Migrating Workloads to Azure Local
DOCUMENT CATEGORY: Runbook SCOPE: Moving existing VMs to an Azure Local instance PURPOSE: Choose a migration path, meet the prerequisites, and plan cutover MASTER REFERENCE: Microsoft Learn — Migrate to Azure Local
Status: Active
Migration paths
| Source | Method | Status |
|---|---|---|
| VMware vSphere | Azure Migrate (agentless replication to an Azure Local target) | Not labeled preview on Microsoft Learn |
| Hyper-V | Azure Migrate | Preview |
| Nutanix, other platforms | Partner and third-party tools. See the Nutanix migration runbooks. | n/a |
Azure Migrate updates ship on their own cadence, so you do not need to update Azure Local to get them. Recent additions, per the Azure Local release notes:
- Secure Boot settings are preserved for UEFI (Generation 2) VMs (February 2026).
- A new target appliance can be registered if the original one stops responding, without creating a new project (January 2026).
- Migration to Azure Local instances that use external SAN storage, including NTFS volumes (May 2026).
- Azure CLI for replication and migration, in preview (April 2026). Terraform for replication and migration, in preview, and purpose-built Azure RBAC roles for Azure Local migrations (July 2026).
Requirements
| Item | VMware source | Hyper-V source |
|---|---|---|
| Source versions | vCenter Server and ESXi 8.0, 7, 6.7, or 6.5 | Hyper-V on Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, or 2012 R2 |
| Source and target appliance OS | Windows Server 2022 | Windows Server 2022 |
| Target | Azure Local 2311.2 or later (listed for 2503 and later) | Azure Local 2311.2 or later |
| Azure Migrate project | Created in the Azure portal, in the same tenant as the target. One source appliance and one target appliance per project. | Same. A project cannot mix VMware and Hyper-V sources. |
On the target Azure Local instance you need the Azure Arc resource bridge (created at deployment), a logical network, and a custom storage path configured for migration.
Prerequisites on the source VMs
- Disable BitLocker. Encrypted disks and volumes are not supported. Shared disks are not supported.
- On Linux VMs, make sure the Hyper-V Linux Integration Services drivers are in the init image.
- Decide what to do with the Azure Connected Machine agent. You can reuse the existing Arc resource, or uninstall the agent before replication starts.
- Do not run snapshot-based backups at the same time as Azure Migrate replication cycles.
- Boot type is preserved: BIOS VMs become Generation 1 and UEFI VMs become Generation 2. Generation 1 VMs have limits in Azure Local VM management. Use the VM Conversion Toolkit to convert Generation 1 VMs to Generation 2 after migration.
- Static IP addresses are preserved for Windows VMs only. DHCP reservation by MAC address is not supported.
- Open the appliance firewall ports Microsoft lists (for example 443, 445, 3389, 44368, 5985 and 5986 depending on source) and allow
*.siterecovery.azure.com.
Cost
There are no Azure Migrate tool usage charges for 180 days from the start of replication. The storage account and key vault created in your subscription accrue normal charges.
Where the AzureLocal tools fit
| Phase | Tool |
|---|---|
| Size the target | Surveyor for S2D capacity and workload sizing |
| VMware to Azure Local runbooks | VMware migration |
| Nutanix to Azure Local runbooks | Nutanix migration |
| Generation 1 to Generation 2 conversion | VM Conversion Toolkit |
| Validate the target after cutover | Load testing framework and the testing and validation tasks |
Data verified with Microsoft Learn (Azure Migrate for Azure Local articles and What's new), October 2026.
References
- Microsoft Learn — Review requirements for VMware VM migration
- Microsoft Learn — Prerequisites for VMware migration
- Microsoft Learn — Review requirements for Hyper-V VM migration (preview)
- Microsoft Learn — Prerequisites for Hyper-V migration (preview)
- Microsoft Learn — Migration FAQ
- Microsoft Learn — What's new in Azure Migrate for Azure Local