VMware HCX consists of the following key components:
HCX Connector Appliance – This is a ‘HCX Manager’ appliance which is deployed in the ‘source’ datacenter and is the place where you perform all manual configurations, deployments and migrations in the Web UI. Note – It should be placed as close to the vCenter server it will manage and migrate VMs from.
HCX Cloud Appliance – This is another ‘HCX Manager’ instance but it acts as the replication target for migrations.
IX or Interconnect Appliances – There are small footprint virtual appliances deployed automatically when creating what is called a ‘Service Mesh’.
NE or Network Extension Appliances – These are also small appliances deployed in pairs by a Service Mesh that is configured with the ‘Network Extension’ service.
Service Mesh – A Service Mesh can be a source and target IX pairing supporting multiple services like vMotion, Bulk, Replication Assisted vMotion (RAV), Network Extension, DRS, WAN Optimization and more. A service mesh may have both IX and NE appliances or just one type.
vCenter – Each HCX Manager appliance ha a 1:1 relationship with a vCenter, HCX Connector to thje source vCenter and HCX Cloud to the target vCenter.
NSX Manager – The HCX Cloud appliance also connects to a NSX-T clsuter to allow for provisioning of new virtual networks or extension of source networks to host migrated VMs.
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