Moving Linux ARM VM (Ubuntu) from one region to other

@George Hughes Greetings!

Moving a Linux ARM-based virtual machine (VM) from East US to North Europe in Azure can be achieved using different migration tools. Let's go through your questions one by one:

1️⃣ Does Azure Resource Mover support Linux ARM?

Azure Resource Mover does support moving ARM-based (AArch64) Linux VMs, but there are important considerations.

Supported Scenarios: Azure Resource Mover primarily supports the migration of VMs across regions, including both Windows and Linux VMs. It is capable of moving VMs, their associated resources, such as disks, networking, and public IP addresses.

ARM (AArch64) Linux Support: While Azure Resource Mover has broad support for Linux-based VMs (Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS, etc.), there may be specific constraints or considerations when moving ARM architecture-based Linux VMs. You will need to verify if the specific VM image you are using (Ubuntu on ARM) is supported for cross-region migration.

• Recommendation: Before proceeding, check Azure documentation or use the Azure portal to confirm that the specific VM size and Ubuntu ARM version are supported for migration. The Azure support team can also help verify the compatibility of ARM-based Linux VMs.

Conclusion: Azure Resource Mover can move Linux ARM VMs but check the specific VM's image and size compatibility with the tool.

2️⃣ Is Azure Site Recovery compatible with Linux ARM VMs?

Azure Site Recovery (ASR) is a service designed for disaster recovery and migration, but it has certain limitations for specific workloads:

Support for Linux ARM VMs: Azure Site Recovery does not fully support Linux ARM (AArch64) VMs for migration or disaster recovery scenarios. ASR typically supports x86-based Linux distributions like Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, and SUSE, but does not officially support ARM-based Linux distributions for replication and migration.

ARM-based VM Limitations: If your VM is running Ubuntu on ARM, Azure Site Recovery will not be suitable for moving the VM between regions, because it is not currently designed to handle ARM-based systems in its replication model.

Recommendation: If you're using ARM-based Linux VMs, you will need to explore alternative migration options, such as Azure Resource Mover or manual migration methods (backup/restore or re-deploying the VM in the new region).

Conclusion: Azure Site Recovery does not support ARM-based Linux VMs for migration or disaster recovery. You should use other tools like Azure Resource Mover.

3️⃣ Cost Implications for Either Option?

The cost implications will depend on the migration tool you choose. Here’s a breakdown:

Azure Resource Mover:

Cost of Moving Resources:

• The resource mover service itself is free to use.
  • Cost implications typically come from the resources involved in the move (e.g., the cost of the VM, storage, bandwidth for the data transfer between regions).
    • Data Transfer Costs: Moving data between Azure regions incurs egress charges (outbound data transfer), which will be based on the amount of data moved. The data transfer cost will depend on the size of the VM and its associated disks.
    Recommendation: To minimize costs, you should ensure the VM is not too large, and check the data transfer rates between East US and North Europe.

Azure Site Recovery:

Site Recovery Costs:

Replication Costs: With ASR, you will incur costs for replication, storage for the replicated VM, and data transfer. The storage costs will include the cost for storing replicated data in the target region (e.g., North Europe).

  **Post-Recovery Costs**: If you perform a full migration (and not just a failover), you will incur additional storage and compute charges for the target region.
  
     **Data Transfer Costs**: ASR incurs egress costs for transferring data between regions, similar to Resource Mover. The **cost of replication and storage** may be more significant because it is a continuous service (even if not being actively used for migration, but set up for replication).
     
     **Recommendation**: Site Recovery tends to have higher ongoing costs due to the continuous replication process and storage charges in both regions.
     

Cost Comparison:

• Azure Resource Mover is generally a one-time migration cost (mainly based on data transfer between regions), and it could be more cost-effective for a simple migration.
• Azure Site Recovery may incur ongoing replication and storage costs, so it might be more expensive for a one-time migration, but it is designed for disaster recovery and continuous replication.

Source links:
Moving Azure VMs to another Azure region

Move Azure VMs across regions with Azure Resource Mover

Hope this helps. Please write back to us if you have any further questions.

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