VMware vCenter Converter 3.0 User guide

User’s Manual

VMware Converter 3

VMware, Inc.

3401 Hillview Ave.

Palo Alto, CA 94304

www.vmware.com

2 VMware, Inc.

User’s Manual

You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on our Web site at:

http://www.vmware.com/support/

The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.

If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to:

docfeedback@vmware.com

6,711,672, 6,725,289, 6,735,601, 6,785,886, 6,789,156, 6,795,966, 6,880,022, 6,944,699, 6,961,806, 6,961,941, 7,069,413,

7,082,598, 7,089,377, 7,111,086, 7,111,145, 7,117,481, 7,149,843, 7,155,558, 7,222,221, 7,260,815, 7,260,820, 7,269,683,

7,275,136, 7,277,998, 7,277,999, 7,278,030, 7,281,102, 7,290,253, and 7,356,679; patents pending.

VMware, the VMware “boxes” logo and design, Virtual SMP and VMotion are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware,

Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United

States and other countries. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

User’s Manual

Revision: 20080508

Item: VMC-ENG-Q208-281

VMware, Inc. 3

Contents

AboutThisBook 7

1 Introduction 9

MigrationwithVMwareConverter 9

VMwareConverterEditions 10

CloningandSystemReconfigurationofPhysicalMachines 11

HotandColdCloning 11

LocalandRemoteCloning 11

CloningModes 14

MigratingExistingVirtualMachinesandSystemImages 15

ConvertingVirtualMachines 15

ConfiguringVirtualMachines 15

ConvertingandExportingVirtualAppliances 15

ManagingTasks 15

NewinConverter3.0.3 16

2 SystemRequirements 17

ApplicationRequirements 17

MemoryRequirementsforColdCloning 18

VirtualMachineandSystemImageRequirements 19

RestoringVCBImagesinConverter 20

SupportedDestinations 21

ConfiguringPermissionsforVirtualCenterUsers 21

LevelofInternationalizationSupport 21

HowConvertingAffectsSettings 22

ChangestoVirtualHardware 22

TCP/IPPortRequirements 23

RemoteHotCloningTroubleshootingTips 23

CommonRequirementsforWindowsOperatingSystems 23

3 InstallingandUninstalling 25

InstallingConverter 25

Uninstalling,Modifying,orRepairing 26

InstallingConvertertoRuninInstall‐LessMode 27

AddingorChanginganEnterpriseLicense 27

PerformingaScriptedInstall 27

4 ConvertingMachines 29

SelectingaConversionProcedure 29

ConvertinginInstall‐LessMode 30

CreatingaSeparateDiskforEachVolume 30

VirtualApplianceOverview 30

StarttheWizardforaConversion 32

SelectaSource 32

SelectaPhysicalMachineSource 32

SelectaVMwareInfrastructureVirtualMachineSource 33

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SelectaVirtualApplianceSource 34

