Need help converting a live physical server to a VM

[usaiat]

I need guide in converting a physical server to a VM. Details of the physical server are as follows:

• DELL PowerEdge 2950
• Dual Processor - Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5130 @ 2.00GHz
• RAM – 4GB
• 6 x 250GB, RAID 5 (disk 0-3) RAID 1 (disk 4-5)
• MS Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, Version 5.2 (Build3790 : Service Pack 2) (x86)
• DC
• DNS
• DHCP
• File & Print Server

I have setup a similar server with the following configuration:

• RAID 1 (disk 0-1) with disk 5 as hot spare
• RAID 1 (disk 2-3) with disk 4 as hot spare
• Loaded VMware ESXi 4.0.0.0  Release build-244038

I need to convert the current working server (physical) to a virtual server running from the ESXi server. Any guide on step by step and requirements or recommendation and documents will be really appreciated. I have already downloaded VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0

Thanks

[patanassov]

Are there any specific problems you have encountered or any reason why the user guide is not enough?

[usaiat]

No problems encountered. It just this is the first time for me to do a conversion. Just need recommendation and guidance on how to approach this

[miveli]

Hi,

There are plenty of good article on best practices for using Converter. A good place to start is the KB article

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100458...

Apart from that, are you p2v'ing a critical app server? If so, make sure you stop all transactional services.

And dont p2v Domain controllers.

Give out some more technical information on what you are converting and you will get more help on the communities!

Good luck.

[MarekZdrojewski]

Hi,

You should be ok however, since this is a Domain Controller, I suggest the you use the VMware vCenter Converter BootCD for P2V process. It's a part of the VMware vCenter Server 4.0 Update 3 and modules download.

Cheers!

[usaiat]

Manage to convert the server

Thanks for all you help