Converter-cli.exe: Only VMware Consolidated Backup sources are allowed at the moment

[eableson]

Can someone from VMware shed some light on this message? I'm trying to do some basic automation of VM deployments via the VMware Converter to ESXi servers. Currently running the 4.0.1 Standalone Converter with some very basic machines.

command line used:

converter-cli -s e:\p2vxml\dns01.xml

where dns01.xml contains:

All based on the examples in the documentation. Adding a spectype attribute generates another erro (expected "=")

So the situation resumes to two questions :

1. Is there any way to convince VMware Converter Standalone 4.0 to P2V a Workstation VM at the command line to ESXi and/or

2. What's the best way to automate/script the deployment of a Workstation VM (or a manual copy of an ESX VM) to ESXi?

[IamTHEvilONE]

eableson,

First of all, there is no command line with Converter 4 Standalone. If you are using vCenter 2.5 or 4.0, there is a command line option. Lets just make sure we are talking about the right thing first.

When you do the command line for either of the vCenter Plugins (converter-tool.exe) the full command line needs to be:

converter-tool --vcHost EvilOne

VMware vExpert 2009

NOTE: If your problem or questions has been resolved, please mark this thread as answered and award points accordingly.

[eableson]

Hmm - then there would appear to be a massive disconnect in the online documentation.

converter-cli.exe (found in c:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\) notes the following options : (--help)

-s arg P2VInput or P2VPostProcess

Submit a conversion or post-processing-only

task to the Converter Server for asynchronous

execution by the Server. Input should be an xml

file of the form given by p2v.xsd or p2vPostProces

s.xsd for conversion or post-processing-only

tasks, respectively. If successful then the

output will be the numeric "task-id".

This executable appears to be the replacement for the p2vtool found in earlier versions.

Using the other arguments such as -t arg task-id

Query the current status of the a given task.

If successful then the output will be the task

status in xml format of the form specified by

P2VStatus.xsd.

-l List all tasks queued, running, or recently

completed on the Converter Server. If successful

then the output will be the list of task-id's in

xml format of the form specified by P2VTaskList.xsd.

shows clearly that this utility is communicating with the local instance of the VMware vCenter Converter Server service. The data returned represents exactly what is displayed in the graphic interface.

So clearly there is a command line interface to sending and retrieving information from the Converter Server Service even with the Standalone version.

Complete output of the --help command attached for reference.

[IamTHEvilONE]

Can you provide the URL where you got the documentation from?

The current guide is: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/converter_standalone_guide401.pdf

In the current guide, there is no reference to the converter-cli.exe nor any command line references. I downloaded a fresh copy of build 161434, and do not have the file in my directory (listing attached).

This makes me wonder where the install came from.

Regards,

EvilOne

VMware vExpert 2009

NOTE: If your problem or questions has been resolved, please mark this thread as answered and award points accordingly.

[eableson]

This is a fresh installation from sources downloaded directly from VMware this morning. Running exactly the same build (161434)

The documentation is the output of the --help argument against converter-cli.exe binary.

md5 VMware-converter-4.0.1-161434.exe

MD5 (VMware-converter-4.0.1-161434.exe) = 35f22a3b40b114d70cdbda2d5056c10f - which matches the md5 checksum given on the download page. (https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/p/activate.php?p=converter)

I'd go back and check your Program Files folder :

Répertoire de C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone

07/08/2009 14:32 apps

17/04/2009 20:56 204 cli-server-conn.xml

17/04/2009 20:43 4 049 456 converter-agent-linux.dll

17/04/2009 20:43 1 423 920 converter-agent.dll

17/04/2009 20:56 1 169 968 converter-cli.exe <<<<<<<<<<<<<

17/04/2009 20:56 160 converter-cli.xml

07/08/2009 10:45 1 942 converter-client.xml

17/04/2009 20:59 98 111 488 converter-helper-vm-x64.iso

17/04/2009 20:59 97 964 032 converter-helper-vm.iso

17/04/2009 20:55 1 829 424 converter-logic.dll

Note that the VMware PDF file documentation addresses the core feature set and often omits overly specific use cases that are (admittedly) edge cases use scenarios. I'm sure that the number of people using the command line interfaces to the Converter represent a miniscule subset of the people that use the tool. Given the cost of producing quality documentation it doesn't surprise me in the least that there is no longer a section concerning the cli interface as for most users P2V is a one-time deal that is rarely automated.

The lack of specific command documentation doesn't mean the feature's not there

[sajithr]

Run "vcb2p2vXml.exe --help" first.