P2V Fedora Linux Box with a software raid disk

[redexe]

Hi, I'm in trouble converting (p2v) a Fedora 7 Linux Box into ESXi 4. The Linux Box has a software RAID 1 disk (mdadm) that is not recognized by vCenter Converter (neither using cold clone with converter cd nor using converter standalone). Any hints? Thanks!

[SimonLong]

Hi, Which version of Converter are you using? If your using v4 there is a known issue:

Converter Standalone 4.0 does not recognize source volumes that reside on Linux Software RAID configurations

During cloning of powered-on Linux machines, Converter Standalone does not recognize source volumes that are part of a Software RAID configuration (also referred to as multiple disk, or md, configurations).

This could be why its not working

Regards Simon

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[redexe]

Hi Simon. Yes, this is the case. So how can I p2v such box? Thanks. R.

[SimonLong]

You would either need to somehow remove the Software raid disk before converting or don't try to convert the RAID disk. Once your new VM is created copy your data across.

Regards Simon

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[rcrcrc]

Sadly, a very common use case is software RAID across the entire system, with LVM on top of that, *except* for /boot; LVM was not supported for /boot until grub2 which has its own issues.

So Converter can convert the *entire* system, at least theoretically, because it reads the LVM on top of the md, *except* for /boot which is raw md/software RAID.

I say theoretically because I tried to workaround this by putting /boot on a USB drive just for the conversion period; it sorta worked, but the new VM can't see the LVM.  I'm not sure why -- could have to do with the MD source, but if I do a rescue boot off of a CD, it has no problem seeing my LVM.

[TheBrinMan]

I have an ubuntu deployment that uses software RAID across the entire system as you've described, except it doesn't have LVM on top of that. There also is no separate /boot partition - just "/".

I'd love to hear if you were ever able to find a good repeatable process for getting converter to work with this kind of a scenario.

I've been racking my brain for a number of weeks now trying to come up with a good process for either:

• Breaking my existing software raid in such a way that then VMWare Converter will be able to see it and create the image from it.
• Adding a /boot partition to an external USB thumbdrive as you've described that will allow Converter to see the installation and image it. I'm not a grub guru at all, but I have gone through a good amount of dedoimedo's excellent tutorial. There's still just a lot of it that is fuzzy in my head, such that I'm unsure how to do it.

Any thoughts rcrcrc?