Migrate existing 10.6 Server to a VM?

[lerker]

I have a 10.6.x physical server that I would  like to convert to a vm so I could host the existing services in a a virtual environment that will be running on Apple hardware...

Is it possible to migrate a "real" Mac server to a vm?

If so, any links/documentation etc appreciated.

Here is what I have tried so far:

Boot existing server in Target Disk Mode attached to the VM Host Server.

Create a disc image of the physical server (I have 2 disc images, one "Create image", then I duped this, renamed and "Scanned for restore")

Create a new virtual machine > "continue without disc" > create custom virtual machine

I can select my dmg, but I am unable to boot from either dmg (the scanned image or the unscanned image)

Thanks in advance

[Mikero]

Short answer: No.

We don't have the ability to P2V Mac OS at this time, I apologize.

[WoodyZ]

Is it possible to migrate a "real" Mac server to a vm?

Since I've done it in the past I have to say, Yes absolutely it's possible!  It can be done almost just like any other OS X Server P2P scenario albeit in this case it will be DMG2V since you already have an Image that has been scanned for restore.

Create a Mac OS X Server Virtual Machine and then mount the virtual hard disk with VMDKMounter and then restore the DMG to the virtual hard disk using either Disk Utility in OS X, Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDupre!.  Once finished unmount the virtual hard disk and then run the Virtual Machine.

Caveats:

If your Mac OS Host is running the 64-bit kernel you will need to either boot the 32-bit kernel in order to use VMDKMounter using the MacFUSE installed by VMware Fusion or if you want to use the 64-bit kernel you'll need to install a 64-bit version of MacFUSE.  Note that this is an unofficial version however it does work and the usual caveats for using unofficial software apply.  BTW MacFUSE is required for VMDKMounter to mount supported filesystems on .vmdk files.

The default size of the virtual hard disk created by the OS X Server Virtual Machine is 40GB and if this is not enough you'll need to first enlarge it via the Hard Disk Settings and them mount it with VMDKMounter and then use Disk Utility in OS X to delete the existing partition and add a new partition as you cannot just resize the 40GB partition in Disk Utility in this case use.

If you intend to continue to run the Physical Mac OS X Server along with the OS X Server Virtual Machine you will need to have a proper license for both installs.

Also note that depending on the versions of VMware Fusion and OS X Server you may need to add the following parameter to the .vmx configuration file.

efi.use64 = "TRUE"

Message was edited by: WoodyZ - Added .vmx parameter.

[Mikero]

While it's possible, it's not supported, and may have unexpected results.   We don't provide a direct P2V utility for Mac OS the same way we do with Windows (which is supported).

[WoodyZ]

While it's possible, it's not supported, and may have unexpected results.

1. Not supported does not necessarily mean it will not work!  Also while you may want to say it's not supported nonetheless since it can be done with the tools provided just with VMware Fusion and OS X alone, then by default it's supported even if VMware doesn't want to officially bless the method used!

2. I have not experienced any unexpected results using Industry Standard Methods involving Disk Imaging and Restoring a Mac OS X Server DMG Image to an OS X Server Virtual Machine.  That said, since I've been imaging Physical OS X Systems (both Client and Server) for many years now using all the normal methods available and without any issues then if I could not apply the same methodologies doing P2V with supported versions of OS X Server then I would have to consider it totally a shortcoming on VMware's part not OS X or the methodologies used!

We don't provide a direct P2V utility for Mac OS the same way we do with Windows (which is supported).

The OP wasn't asking for a P2V utility and was asking Is it possible to migrate a "real" Mac server to a vm?, and it is!

[Mikero]

As always, thank you Woody for your breadth and depth of knowledge and experience.