Setting up Final Synchronization and Shutdown Hours after completion

[ChrisSanchez]

When setting up the scheduled sychronization with the latest VMware Converter standalone, can it be configured to sync hours after the conversion? And when this is setup will the post-conversion settings, such as powering off the VM and installing VMware tools take place as part of the scheduled synchronization time or will it still perform these tasks when the actual conversion completes?

reason being is, I am converting a file server and have a very limited time window for down time. I would like to hot-clone it and have the final synchronization scheduled during my time window, to synchronize, then shutdown the source machine.

If anyone has done this and knows exactly how it would work please let me know.

Thanks!!

[arturka]

Hi

As far as I know VMware converter does not support scheduled final synchronization. It does final synchro immediately after initial migration. I you want to make incremental and final synchro at specific time you should give a try with Platespin Migrate or DoubleTake Move, both are payed software but you can obtain trail license (time limited) and migrate your machine

Cheers
Artur

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[ivivanov]

The new 5.0 Converter supports it. Yes, you can schedule the final synchronization for an arbitrary time after the initial cloning completes. You can schedule multiple incremental synchronizations (one at a time), but just one final. After the final synchronization you cannot schedule any more synchronizations. And yes, all post-conversion tasks (powering off/on source/target, installing tools, etc) will be performed during the final synchronization only.

You have also the option to shutdown some critical source services before the final synchronization in order to stop them from generating changes (e. g. database servers, HTTP servers hosting forums) - this will guarantee there will be no critical changes on the source during the time of the final synchronization and no data lost will occur.

[arturka]

Hi

can you provide more detail how to schedule final sync in VMware converter standalone version 5, please ? Cause I can't find that option in GUI.

Maybe as a target has to be vSphere 5 ?

Cheers
Artur

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

[ivivanov · Accepted solution]

Well, you can look at the Converter User's guide at https://www.vmware.com/pdf/convsa_50_guide.pdf, on page 68 look for "Synchronize the Destination Machine with Changes Made to the Source Machine" title. I am also attaching a screenshot of the Advanced options in Converter GUI Wizard. When you select to perform synchronization, you have the option to run it immediately after the initial cloning, or to schedule it at a specific time. You can also select whether to perform a final synchronization or an intermediate synchronization.

Keep in mind that scheduling and multiple incremental synchronizations have a limitation - the target needs to be a VC server or ESX version 4.0 and above. Converting to Workstation or ESX 3.5 does not allow scheduling synchronizations (however one immediate final synchronization is possible).

[ivivanov]

Hm, your screenshot is not of Converter 5 client. This is the old dialog layout. If synchronization is not possible, the controls are grayed, but still the layout is different and is displaying all options...

[arturka]

Hi

True, my mistake, I just logged in to wrong server :smileyplain:

Artur

[Fedek100]

hi

i have the same problem, i don't know why but syncronization is not working in converter 5 : there is the tab but i can't choose schedulation

any suggestions?

[ivivanov]

Yeah, it is because you have selected Workstation as a destination VM format. Scheduling synchronization only works on vCenter or ESX(i) server 4.0 and above. For older ESX/VC and all Workstation/Fusion/Player only one-time immediate synchronization is supported.

[ivivanov]

Actually looking at your screenshot synchronization *IS* working. Only *SCHEDULING* is not working - for Workstation/Fusion/Player and older ESX/VC you CAN select synchronization, only it is just a single one and it cannot be scheduled for a later time, but run immediately after the initial cloning has completed.

[Fedek100]

Thank you  for answer.  Is  not working  " scheduling" but i try also "immediatly" and the convertation is finisched correctly but syncronization had trouble.

now i'm retrying...

[ivivanov]

What kind of trouble? Generated some error or didn't start at all?

[Fedek100]

Now this is the trouble ...i try to disable syncronization and with the same settings works perfectly...

i'm simply in test with a laptop and a USB disk just to try the sync ...but my final target is with vsphere 5, 2 host, 1 san, 2 nas from which i would import a p2v of  6 server . If the syncronization works i can have minimal downtime.

[Fedek100]

this is the log

[ivivanov]

Hm, the target is not important in this case, the problem seems to be on the source. The error message is descriptive enough - "unable to start changes tracking driver". Converter installs the so called "bitmap driver" which is used to track changes on the source between the last and the current synchronization. The idea is to transfer only changed sectors thus minimizing the synchronization time. Since bitmap driver once started cannot be stopped, it is set to manual start rather than an autostart. The idea is if Converter needs to track changes (synchronization) - it will start the driver on demand if not running. For some reason starting of the bitmap driver failed on your source system (given you are converting "this local machine" it is the machine where Converter Server is installed). The error line in the log is

2011-10-21T22:44:40.684+02:00 [04272 error 'task-10'] WindowsBitmapDriverWrapper::StartBitmapDriver: Unable to start the bitmap driver, error=0, reason=Service control manager error

For some reason the service control manager did not fulfil the request and returned an error, however the error code was 0. Can you have a look at windows event log for more detailed error information about starting the bmdrvr service? Also you can try to open a console and run the following command

sc query bmdrvr

If the information provided seems OK (the driver is installed and is in stopped state) you can try to start it manually with

sc start bmdrvr

If it starts successfully, then you can try to run the conversion with synchronization option once again. If it fails again, any additional info about the reasons of failing to start the service would be helpful (error code/message, event log, etc).

Ivan

[Yared]

Hello-

I am experiencing a similar issue (error logs reads: WindowsBitmapDriverWrapper::StartBitmapDriver: Unable to start the bitmap driver, error=0, reason=Service control manager error).  I confirmed that bmdrvr is running fine, and yet the error persists.  Checked Event Viewer for any information, but nothing relevant was logged.  Any other suggestions?

Thank you for your help.

Yared

[Yared]

I was able to get this working (without synchronization turned on) by uninstalling the Converter, manually deleting the _vm_converter user, reinstalling the converter and running the job again.  However, still unable to convert the powered-on machine with synchronization turned on. I have looked into all the remedies proposed in this thread, but nothing has worked.

Yared

[patanassov]

That's rather a wild guess, but may I suggest you try reinstalling the agent at the source machine. It installs the bitmap driver too. However this will require rebooting. To be on the safe side, deinstall it, reboot, verify the bitmap driver is not installed, and install again. Watch for any errors during installation.

HTH

Plamen

[tdothawk]

Make sure you are using a local account on the source server.

[GerryReed]

Can you perform an intial migration and then run a manual final sync another day?