SelectaStandaloneVirtualMachineorBackupImageSource 35

ChooseaDestinationfortheNewVirtualMachine 36

ChooseanESXServerManagedbyVirtualCenterDestination 36

ChooseanESXServerVirtualMachineDestination 37

ChooseanOVFVirtualApplianceDestination 38

ChooseaStandaloneVirtualMachineDestination 39

ChooseaWorkstationVirtualMachine

Destination 40

CustomizeaNewVirtualMachine’sGuestOperatingSystem 40

InstallVMwareTools 41

CustomizetheIdentityoftheNewVirtualMachine 41

RemoveSystemRestoreCheckpoints 42

CompletetheConversionTaskCreation 42

5 UsingtheConverterBootCDforLocalColdCloning 45

ColdCloningandtheConverterBootCD 45

StarttheWizardforaConversion 45

SelectSourceData 46

ChoosingaDestinationforaNewVirtualMachine 47

UnsupportedClusters 47

ChooseaVirtualCenterServerVirtualMachineDestination 47

ChooseanESXServerVirtualMachineDestination 48

ChooseaStandaloneVirtualMachineDestination 48

CustomizeaNewVirtualMachine’sGuestOperatingSystem 49

Install

VMwareTools 49

CustomizetheIdentityoftheNewVirtualMachine 50

RemoveSystemRestoreCheckpoints 51

CompletetheConvertTaskCreation 51

UsingpeTooltoModifytheConverterBootCD 52

6 ConfiguringVMwareVirtualMachines 55

StartingConfiguration 55

SelectaVMwareInfrastructureVirtualMachineasSource 55

SelectaStandaloneVirtualMachineastheSource 56

CustomizingaNewVirtualMachine’sGuestOperatingSystem 56

CompletetheConfiguration 58

7 ManagingTasks 59

MultipleTasks 59

TaskView 59

TaskList 59

Toolbar 60

DetailsView 61

SummaryTab 61

TaskProgressTab 61

StartingandCancelingTasks 61

ForceaQueuedTasktoRun 62

CancelaTask 62

DeleteaTask 62

LookingatProgressandtheLogs 62

ViewaTask’sProgress 62

ExportandViewtheLog 63

EditingTasks 63

EditaTask 63

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Contents

EditaFailedTask 64

ManagingHowTasksRun 64

ControltheNumberofTasksRunningConcurrently 64

ChangetheRunOrder 64

ChangetheNumberofTasksDisplayedintheTaskList 65

ChangeWhichTasksAreDisplayedintheTaskList 65

Appendix:Migrationwithp2vToolCommand‐LineInterface 67

UsingtheExperimentalp2vToolCommand‐LineInterface 67

SyntaxandOptions 67

SourceMachinesandDestinationMachines 69

RestoringVCBImages 69

MigrationXMLInputFileExamples 70

‐q[‐‐query]OptionXMLOutputFileExample 74

VCBRestoreXMLInputFileExamples 75

OVFXMLOutputFileExamples 76

Glossary 79

Index 85

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6 VMware, Inc.

VMware, Inc. 7

Thisbook,theVMwareConverterUser’sManual,providesinformationaboutinstallingandusing

VMware™ Converter.

Intended Audience

Thisbookisintendedforanyonewhoneedstoinstall,upgrade,oruseVMwareConverter.VMware Converter

userstypicallyincludepeoplewhodosoftwaredevelopmentandtestingorworkwithmultipleoperating

systemsorcomputingenvironments:softwaredevelopers,QAengineers,trainers,salespeoplewhorun

demos,andanyonewhowantstocreatevirtual

machines.Anothersetofusersincludesanyonewhoneedsto

non‐intrusivelycopyandtransformphysicalsystemsintoVMwarevirtualmachines,eitherlocallyor

remotely.

Document Feedback

VMwarewelcomesyoursuggestionsforimprovingourdocumentation.Ifyouhavecomments,sendyour

feedbackto:

[email protected]

Technical Support and Education Resources

Thefollowingsectionsdescribethetechnicalsupportresourcesavailabletoyou.Toaccessthecurrentversions

ofthisbookandotherbooks,goto:

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.

Online and Telephone Support

Useonlinesupporttosubmittechnicalsupportrequests,viewyourproductandcontractinformation,and

registeryourproducts.Goto:

http://www.vmware.com/support

Customerswithappropriatesupportcontractsshouldusetelephonesupportforthefastestresponseon

priority1issues.Goto:

http://www.vmware.com/support/phone_support.html

Support Offerings

FindouthowVMwaresupportofferingscanhelpmeetyourbusinessneeds.Goto:

http://www.vmware.com/support/services

About This Book

User’s Manual

8 VMware, Inc.

VMware Education Services

VMwarecoursesofferextensivehands‐onlabs,casestudyexamples,andcoursematerialsdesignedtobeused

ason‐the‐jobreferencetools.FormoreinformationaboutVMwareEducationServices,goto:

http://mylearn1.vmware.com/mgrreg/index.cfm

VMware, Inc. 9

1

VMwareConverterprovidesascalablesolutiontomigratephysicaltovirtualandvirtualtovirtualmachines.

Converterisoptimizedformassmigrations,butisequallyeffectiveforsingle‐machineconversions.Converter

importsvirtualmachinesfaster,withfewermanualstepsrequired,andfewersourcehardwarelimitations

thanothermethods.Withitsability

tohotclone,Convertercanconvertavirtualmachinewithnodowntime

onitssourcephysicalmachine.

