Move/copy VM from ESX 3.0 to ESXi 5.0 using vcenter converter 5.0

[iahmed123]

Hi ,

Can I use  vcenter converter 5.0 to copy VM from ESX 3.0 to ESXi 5.0 ?

ESX 3.0  and ESXi 5.0 are on different storages(SAN).  So

1) what file and disks should I copy using converter and how do I import that in the ESXi 5.0 datastore?

2) Since ESX 3.0 have VMFS 3 , does the ESXi 5 data store recognize VMFS 3.0 disks without any issues

3) Is it possible to increase the size of the vmdk file of an VM after migrating to ESXi 5.0

4) Or Is their any better approach to migrate the VM's from esx 3 to esxi 5.0.

Regards

ahmed

[vmroyale]

Hello and welcome to the communities.

Can I use  vcenter converter 5.0 to copy VM from ESX 3.0 to ESXi 5.0 ?

Yes.

1) what file and disks should I copy using converter and how do I import that in the ESXi 5.0 datastore?

Use Converter and choose them as part of the process. You could copy them manually as well, but with ESX 3, you will be looking at some reconfiguration of the virtual machine hardware version. Might be easier to let VMware Converter just get it sorted as part of the conversion.

2) Since ESX 3.0 have VMFS 3 , does the ESXi 5 data store recognize VMFS 3.0 disks without any issues

The VMDK files and other files that make up the VM can move between VMFS-3 and VMFS-5 without issue.

3) Is it possible to increase the size of the vmdk file of an VM after migrating to ESXi 5.0

Yes.

4) Or Is their any better approach to migrate the VM's from esx 3 to esxi 5.0.

I personally think VMware Converter will be the easiest approach to take here.

[iahmed123]

Thanks Royale,

Before directly implementing in Production , I would like to try in my laptop as a lab setup , is it posibble ?

Thanks for that information.

Regards

ahmed

[sparrowangelste]

if you are runnign a virutalized vcneter on your lab, then it is possible.

[vmroyale]

Definitely possible, but it will depend on a variety of factors for sure. You could also use VMware Workstation or Player to test the converted VM on your laptop, but it won't be the exact same process. Close, but...

[iahmed123]

Thanks for that piece of information,

Can I Migrate RDM & clustered VM ( ex: microsoft  win cluster) on ESX 3.0  using vcenter converter?

Regards

iahmed