Running VCENTER CONVERTER

[miconib]

Hi we have a customer who has a server 2020 box with over 3TB's of data on basic file server. The problem is they work from 7am-11PM Monday - Saturday giving us Saturday at 10PM - Monday at 7AM 

After running a test conversion the process says 3 Days to complete. I know that if i run a crossover cable between the physical servers i can cut that down a-lot. 

My question is what if i just let it run during there normal operating hours and watch it. When it's done converting will all there changes up till that time be converted over to the vm? 

This way i can watch it and plan for a small window of down time i.e let users know in the next 30 minutes the system will be going down for lets say 30 minutes so they need to start wrapping up what they are using on the file server. 

Thoughts? 

[fabio1975]

Ciao 

You can try to configure the last sync after will end of the conversion 

Synchronize the Destination Machine with Changes Made to the Source Machine (vmware.com)

and for increase the conversion speed I suggest to disable the SSL 

Disabling SSL encryption on VMware Converter Standalone 5.x and 6.0 (2020517)

For the last sync option, I have never tried it, I have always preferred to do the conversion with all activities stopped. While disabling the part of SSL you get improvements.

[miconib]

I 100% agree with you and have always done it this way, however my window of down time here is so small which is why i was even considering this option. 

Has anyone done this with success?  Or had a horror story ?

I'm sure i can make it work by doing the disable ssl and a crossover cable, but just exploring my options 

[miconib]

BUMP

[sjesse]

Your better off at looking at other options if you can't complete it in your window, like setting up a virtual and copying the information over then switching users to it. 

[fabio1975]

Ciao 

Even if it is not a Microsoft community I suggest you to look at this tool:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/storage-migration-service/overview

it allows you to make the first copy of data and then final sync with also the switch of the hostname of the VM and the IP address.
I used it and it works fine (they basically put a graphical interface to the robocopy tool)