Advice on install placement of vmware converter

[jungsberg]

I’m currently looking at converting around 10 guests (all windows) from a Vmware 1.3 server in one site to ESX 3.5

in another site. The sites are connected via a vpn-tunnel (100 mbit)

My plan is to shutdown the servers, start the conversion and wait...

I am a bit confused to where I should install the converter to achive the highest conversion speed.

I do not want to install beta software on the production server, so this must be done on

a separate computer in either site.

So, my question is:

Should I install Vmware Converter at the site next to the vmware server or install Vmware Converter

next to the Vmware ESX-server (and storage)

Kind Regards

Torben Jungsberg

[continuum]

10 VMs over a 100 mbit tunnel ?

Sure ?

I'd get a large USB-disk - prepare the VMs locally on the first site and then go to the ESX-site and load them up there via FastSCP.

Then you get a predictable timing.

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[jungsberg]

Yeah, that's one idea, but what do you mean by preparing them locally ? I see no option in the converter to convert them to esx 3.5 vmdk-files.

I could copy them to the USB-drive, go to the esx-site and use the converter locally there.

But where does FastSCP fit in ?

Kind Regards

Torben Jungsberg

[continuum · Accepted solution]

FastSCP is a fast way to upload files to ESX.

Trilead VMexplorer is a fast way to upload to ESXi.

Your VMserver2 has a tool named vmware-vdiskmanager.

it can convert VMserver-vmdks into ESX-compatible vmdk-files.

This means that VMs that already use SCSI-disks do NOT need to be tortured by the unreliable Converter.

You only need to run those VM through Converter that use IDE-disks.

Oops - I just see you use VMserver1 - the vmware-vdiskmanager included there can't convert to ESX-compatible vmdks.

But any recent Workstation or VMserver 2 can ...

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description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[jungsberg]

Great to hear, I would prefer not to use vmware converter at all, just thought it was the easiest step.

I'll do a testrun with vmware server 2.0, see what options are available with the guests.

Kind Regards

Torben Jungsberg