ConvertercombinesandexpandsthefunctionalityavailableinVMwareP2VAssistantandVirtual Machine

Importer.IteasesinteroperabilityamongVMwarehostedproducts(VMware Workstation,VMware ACE,

VMware Fusion,VMware Server,andVMware Player), VMwareVirtualCenter‐managed

ESX Server3.xand2.5.x,

andunmanagedVMwareESX Server3.x,andVMwareESXServer3i Installableand

VMware ESXServer3iEmbedded.ItalsorestoresVMwareConsolidatedBackup(VCB)imagesintoVMware

virtualmachines.

Thischapterincludesthefollowingsections:

 “MigrationwithVMwareConverter”onpage 9

 “CloningandSystemReconfigurationofPhysicalMachines”onpage 11

 “MigratingExistingVirtualMachinesandSystemImages”onpage 15

 “ManagingTasks”onpage 15

 “NewinConverter3.0.3”onpage 16

Migration with VMware Converter

WithVMwareConverter,youconvertvirtualmachinesfromdifferentsourceformatsintooneofseveral

VMwareproductdestinations.Usetheapplicationtoaccomplishthefollowingtasks:

 ConvertphysicalmachinesforuseacrossdifferentVMwareproductformats.

 ConvertvirtualmachinesforuseacrossdifferentVMwareproductformats.

 MovevirtualmachinesacrossdifferentVMwareproductplatforms.

 ImportandexportofvirtualappliancesfromalocalfilesystemordownloadthemfromaURL

 CreateVMwarevirtualmachinesfromVCBimages.

 CreateVMwarevirtualmachinesfromthird‐partyformats.

 Reducethetimeneededtopopulatenewvirtualmachineenvironments.

 Migratelegacyserverstonewhardwarewithnoneedtoreinstalloperatingsystemsorapplication

software.

 Performmigrationsacrossheterogeneoushardware.

 Proactivelyreadjustdisksizes,types,andpartitionstomaximizeutilizationofstorageresources.

Introduction

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User’s Manual

10 VMware, Inc.

 Placevolumesonseparatedisksandmigratethedisksacrossindependentdatastores.

 Startandmanagemultipleconcurrentmigrations.

 Viewaudittrails.

Figure 1‐1illustrateshowVMwareConvertercreatesandmigratesVMwarereadyvirtualmachinesfroma

broadrangeofsources.

Figure 1-1. VMware Converter Source and Destination Machines

VMware Converter Editions

VMwareConvertercomesintwoeditions,StarterandEnterprise.

physical

machines

virtual

machines

third-party

images

*.tib

*.vmc

*.sv2i

*.spf

VMware Consolidated Backup images

source destination

VMware

Converter

virtual

machine

Workstation 6

VMware Fusion

VMware Server 2

virtual

machine

Workstation 4

GSX Server

virtual

machine

Workstation 5

VMware Player

VMware Server 1

ESX Server 2.5.x

host

virtual

machine

ESX Server 3.x

host

virtual

machine

VirtualCenter

Server

Table 1-1. Starter and Enterprise Editions Features

VMware Converter Starter VMware Converter Enterprise

Environment DesignedforsinglemigrationstoVMware

productssuchasVMwareInfrastructure3,

VMwarePlayer,VMwareWorkstation,and

VMwareServer.

Designedformultipleconcurrentmigrations

toVMwareInfrastructure3andhosted

products.

License Freedownload. Licensedasapartofasupportand

subscriptioncontractwiththeVMware

VirtualCenter server.

Cloning Localhotcloningto

hostedproducts

(Workstation,VMwarePlayer,GSXServer,

VMwareServer)andESXServer.Remotehot

cloningtohostedproductsonly.

Localhotcloningtohostedproductsand

ESX Server.Remotehotcloningtohosted

productsandESXServer.Loca lcoldcloning

(VMwareConverterBootCD)tohosted

productsandESX Server.

Job Management Singlemigrationat

atime.Setupand

scheduleaconversion.

Multiple,concurrentmigrations.Setupand

scheduleaconversion.

VMware, Inc. 11

Chapter 1 Introduction

Cloning and System Reconfiguration of Physical Machines

Cloningistheprocessofcreatingacloneddisk,wherethecloneddiskisavirtualdiskthatisanexactcopyof

thesourcephysicaldisk.Thisinvolvescopyingthedataonaphysicalsourcemachine’sharddiskand

transferringthatdatatoatargetvirtualdisk(thenewcloned

disk).

Systemreconfigurationistheprocessofadjustingthemigratedoperatingsystemtoenableittofunctionon

virtualhardware.Thisadjustmentisperformedonthetargetvirtualdiskaftercloningandenablesthetarget

virtualdisktofunctionasabootablesystemdiskinavirtualmachine.

Convertercreates

anewVMwarevirtualmachinebasedonasourcephysicalmachine.Themigrationprocess

isnondestructive,soyoucancontinuetousetheoriginalsourcemachine.However,torunaconverted

VMwarevirtualmachineonthesamenetworkasthesourcephysicalmachine,youmustmodifythenetwork

nameandIP

addressononeofthemachines,sothephysicalandvirtualmachinescancoexist.

Hot and Cold Cloning

Convertersupportshotcloningandcoldcloning.Hotcloning,alsocalledlivecloningoronlinecloning,entails

cloningthesourcemachinewhileitisrunningitsoperatingsystem.Coldcloning,alsocalledofflinecloning,

entailscloningthesourcemachinewhenitisnotrunningitsoperatingsystem.Incoldcloning,

theuserreboots

thesourcemachinefromaCDthathasitsownoperatingsystem,fromwhichtheVMware Converter

applicationruns.Coldcloningleavesnofootprintonthesourcemachine.

Local and Remote Cloning

Forlocalcloning,migrationisperformedwithConverterrunningonthesourcemachine.Withremotecloning,

thesourcemachinecanbeaccessedwithouthavingtophysicallytouchit,aslongasitisrunning.

Remote Hot Cloning Workflow

Thefollowingworkflowisanexampleofhotcloning,inwhichthephysicalmachinebeingclonedexperiences

nodowntime.YouusetheConverterwizardtosetupamigrationtaskandVMware Converterautomatically

performsallofthecloningtasks.

N

OTEYoucannotmoveOEMmediabetweenphysicalmachines.Thelicenseisattachedtotheserverwhen

purchasedfromtheOEMandcannotbereassigned.OnlyretailandvolumeLicensescanbereassignedtonew

physicalservers.IfyoumigrateanOEMimage,youneedaWindowsServerEnterpriseorDatacenter Edition

licenseontheESXServertorunmultiplevirtualmachines.

NOTEWhenhotcloningdualbootsystems,youcancloneonlythedefaultoperatingsystemtowhich

boot.inipoints.Toclonethenondefaultoperatingsystem,changeboot.initopointtotheotheroperating

systemandreboot.Afteryouarebootedintotheotheroperatingsystem,youcaninstallConverterandhot

cloneit.

User’s Manual

12 VMware, Inc.

Remote Hot Cloning of a Physical Machine

1Converterpreparesthesourcemachineforaconversion.

Converterinstallstheagentonthesourcemachineandtheagenttakesasnapshotofthesourcevolumes.

2Converterpreparesthevirtualmachineonthedestinationmachine.

Convertercreatesavirtualmachineonthedestinationmachineandtheagentcopiesvolumesfromthe

source

machinetothedestinationmachine.

3Convertercompletestheconversionprocess.

Theagentinstallstherequireddriverstoallowtheoperatingsystemtobootinavirtualmachineand

personalizesthevirtualmachine(forexample,changingtheIPinformation).

agent

VMware Converter running

on Windows machine

running

physical machine

ESX Server

source

destination

network

snapshot

1

2

3

source

volumes

agent

VMware Converter running

on Windows machine

running

physical machine

ESX Server

volumes

source

destination

network

snapshot

3

4

VM

source

volumes

agent

VMware Converter running

on Windows machine

running

physical machine

ESX Serve

r

source

destination

network

65

VM

source

volumes

snapshot

reconfiguration

customization (optional)

VMware, Inc. 13

Chapter 1 Introduction

4Converterremovesalltracesfromthesourcemachine.

