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10 Replies Last post: Aug 8, 2007 10:26 AM by pdidy  

Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ??? posted: Feb 21, 2007 12:32 PM

Click to view ascheale's profile Enthusiast
ascheale
126 posts since
Jul 6, 2006
1) Domaincontrollers
2) Exchange Servers if you change partition size

What about you?

Regards,
Alex

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

1. Feb 21, 2007 1:09 PM in response to: ascheale
Click to view esiebert7625's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
esiebert7625
6,796 posts since
Oct 23, 2006
Definitely not domain controllers and I'd add any type of database server, SQL, Oracle, etc. You usually run into corruption with databases. With AD you can run into USN rollback problems.

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=390630

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=579234

I've converted at least 50 windows 2000/2003 servers without any major issues, web servers (IIS), app servers (Websphere/Weblogic), other servers with a variety of applications.

Generally if you do not change the partition size you get better results. This is because it performs a block by block disk copy. If you do change the partition size it does a file by file copy instead.

And of course cold cloning is more reliable then hot cloning because the OS is not active during a cold clone.

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

2. Feb 21, 2007 8:33 PM in response to: ascheale
Click to view impensb's profile Expert
impensb
542 posts since
Jun 10, 2004
I agree with a few exceptions. Although have yet to try all of them. So take it for what it's worth.

Cold clone just about anything except domain controllers as long as you do not resize the partitions. You are better of with the DC's to build new and dcpromo.

Hot cloning is good but not for transactional based systems like exchange, or databases or anything that changes data frequently.

Bottom line is you can clone just about anything. Avoid servers that require special hardware, just not a good fit for VM's.

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

3. Feb 21, 2007 8:44 PM in response to: ascheale
Click to view impensb's profile Expert
impensb
542 posts since
Jun 10, 2004
I'd like to amend my answer please... After reading some more posts... (Should have done that first) I would not convert an Oracle server.

Thank you. :)

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

4. Feb 21, 2007 8:45 PM in response to: impensb
Click to view esiebert7625's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
esiebert7625
6,796 posts since
Oct 23, 2006
Yes, some servers are definitely more painful then others. I've put alot of time into some stubborn servers but eventually was able to convert them. It's not always an easy process but it beats completely rebuilding them on a virtual server. It's a great product and not always easy due to all the many different possible software/hardware/OS combinations but it's definitely a time-saver when it comes to converting physical servers.

Yeah I read that Oracle post too, sounds like kryptonite to Converter.....

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

5. Feb 21, 2007 8:48 PM in response to: esiebert7625
Click to view impensb's profile Expert
impensb
542 posts since
Jun 10, 2004
That Oracle post has me nervous. I guess I'm lucky though, we don't have to many Oracle servers around, and the one's we do are not a good fit to be VM's anyway. I'll stay away from that headache...

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

6. Feb 21, 2007 8:56 PM in response to: impensb
Click to view esiebert7625's profile Guru User Moderators vExpert
esiebert7625
6,796 posts since
Oct 23, 2006
Yeah Oracle servers on Windows seem to be big CPU hogs, you almost need to dedicate a physical server to them. We ran Oracle on Windows on a DL580 for a while before migrating it to HP-UX and it was always getting pegged.

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

7. Feb 21, 2007 9:04 PM in response to: esiebert7625
Click to view impensb's profile Expert
impensb
542 posts since
Jun 10, 2004
Tell me about it. We have a few as well, but are an IBM shop. About every three months Oracle.exe goes out to lunch and the box is un-manageable. I was thinking about getting some kind of work load manager software to put on it just to keep it in check. Something like this... Oracle, Pleeeease leave me 5% CPU so I can get on the server and find out what your problem is... Crazy!!!

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

8. Mar 9, 2007 4:45 AM in response to: esiebert7625
Click to view Gord's profile Novice
Gord
23 posts since
Jun 21, 2006
Oracle Post - In regards to this post, we have a number of Oracle servers as well and was wondering if you can point me to where is can be found

Re: Your experiences - what machines should NOT be converted ???

10. Aug 8, 2007 10:26 AM in response to: ascheale
Click to view pdidy's profile Enthusiast
pdidy
49 posts since
Jun 29, 2006
I have a prod. env. in ESX with all DCs. 3 forests and about 4 domains. All I want to do is using convert to copy the DCs over to another network and then configure them for this network. I have already converted/copied over the DC for the forest root and plan on moving the other servers soon. All will have the same names, just different IPs. Would there be a problem with replication and such if I do this. Remember I will be changing all IP addresses and this will be on an isolated network.

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