VMware Cloud Community
shtodd
Contributor
Contributor

converter firewall/ports. which need opening?

I am unable to run VMWare Converter properly on a DMZ because on the screen where you connect to the machine being virtualized, I get an error message saying that the computer I am trying to virtualize is either down or firewalled.

Are there any specific ports that I need to open to make the VMWare Converter work properly and get my virtualization done?

Thanks a lot for your help and input.

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6 Replies
admin
Immortal
Immortal

You need to open 139 and 445 between the source and Converter.

If you are sending to ESX you will also need port 902

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

These are the standard Windows Named Pipes ports.

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tung717
Contributor
Contributor

just to add on to this question the 2 ports does that need to be open on both servers?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Yes, between the source machine and the destination.

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Langly
Contributor
Contributor

I know this is a dated post, but I stumbled upon it while looking for what ports the VMware Converter 4 needs for P2V. I had a box in a DMZ with limited access and it took entirely too long to find a good hit. Hopefully this helps some other sysadmins out there. -Langly

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=1010056&sliceId=1

Required VMware vCenter Converter ports

KB Article

1010056

Updated

*May

22,

2009*

|

|

|

Products

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VMware vCenter Converter

VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

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Product Versions

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VMware vCenter Converter 4.0.x

VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 4.0.x

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Symptoms

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You may receive the following errors, that can indicate blocked ports:

</div>

  • Unable to contact the specified host

  • The host is not available, there is a network configuration problem, or the management services on the host are not responding

  • Failed to connect to peer

  • Error: Failed to connect to server

  • The operation failed

  • Incorrect user credentials

  • Unable to SSH to the source machine

  • Please check if a firewall is blocking access to the SSH daemon on the source machine

  • Failed to clone the volume

  • Unable to connect

  • FAILED: The request refers to an unexpected or unknown type

  • Failed to connect ISO image to remote VM

  • FAILED: unable to obtain the IP address of the helper virtual machine

  • ssh: Could not resolve hostname

  • Name or service not known

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Purpose

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| This article describes the ports required to be open for VMware vCenter Converter. Following the article and ensuring the ports are open ensures that common firewall configurations in your environment are compatible with Converter.

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Resolution

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<div> VMware vCenter Converter fails if one or more required ports are blocked. Follow the section that matches your conversion scenario.

</div>

<div>

</div>

<div> In this article, the following terms are used:

</div>

<div>

</div>

<div>

Source computer

The physical or virtual machine that is being converted.

Converter server

The server portion of VMware vCenter Converter. In a typical installation, both the Converter server and Converter client are installed at the same location. By default, this is the installation method that is used.

Converter client

The client portion of VMware vCenter Converter. In a custom installation, the Converter client can be installed to a different computer than the Converter server.

VirtualCenter

The VirtualCenter computer that is being used as the conversion destination, if such was chosen.

ESX

The VMware ESX host that is being used as the conversion destination, if one is chosen, or the ESX host that is hosting the target virtual machine.

Fileshare path

The path to a virtual machine's .vmx file, if the source is an existing or standalone virtual machine, or the path to a directory if the destination is to be a standalone virtual machine.

Standalone virtual machine

A virtual machine that is being managed by a VMware product other than VMware ESX.

Helper virtual machine

When converting a powered on Linux operating system (P2V), this is the target virtual machine that is being used temporarily for the purpose of copying files from the source computer. It uses the TCP/IP information that is entered in the Converter wizard for the target virtual machine. Make sure that this IP address can communicate directly with the source computer.




Notes:

</div>

  • If you perform a corrective action, determine if the problems initially encountered are still being experienced.

  • To test port connectivity, do so from a command or shell prompt. For more information, see Opening a command or shell prompt (1003892).

  • To test TCP port connectivity use the telnet command. For more information, see Testing port connectivity with the Telnet command (1003487).

  • To test UDP port connectivity from Linux or MacOS use the traceroute command. For more information, see a traceroute man page.

  • To test UDP port connectivity from Windows use the Portqry utility. For more information, see Microsoft KB 310099.
    Note:
    These links were correct as of March 15, 2009. If you find a link is
    broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Converting a powered on Windows operating system (P2V)

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Source|

Destination|

TCP Ports|

UDP Ports|

Notes</div> |

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>Source computer</div>

<div>445, 139, 9089</div>

<div>137, 138</div>

<div>If the source computer uses NetBIOS, port 445 is not required. If NetBIOS is not being used, ports 137, 138, and 139 are not required. If in doubt, make sure that none of the ports are blocked. </div> <div>Note: Unless you have installed Converter server to the source computer, the account used for authentication to the source computer must have a password, the source computer must have network file sharing enabled, and it cannot be using Simple File Sharing.</div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>VirtualCenter</div>

<div>443</div>

<div>Only required if the conversion target is VirtualCenter.</div>

<div>Converter client</div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>443</div>

<div>Only required if a custom installation was performed and the Converter server and client portions are on different computers.</div>

<div>Source computer</div>

<div>ESX</div>

<div>443, 902</div>

<div>If the conversion target is VirtualCenter then only port 902 is required.</div>

</div>

Converting a powered on Linux operating system (P2V)

|

Source|

Destination|

TCP Ports|

Notes</div> |

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>Source computer</div>

<div>22</div>

<div>The Converter server must be able to establish an SSH connection with the source computer.</div>

<div>Converter client</div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>443</div>

<div><div>Only required if a custom installation was performed and the Converter server and client portions are on different computers.</div> </div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>VirtualCenter</div>

<div>443</div>

<div><div>Only required if the conversion target is VirtualCenter.</div> </div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>ESX</div>

<div>443, 902, 903</div>

<div><div>If the conversion target is VirtualCenter, only ports 902 and 903 are required.</div> </div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>Helper virtual machine</div>

<div>443</div>

<div>Helper virtual machine</div>

<div>Source computer</div>

<div>22</div>

<div>The helper virtual machine must be able to establish an SSH connection with the source computer. By default the helper virtual machine gets its IP address assigned by DHCP. If there is no DHCP server available on the network chosen for the target virtual machine you must manually assign it an IP address.</div>

</div>

Converting an existing virtual machine (V2V)

|

Source|

Destination|

TCP Ports|

UDP Ports|

Notes</div> |

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>Fileshare path</div>

<div>445, 139</div>

<div>137, 138</div>

<div>This is only required for standalone virtual machine sources or destinations. </div> <div>If the computer hosting the source or destination path uses NetBIOS, port 445 is not required. If NetBIOS is not being used, ports 137, 138, and 139 are not required. If in doubt, make sure that none of the ports are blocked. </div>

<div>Converter client</div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>443</div>

<div><div>Only required if a custom installation was performed and the Converter server and client portions are on different computers.</div> </div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>VirtualCenter</div>

<div>443</div>

<div><div>Only required if the target is VirtualCenter.</div> </div>

<div>Converter server</div>

<div>ESX</div>

<div>443, 902</div>

<div>If the conversion target is VirtualCenter, only port 902 is required.</div>

</div>

|

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

Are there any specific ports that I need to open to make the VMWare Converter work properly and get my virtualization done?

See also on: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/converter_standalone_guide401.pdf (page 24)

Andre

**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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