Thevirtualmachineisreadytorunonthedestinationmachine.

Local Cold Cloning Workflow

Thefollowingworkflowisanexampleofcoldcloning,inwhichyouclonethesourcemachinewhenitisnot

runningitsoperatingsystem.YousetupamigrationbyusingtheConverterwizardavailableonthe

Converter BootCD.AfteryouboottheConverterBootCDandusetheapplicationon

ittodirectthecourseof

themigration,Converterautomaticallyperformsallofthecloningtasksuntilrebootingthesourcemachineto

returntoitsoriginaloperatingsystem.

Local Cold Cloning of a Physical Machine

1Converterpreparesthesourcemachineimage.

BootthesourcemachinefromtheVMwareConverterBootCDanduseConvertertodefineandstart

the

migration.ConvertercopiesthesourcevolumesintoaRAMdisk.

2Converterpreparesthevirtualmachineonthedestinationmachine.

Convertercreatesavirtualmachineonthedestinationmachineandcopiesvolumesfromthesource

machinetothedestinationmachine.

VMware Converter running

on Windows machine

running

physical machine

source

volumes

ESX Server

source

destination

network

7

VM

Converter

VMware

Converter Boot CD

physical machine

ESX Server

source

destination

network

copy

1

2

3

source

volumes

image in

RAM disk

ESX Serve

r

volumes

source

destination

network

3

4

source

volumes

Converter

VMware

Converter Boot CD

physical machine

image in

RAM disk

VM

User’s Manual

14 VMware, Inc.

3Convertercompletestheconversionprocess.

Converterinstallstherequireddriverstoallowtheoperatingsystemtobootinavirtualmachineand

personalizesthevirtualmachine(forexample,changingtheIPinformation).

4Convertercleansup.

RemovetheBootCDandrebootthesourcephysicalmachinetoreturnittoitsownoperating

system.

Thevirtualmachineisreadytorunonthedestinationmachine

Cloning Modes

Converterimplementstwocloningmodes:disk‐basedcloningandvolume‐basedcloning.

Volume-Based Cloning

Convertersupportsvolume‐basedcloningforhotandcoldcloningandforimportationofexistingvirtual

machines.

Involume‐basedcloning,allvolumesinthedestinationvirtualmachinearebasicvolumes,regardlessofthe

typeinthecorrespondingsourcevolume.File‐levelorblock‐levelvolume‐basedcloningisperformed,

depending

onyoursizeselections:

 Vol um e‐basedfile‐levelcloning–Performedwhenanysizesmallerthantheoriginalisselected.

 Vol um e‐basedblock‐levelcloning–Performedwhenthevolumesizeismaintainedorextended.

Dependingonthecloningmode,sometypesofsourcevolumesmightnotbesupportedasfollows:

 Coldcloning(ConverterBootCD)supportsalltypesofdynamicvolumes,butdoesn’tsupport

Windows NT 4fault‐tolerantvolumes.WindowsNT4withmirroredvolumesissupported.

 VirtualmachineimportingsupportsbasicvolumesandalltypesofdynamicvolumesexceptRAID.It

doesn’tsupportWindows NT 4fault‐tolerantvolumes.WindowsNT4withmirroredvolumesis

supported.Onlymasterbootrecord(MBR)disksaresupported.GUIDpartitiontable(GPT)disksarenot

supported.

 HotcloningsupportsalltypesofsourcevolumesrecognizedbyWindows,exceptWindows NT 4

fault‐tolerantvolumes.WindowsNT4withmirroredvolumesissupported.

ESX Server

source

destination

network

source

volumes

Converter

VMware

Converter Boot CD

physical machine

VM

6

5

reconfiguration

customization

(optional)

image in

RAM disk

5

ESX Server

source

destination

network

source

volumes

VMware

Converter Boot CD

physical machine

7

VM

VMware, Inc. 15

Chapter 1 Introduction

Disk-Based Cloning

Convertersupportsdisk‐basedcloningforcoldcloningandforimportationofexistingvirtualmachines.

