Move vms from workstation to esxi

[TheVMinator]

I Have some vms I will create in workstation but later need to run on esxi 5.5 -windows 2008,7,and 2012.  A few years ago I tried this on a vsphere 4 environment and found it couldn't be done though I don't recall the exact problem I ran into.  Can I now create vms under workstation 10 and v2v into vcenter 5.5?  Are there gotchas to look out for?  will windows deactivate after the v2v?

thanks!

[rcporto]

Check if this KB helps: VMware KB: Exporting virtual machines from VMware Workstation to ESX/ESXi

[TheVMinator]

Richardson, thanks for the info.  That is helpful and it does seem that VMware is saying that I should in theory be able to do this.  I can't remember what the hiccup I ran into previously was.

The remaining question I have has to do with Windows activation.  I know that frequently when I have used VMware Converter to move a VM from one vCenter to another, that the Windows OS has deactivated, and I have had to call Microsoft to get a code to allow me to continue using Windows.  I'd like to avoid this if possible.  Is this avoidable when I am going from VMware workstation to ESXi?  Paricularly I am thinking about Windows 2008 and 2012 but also Windows 7.

[vervoortjurgen]

i would use vcenter convertor. (workstation image to infrastructure)  then you don't have the problem of reactivating i think.

i use workstation to test stuff

i always start from scratch if i go to esxi or vcenter

[TheVMinator]

Thanks for reply- My goal is not to have to start from scratch because

these vms take a long time to build. I know vmware converter can cause the

deactivation problem.

On Saturday, July 26, 2014, vervoortjurgen <communities-emailer@vmware.com>

[Texiwill]

Hello,

This is not really a converter problem but a OS issue. What causes deactivation/reactivation requests? Things like generating a new SID on WIndows will do so, so just do not generate a new SID. Then migration should work. Check out all the ways a reactivation will be required and counter them during your migration.

There is one other way to import items from Workstation into ESXi... use a backup tool. Backup the VM, then restore it into another VM running within ESXi. Again be sure you do nothing that would force reactivation.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, 2010, 2011,2012,2013,2014

Author of the books 'VMWare ESX and ESXi in the Enterprise: Planning Deployment Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2011 Pearson Education. 'VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing the Virtual Environment', Copyright 2009 Pearson Education.

Virtualization and Cloud Security Analyst: The Virtualization Practice, LLC -- vSphere Upgrade Saga -- Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast