectl get datavolume -n vm-migrations -w

# Check CDI importer pods
kubectl get pods -n vm-migrations | grep importer

# View importer logs
kubectl logs -n vm-migrations <importer-pod-name>

# Check events
kubectl get events -n vm-migrations --sort-by='.lastTimestamp'

Best Practices

Pre-Migration

Capacity Planning:
- Verify sufficient storage in target cluster
- Plan for 2x disk space during conversion
- Consider network bandwidth requirements
VM Preparation:
- Update VM tools/drivers
- Clean up unnecessary files
- Consolidate snapshots
- Document VM dependencies
Testing:
- Test with non-critical VMs first
- Verify migration process end-to-end
- Document recovery procedures

During Migration

Batch Processing:
- Migrate VMs in logical groups
- Start with less critical workloads
- Monitor resource utilization
Network Considerations:
- Use dedicated migration network if possible
- Configure appropriate bandwidth limits
- Plan for network maintenance windows
Monitoring:
- Watch transfer rates
- Monitor source system load
- Check target cluster resources

Post-Migration

Verification:
- Verify VM functionality
- Test application connectivity
- Validate performance metrics
Cleanup:
- Remove successful migration DataVolumes
- Clean up source snapshots
- Archive migration logs
Documentation:
- Document migration issues
- Update runbooks
- Record performance metrics

Security Considerations

Credentials:
- Use service accounts for providers
- Rotate credentials regularly
- Implement RBAC policies
Network Security:
- Use TLS for all connections
- Implement network policies
- Restrict access to Condensa
Data Protection:
- Encrypt data in transit
- Secure upload directories
- Implement retention policies

Appendix

Supported Configurations

Source Platform	Migration Type	Requirements
VMware vSphere 6.0+	Hot/Cold	CBT, Snapshots
Nutanix AHV	OVA Export	OVA 1.0/2.0
Sangfor HCI	OVA Export	OVA 1.0
Hyper-V 2012+	VHD Export	VHD/VHDX
Azure Stack HCI	VHD Export	VHD/VHDX

API Reference

Key API endpoints for automation:

bash

# Provider Management
GET    /api/v1/providers
POST   /api/v1/providers
DELETE /api/v1/providers/{id}

# Migration Management  
GET    /api/v1/migrations
POST   /api/v1/migrations
POST   /api/v1/migrations/{id}/start
POST   /api/v1/migrations/{id}/cancel
GET    /api/v1/migrations/{id}/status

# Upload Management
POST   /api/v1/ova/upload
POST   /api/v1/vhd/uploads
GET    /api/v1/uploads/status

Environment Variables

Configure Condensa using environment variables:

bash

CONDENSA_PUBLIC_URL=http://condensa.example.com:8080
CONDENSA_UPLOAD_DIR=/data/uploads
AWANIO_API=https://api.awanio.com/v2
DB_PATH=/data/condensa.db
PORT=8080

Support and Resources

Documentation: https://gitlab.com/awan.io/condensa
Issue Tracker: https://gitlab.com/awan.io/condensa/issues
Community Support: support@awan.io
Enterprise Support: Available with Awanio subscription

Last Updated: 2025Version: 0.1.0

Condensa User Guide ​

Introduction ​

Key Features ​

Installation ​

Prerequisites ​

Installing via Helm ​

Configuration Options ​

Preparing Source VMs ​

VMware VMs ​

Prerequisites ​

Enable Changed Block Tracking (CBT) ​

Best Practices for VMware ​

Nutanix VMs (OVA Export) ​

Sangfor VMs (OVA Export) ​

Windows Server VMs (VHD/VHDX Export) ​

From Windows Server 2012/2016/2019/2022 ​

From Azure Stack HCI ​

Setting Up Providers ​

VMware Provider ​

OVA Provider ​

VHD/VHDX Provider ​

Creating and Running Migrations ​

Creating a Migration ​

Starting a Migration ​

Monitoring Progress ​

Troubleshooting ​

Common Issues and Solutions ​

VMware Migration Fails ​

OVA Upload Issues ​

VHD Upload Issues ​

DataVolume Stuck ​

Migration Performance Issues ​

Debug Commands ​

Best Practices ​

Pre-Migration ​

During Migration ​

Post-Migration ​

Security Considerations ​

Appendix ​

Supported Configurations ​

API Reference ​

Environment Variables ​

Support and Resources ​

Condensa User Guide

Introduction

Key Features

Installation

Prerequisites

Installing via Helm

Configuration Options

Preparing Source VMs

VMware VMs

Prerequisites

Enable Changed Block Tracking (CBT)

Best Practices for VMware

Nutanix VMs (OVA Export)

Sangfor VMs (OVA Export)

Windows Server VMs (VHD/VHDX Export)

From Windows Server 2012/2016/2019/2022

From Azure Stack HCI

Setting Up Providers

VMware Provider

OVA Provider

VHD/VHDX Provider

Creating and Running Migrations

Creating a Migration

Starting a Migration

Monitoring Progress

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

VMware Migration Fails

OVA Upload Issues

VHD Upload Issues

DataVolume Stuck

Migration Performance Issues

Debug Commands

Best Practices

Pre-Migration

During Migration

Post-Migration

Security Considerations

Appendix

Supported Configurations

API Reference

Environment Variables

Support and Resources