Disk‐basedcloningtransfersallsectorsfromalldisks,preservingallvolumemetadata.Thedestinationvirtual

machinereceivesthesamevolumes,ofthesametypeasthoseofthesourcevirtualmachine.Disk‐based

cloningsupports

alltypesofbasicanddynamicdisks.

Migrating Existing Virtual Machines and System Images

WithConverter,youcanmovevirtualmachinesbetweenhostedproducts(productsthatrunasapplications

onphysicalmachineswithoperatingsystems)andmanagedproducts(bare‐metalVMwareproductsthat

provideathinsoftwarelayer(thehypervisor)thatenablesthemtorundirectlyonthephysicalmachine).

Converting Virtual Machines

ConverterletsyoumoveVMwarevirtualmachinesbetweenWorkstation,VMware Player,VMware ACE,

VMwareFusion,ESXServer,ESXServer3iEmbedded,ESXServer3iInstallable,GSX Server,andVMware

Server.ItalsoimportsvirtualmachinesfromMicrosoftVirtual ServerandVirtual PC.

Configuring Virtual Machines

ForVMwarevirtualmachineswhosedisksarepopulatedbyrestoringfromabackupofaphysicalhostorby

someotherdirectmeansofcopying,ConverterpreparestheimagetorunonVMwarevirtualhardware.

Converting and Exporting Virtual Appliances

ConvertersupportsconvertingandexportingvirtualappliancesstoredinOpenVirtual MachineFormat(OVF

andOVA).YoucanimportavirtualappliancetoruninanexistingESXServerorWorkstationvirtualmachine,

oryoucanexportanexistingVMwarevirtualmachinetoanOVFvirtualappliancetoshareoverthenetwork.

Managing Tasks

Converterprovidesataskmanagertomanagemigrationsforasingleconversionorformultiple,concurrent

conversions.AfteryoucreateataskbyusingtheConverterwizardtosetuphowyouwanttoimporta

machine,usetheTaskViewofthemanagertodothefollowing:

 Startorstopaconversion.

 Changetherunorder.

 Forceaqueuedtasktorun.

 Controlthenumberofjobsrunningsimultaneously.

 Filtertheviewofwhattasksaredisplayed.

 Editatask.

 Viewatask’sprogress.

 Cancelatask.

 Editandrestartafailedtask.

 Deleteatask.

 Viewanaudittrail.

User’s Manual

16 VMware, Inc.

New in Converter 3.0.3

Thisreleasesupportsthefollowing:

 MicrosoftVista32‐bitand64‐bitoperatingsystems

 VirtualappliancesinOVFversion0.9

 Migrationofvolumesacrossindependentdatastores

VMware, Inc. 17

2

ThischapterdescribestherequirementstobefulfilledbeforeoperatingConverteranddescribesthe

compatibilitiesandinteroperabilitiesamongthesystemsonwhichandwithwhichitworks.

Thechapterincludesthefollowingsections:

 “ApplicationRequirements”onpage 17

 “MemoryRequirementsforColdCloning”onpage 18

 “VirtualMachineandSystemImageRequirements”onpage 19

 “RestoringVCBImagesinConverter”onpage 20

 “SupportedDestinations”onpage 21

 “ConfiguringPermissionsforVirtualCenterUsers”onpage 21

 “LevelofInternationalizationSupport”onpage 21

 “HowConvertingAffectsSettings”onpage 22

 “ChangestoVirtualHardware”onpage 22

 “TCP/IPPortRequirements”onpage 23

 “RemoteHotCloningTroubleshootingTips”onpage 23

Application Requirements

ConverteranditsagentrunonthefollowingMicrosoftWindowsoperatingsystems:

 Windows NTSP6+(withInternetExplorer5orhigher)

 Windows2000

 Windows200332‐bitand64‐bit

 WindowsXPProfessional32‐bitand64‐bit

 WindowsVista32‐bitand64‐bit

Convertercanruninvirtualmachinesthatusethelistedoperatingsystemsasguestoperatingsystems.

TheVMwareConverterBootCDrunsonitsowncopyofWindowsPreinstallationEnvironment(WinPE).

System Requirements

2

NOTEAlthoughConverteroperatesonWindowsonly,afterthemigration,youcantransferthevirtual

machinetotheVMwaresupportedhostplatformofyourchoice.

