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xSurfup
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How to P2V Using RDM ...

Hi all,

A customer needs to P2V about 10 servers and they want to use RDM. I used VMware vConverter for P2V but stricly using VMDK format. And I don't know much about RDM so I will ask a few questions:

1. Is there a tool that can do P2V output to RDM?

Example: Let say a physical server has 3 partitions (C:\, D:\ and E:\ drives). The C:\ partition has Win2K8 OS. The D:\ and E:\ drive are data. What's my option:

  • Can I used a tool (or other method) to P2V a whole physcial servers (all 3 parttions) to a single RDM LUN. Or, do I need 3 separate LUNs - one for each partition.
  • Or, I need to P2V the C:\ partition that contain the Win2K8 OS using vConverter. After the P2V done and power up the VM, I can mapped the pre-created RDM LUNs and copy the d:\ and E:\ data manually?

2. Also, if I used VM with RDMs in vSphere 5. Is any features such as vMotion, HA and RDS support VM's with RDM? Any documents support is greatly appreciated.

Also, is any one have a quick comparison between advantage/disadvantage using VMDK vs. RDM that would be useful. Thanks.

Cheers,

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weinstein5
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Welcome to the Community -

1) I do not know of a tool that will allow you to P2V to an RDM - I am assuming the 2 data drives on the physical machine are internal - if they it will have to be a 4 step process - P2V the server  - add 2 new RDMs to the server and copy the data from the two data disks to the RDMs - shut down the VM and remove the two data VMDKs - restart the VM and insure the RDM drive letters are assigned approiately. You will be able to creat seperate disks for each partition as part of the P2V process

2) As long as the hosts can see the RDMs and the LUNs where the data is stored you will have no problems with vMotion, DRS or HA

With vSphere 5 and better integration with storage vendors the big adavnatage of using SAN management tools is no longer as critical - your will need RDMs if you are planning to set up MSCS clusters -

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xSurfup
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Thanks for the info and much appreciated. I still searching for the VMware official document that stated they support vMotion, HA/DRS for VM's with RDM either physical/virtual or both?

Cheers,

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weinstein5
Immortal
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As I recall you will not be able vMotion a physical RDM so that means DRS will not work either as it is use vMotion - HA should since it is a restarting of the VM so as long as the host can see the LUN the VM will restart -

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