PlateSpin Migrate enables you to configure Azure Cloud tags that it applies to VMs, resource groups, and resources that it creates on your behalf in target Azure platforms (for Azure objects that accept tags). Each tag consists of a name and value pair. In Azure, you can use the tags to logically organize your assets and track their related costs, and to monitor resource usage and retention.
Azure Cloud tags are key name and value pairs. On your PlateSpin Server, you can define tags that apply globally for workload migrations to all target Azure Cloud platforms on the PlateSpin Server. These tag key names and values (if defined) are pre-populated on the Workload Configuration page for migrations to Azure. You can specify appropriate tag values for that workload. You can also specify other tags for an individual workload.
If Azure tags are configured for a workload, Migrate applies them to the target VM and its related resource objects that Migrate creates in the target Azure environment during the first full replication.
Azure tags for a workload are configurable for workloads before the first full replication. If you add or modify global tag definitions, updated tag definitions will apply automatically to new workload configurations. For configured workloads, only changes for required global tags will be applied automatically.
NOTE:After a successful full replication, a workload’s tags and their values can no longer be modified. You cannot modify its tag settings on the Workload Configuration page and modifications to globally defined tags will not be applied to the workload.
PlateSpin allows up to 8 (eight) tags for a workload. You can define up to 8 global Azure Cloud tags that will be available automatically in the Workload Configuration for migrations to Azure. Use the DefaultCloudTagsAzure parameter on the PlateSpin Configuration page to specify definitions for your global Azure Cloud tags. Examples of tag names include: Cost Center, Business Service, Created By, Authorized By, Environment.
Table 9-4 describes the usage and format for global Azure Cloud tag definitions.
Table 9-4 Format for Global Azure Cloud Tag Definitions
|
Tag Behavior |
Format |
Example Tag Entry |
Workload Configuration View |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Optional |
key |
Service |
Service : <value> |
|
Optional, suggested value |
key%value |
Service%Engineering |
Service : <Engineering> |
|
Required, user must specify a value |
%key |
%Service |
Service : <required> |
|
Required, fixed value |
%key%value |
%Service%Engineering |
Service : Engineering |
Consider the following requirements when you configure global tags:
Define each key name and value pair on a separate line.
Use the percent (%) character to delimit the key string and value string in the tag entry.
Start an entry with the % character to indicate that the specified tag is required. Required tags will always be included as defined in the workload configuration.
Entries that do not begin with the % character are optional. You can remove or modify them in the workload configuration.
Tag names can be up to 512 alphanumeric and Unicode characters. Tag names must not contain the following special characters: less than (<), greater than (>), percent (%), ampersand (&), backslash (\), forward slash (/), question mark (?), and period (.). The names are case insensitive.
Tag values can be up to 256 alphanumeric and Unicode characters. Tag values must not contain the less than (<) character. The values are case insensitive.
If a tag value needs the percent (%) character, you must escape it with a preceding backslash. For example, to set a global Discount tag with a value of 5 percent, your definition needs a backslash only before the % character in the value field:
PlateSpin supports up to 8 Azure tags for a workload. Tags defined in the DefaultCloudTagsAzure parameter will be available automatically in the Workload Configuration page for all migrations to Azure on the PlateSpin Server.
To define global Azure tags on a PlateSpin Server:
Log in as Administrator to the PlateSpin Migrate Web Interface, then open the PlateSpin Server Configuration page at:
https://Your_PlateSpin_Server/PlateSpinConfiguration/
Search to locate the DefaultCloudTagsAzure parameter, then click Edit.
Define up to 8 global Azure tags that you want to make available during configuration of migrations to Azure.
Add each tag definition on a separate line in the following format:
|
Tag Behavior |
Format |
|---|---|
|
Optional |
key |
|
Optional, suggested value |
key%value |
|
Required, user must specify a value |
%key |
|
Required, fixed value |
%key%value |
Save your settings and exit the page.
A reboot or restart of PlateSpin services is not required to apply the changes.
For workload migrations to Azure, you configure Azure tags on the Workload Configuration page. In the Azure Tags field, click Edit Tags to access the dialog where you can configure the tag names and values as appropriate for the workload.
You can specify up to 8 tags for the workload. Global tags are pre-populated automatically. Required global tags with fixed values are applied automatically to the workload and cannot be modified. You must specify a value for a required tag if its value is not fixed. For optional global tags, you can modify the tag name or value, or you can remove them. You can optionally specify other tags, up to the maximum of 8 tags per workload.
You cannot modify tags and values for the workload after a successful full replication occurs. Changes to the global settings for tag names and values will not apply to migrations in this state.
You can use the Azure portal to view Azure tags that Migrate creates for resource groups and resources. See “Portal” in Use Tags to Organize Your Azure Resources in the Microsoft Azure Documentation.
To view all resources with a Migrate-related tag:
Log in to the Azure Portal.
In the sidebar, select All Services, then select General > Tags in the working pane.
(Optional) If you have multiple subscriptions and want to narrow your search, select the appropriate subscription.
In the list of Azure tags, select the Migrate-related tag of interest to view a list of all of the resources with that tag.