Clone Domain Controller to ESX 3.0

[joost1981]

We are trying to create a test environment that is exactly the same as the production environment. To establish this i want to clone my physical domain controller to a virtual domain controller.

As i have read there are a few options. The hot clone option (Converter 3.0) is one, this does not work for us. After cloning the machine is does boot but the SYSVOL directory with all content is empty. Is this a known issue. Does the hot clone function have trouble with cloning a AD Database?

The second option is the cold clone. After bringing down one of my Domain Controllers and booting it with Converter 3.0 i get this message "unable to determine operating system". The physical machine is a Dell PowerEdge 1750.

My third option is of course creating a ghost image (or anything similar to ghost).

We would like to be able to clone our production Domain Controller at any time (during work hours) to the test-environment. So the hot clone option would be preferred.

Any other ideas are welcome.

Thanks in advance...

[mikefoley]

This question comes up about every two weeks.

It's possible and you can hunt thru the forum for the answers, but it's probably

a LOT easier to build a NEW domain controller on the ESX server and promote that and then retire existing domain controller.

I did that and it worked quite well.

[joost1981]

I have hunted the forums. The reason why I posted this question is that it is a little different from the others in the forum.

I want to clone my production DC. I has to be an EXACT copy of the original one. The reason why I want to do this is to create a 'real' test environment.

To build a new domain controller is not an option for us.

I have imported a Ghost image of our production DC into the test environment, after converting it we now have an exact copy.

When I try the same with Vmware Converter the complete SYSVOL directory is left empty.

[esiebert7625]

The SYSVOL is essentially a bunch of text files which are scripts and group policies, they should not be locked by any process and shoudl copy OK. Did you try shutting down the FRS service prior to converting the server hot? Also are you re-sizing the drives when converting? If you are this triggers a different type of copy process, basically a file by file copy instead of a block by block copy. Are you logged in as a domain admin when you run Converter?

Also having two copies of a domain controller running can be dangerous. Are your production and test environment isolated from each other?

Have you tried just doing a clone in VC to create a mirror image of the DC? Alternately you can just copy the vmdk file to another directory and create a new VM and tell it to use the copy of the vmdk file.

[violet68]

I recently migrated a DC using cold boot CD with Ghost 8.

It was OK for me.

Search for Ultimate P2V CD

[john_pooser]

I use Symantec BackupExec System Recovery 6.5. Great Success!

[joost1981]

The SYSVOL is essentially a bunch of text files which

are scripts and group policies, they should not be

locked by any process and shoudl copy OK. Did you try

shutting down the FRS service prior to converting the

server hot? Also are you re-sizing the drives when

converting? If you are this triggers a different type

of copy process, basically a file by file copy

instead of a block by block copy. Are you logged in

as a domain admin when you run Converter?

Also having two copies of a domain controller running

can be dangerous. Are your production and test

environment isolated from each other?

Have you tried just doing a clone in VC to create a

mirror image of the DC? Alternately you can just copy

the vmdk file to another directory and create a new

VM and tell it to use the copy of the vmdk file.

Shutting down the FRS Service wasn't a succes. I'm resizing the disk, so this could be an issue!! We are aware of the danger, of course our environments are isolated.

I cannot clone de DC because it is a physical machine...

Thankx for your help, I will try again, and then not to resize the disk.

[esiebert7625 · Accepted solution]

Re-sizing triggers a different copy method, a file by file copy instead of a block by block copy so it may work better without re-sizing.

You can always just shut the VM down, use WinSCP to copy the vmdk file to another ESX server and use vmkfstools -i to import it and then register a new VM and tell it to use the existing disk.

[joost1981]

Re-sizing triggers a different copy method, a file by

file copy instead of a block by block copy so it may

work better without re-sizing.

After using Vmware converter without resizing the disk, the DC is functioning properly. Thankx....

You can always just shut the VM down, use WinSCP to

copy the vmdk file to another ESX server and use

vmkfstools -i to import it and then register a new VM

and tell it to use the existing disk.

This is not an option because it is a physical machine....

[hdware]

Hi

I have PM'd you. I fully understand why you want to do this. I think there are alot of people out there who when their DC fails will think that the VM image they have created with converter will work fine, They will be in for a long night.

also very difficult to copy sysvol unless you use a forensic tool such as encase or FTK.

drop me a line and we can discuss

Jonathan