User’s Manual

18 VMware, Inc.

ToconfigurevirtualmachinesonWindows2000andWindowsNT,theoperatingsystemmustbe

Windows 2000orWindowsNT,asshowninTable 2‐1.AlthoughConverterallowsconversionofasource

imagewithalateroperatingsystemversionwhenrunningonthesesystems,(forexample,conversionofa

WindowsXP

sourcetoaWindows2000host),Convertercannotreconfiguretheimages.Similarly,when

exportingtoanOVFvirtualappliance,Convertercannotreconfigurethesourceimage.

Converterhasthefollowingspacerequirementsforinstallation:

Memory Requirements for Cold Cloning

ForcoldcloningwiththeConverterBootCD,thesourcephysicalmachinemusthaveatleast264MBof

memory.VMwarerecommends364MBofmemory.Table 2‐2showsthelimitationsplacedoncoldcloningif

youuselessthantherecommendedmemoryrequirement.

Foracoldclone,theVMwareConverterBootCD

canbestartedfrom,andclone,machineswithstorage

controllersandnetworkadaptersthatMicrosoftlistsassupportedinWindows2003.Withthisrequirement

met,ConvertercanclonemachinesrunningoperatingsystemsnotedintheApplicationRequirementssection.

Table 2-1. Operating System Compatibility

Source Machine OS

Compatible OS on the System Running Converter

Windows NT Server

Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows Vista

WindowsNTServer X X X X X

Windows2000 X X X X

WindowsXP X X X

Windows2003 X X X

WindowsVista XX X

Installation Component Value

Installersize 30.1MB

Installedfiles 65MB

Minimumbootdriverequirement

(ifinstalledonbootdrive)

120MB

Minimumbootdriverequirement

(ifinstalledonanotherdrive)

105MB

Table 2-2. Boot CD Cold Cloning Memory Requirements

Source Physical Machine Memory Converter Boot CD

Lessthan264MB Cannotperformacoldclone.

Greaterthanorequalto264MBbutlessthan296MB Canperformacoldclone,butcannotuseaRAMdisk.

Greaterthanorequalto296MBbutlessthan364MB CanperformacoldclonewithaRAMdisk,althoughusing

networkshareissuggested.

TheRAMdisksizeismemory

minus264MB.

Greaterthanorequalto364MB CanperformacoldclonewithaRAMdisk.

TheRAMdisksizeismemoryminus264MB,uptoalimitof

124MB.

VMware, Inc. 19

Chapter 2 System Requirements

Virtual Machine and System Image Requirements

Convertercanconvertthefollowingvirtualmachinetypes:

 Workstation6.x,Workstation5.x,andWorkstation4.x

 VMwareFusion1.x

 ESXServer3.x

 ESXServer3iversion3.5InstallableandESXServer3iversion3.5Embedded

 ESXServer2.5.x(iftheserverismanagedwithVirtualCenter2.x)

 GSXServer3.x

 VMwareServer1.x,

 VirtualCenter2.x

 MicrosoftVirtual PCversion7andlater

 AnyversionofMicrosoftVirtual Server

ConvertercanconvertthefollowingvirtualmachinetypestoOVForOVAvirtualappliances:

 ESXServeroravirtualmachinethatismanagedbyVirtualCenter

 Workstation

Convertercanconvertthefollowingsystemimagetypes:

 VCB

 AcronisTrueImage9

 SymantecBackupExecSystemRecovery(formerlyLiveStateRecovery)6.5and7.0,

LiveStateRecovery3.0and6.0,andNortonGhostversion9.0,10.0,and12.0(.sv2ifiles)

 StorageCraftShadowProtect

Requirements:

 Virtualmachinesmustbepoweredoffbeforeyouconvertthem.Youcannotconvertsuspendedvirtual

machines.

 VirtualmachinesfromMacintoshversionsofVirtual PCarenotsupported.

 TheoperatingsystemonthesourceVirtual PCorVirtual ServervirtualmachinemustbeaWindows

guestoperatingsystemsupportedbytheintendedVMwareplatform(forexample,Workstation 5or6).

SeetheGuestOperatingSystemInstallationGuideforalistofsupportedoperatingsystems.

ConvertersupportsVirtual PCandVirtual Servervirtualmachineswith

mostWindowsoperating

systemsearlierthanWindows NT4.0andwithnon‐Windowsoperatingsystems(forexample,Linuxand

DOS)forcloningonly.Converterdoesnotsupportconfiguringforthesesystems.

 ConvertercanconvertShadowProtectandBackupExecSystemRecoveryimages,withthefollowing

limitations:

 Dynamicdisksarenotsupported.

 Allimagesforthebackupofamachinemustbeinasinglefolderwithnootherimagesplacedthere.

 Forvolume‐basedcloning,allvolumesinthediskuptotheactiveandsystemvolumesmustbe

backedup.Forexample,ifadiskhasfourpartitions,1–4,withpartition2astheactivevolumeand

partition3asthesystemvolume,thebackupmustinclude1through3.

 Forincrementalimages,upto16incrementalbackupsaresupported.

 Imagesofsystemswithlogicaldrivesarenotsupportedifthelogicaldriveisalsoasystemoractive

volume(ShadowProtectonly).

User’s Manual

20 VMware, Inc.

Restoring VCB Images in Converter

VCBenablesyoutobackupentireESXServervirtualmachines,storingthebackupbyusingWorkstation

disks,a.vmxfile,andacatalogfile.ConvertercanrestoreVCBimagesintoESXServers,andconverttheminto

VMwarestandalonevirtualmachines.

ConvertersupportsrestoringVCBimagesofanyguestoperatingsystem

type.Fortheoperatingsystemslisted

in“ApplicationRequirements”onpage 17,Converterenablesyoutoselectandresizevolumesandcustomize

theidentityfortherestoredvirtualmachine.Forallotherguestoperatingsystems,Convertersupportsonly

restoringthedisks.

Converterdoesnotmaintainthe.nvramfile,northeVMwarelog

files.Onlydisksarepreserved.

Converterdoesnotreadtheoriginallocationsettingsfromthecatalogfile.Torestoretothesamelocation,find

informationsuchasdatastore,hostname,foldername,andresourcepoolinthecatalogfileandenteritinthe

Conversionwizard.Inaddition,Converterdoesnot

readtheoriginaldisplaynamefromthecatalogfile.Ifyou

wanttousethesamenameanddon’trememberit,youcanlookitupinthecatalogfile.Youcanreadthe

catalogfileasaplaintextfile.

Information Not Preserved When Using Converter for Managed Product Destinations

Whenrestoringimagesformanagedproductdestinations(ESXServers,forexample),Converterdoesnot

preservecertainhardwarebackinginformationfromtheoriginalimage,butrathersubstitutesdefaultsettings.

Thesearetheaffectedareas:

 CD‐ROM–Defaultstodevicetype:hostdevice.

 Floppy–Defaultstodevicetype:hostdevice.

 Networkadapters–DefaultstothelistofnetworkadaptersintheGUI.TheMACaddressisnot

preserved.Itisregeneratedbythedestinationhost.

 Serialport–Defaultstophysicalserialportondestinationhostmachine.

 Parallelport–Defaultstophysicalparallelportondestinationhostmachine.

Whenrestoringimages,theConverterGUIdoesnotpreservecertainothervirtualmachinepropertiesfrom

theoriginalimage,butsubstitutesdefaultsettings.Theaffectedareasare

 UUID–Thevirtualmachine’sBIOSandlocation,identifiedbyuuid.biosanduuid.location,arenot

preserved,butregeneratedbythehostmachine.

 Diskresourceallocation–Defaultstothevaluesavailableonthehostwhenthevirtualmachineis

created.

Information Not Preserved for Hosted Product Destinations

WhenimportingaVCBimagetoahostedproductdestination(Workstation,forexample),Convertercannot

guaranteethatvirtualmachinepropertiescanbepreserved.ThisisbecauseConverterhandlesthisasanormal

migration,notarestore.

FormoreinformationaboutVCBimages,seetheVirtualMachineBackupGuide.

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VMware vCenter Converter 3.0 User guide

VMware vCenter Converter 3.0 User guide

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