Using converter to move a large VM

[ScorpioJonesy]

I have to move a large Windows 2003 Server with SQL 2005 installed. One small issue I am having is that is has around 500GB of VMDK on local storage. I was going to use something like FASTSCP to grab the files directly however it takes too long as the window I have is only a few hours. Looking around it seems I could use converter instead so...

If I use converter will it only copy the files and not a perfect clone? The disks have been 95% full at some stages but when it is actually moved we can claw back maybe 50% (ie 250GB). Having inteligently owrk out hwat is in actualy use is prefered.

I always thought that a cold clone is best where you use the boot CD, is this no longer the case?

Is 4.3 much better than 4.1?

While cloning can I fix the disk allignment too?

Thanks

Rob

[bulletprooffool]

My weapon of choice is usually FastSCP, but there are some pointers on SCP configuration that may be worth noting:

If you want speed when using WinSCP it is probably also a good idea  to change the encryption from the default AES to Blowfish.

It  normally will speed things up considerably.

Also, ensure you NICspeeds etc at each end are correectly configured (1000/full if your network supports it)

[ScorpioJonesy]

The problem with FASTSCP is it copies the whole disk eg 250GB even though the OS is only using 100GB. The copy then runs at around 30MB/sec and so I end up with several hours of copy and downtime.

[ChandanNuckched]

Hi Rob,

Is it possible to tell more about the datastores please? i.e. where is the VM now and where it needs to be moved and can the host see both datastores?

Regards,

Chandan

[ScorpioJonesy]

Some more detail for you....

ESX4 Host (site A) >> 100Mbit comms link >> ESX4 Host (site B)

SQLVM Current Home -------------------------------   SQLVM New Home

ESX4 Datastores (site A)

All Internal on a DL380 G6

2x 146GB 10K disks in mirror (OS 40GB)

4x 146GB 10K disks in Raid10 (SQL DATA 256GB)

4x 146GB 10K disks in Raid10 (SQL LOGS 256GB)

ESX4 Datastores (site B)

EMC SAN - VM's running on a DL580 G7

5x 600GB 10K disks in Raid5 (OS 40GB)

4x 600GB 15K disks in Raid10 (SQL DATA 256GB)

4x 600GB 15K disks in Raid10 (SQL LOGS 256GB)

I cannot ship directly to Site B as the link is not fast enough nor does it have the spare bandwidth as it is in use

Both sites are linked to the same vCenter but different data centers inside it

Both servers can see each other

I have the potential to use a fast desktop PC with Windows (or a DL380 G5 with ESX4 (temp host) to transfer the VM on to before physically going to the new site. The new sites is only a few miles away

Ideally the downtime window needs to be <6 hours, but less than 4 is ideal.

[bulletprooffool]

How about vmkfstools?

http://www.get-virtual.info/2011/02/01/vmkfstools-man-pages/

[ChandanNuckched]

PLEASE TEST WITH A LARGE DUMMY VM/ISO BEFORE TRYING.

In vCenter, when you browse datastores, you have the option to MOVE a file or a folder. Add your fast PC or DL380 to vCenter (you will need to install ESXi on these and the desktop might not work), switch your VM off and try the move but please test on a dummy VM/ISO before doing it. You will have the rate of transfer and it will allow you to calculate how long it will take.

This method will not do any changes to the VM except move it to a new datastore and you do NOT have a backup.

Alternatively, use vCenter converter to make a copy on the DL380/Desktop (ESXi installed) and tick the box to synchronize any changes during conversion only. This will indicate how long it will take you to do the convert and will leave your original VM as it is. If the conversion duration is acceptable, then do it again but select switch off source VM and tick the box to synchronize any changes during conversion only. The only downtime is, packing the DL380/Desktop, move to new site, connect and switch on.

Also, have you ever tried Veeam?

Let me know what you think and you may want to mix/merge with other ideas.

Cheers.

[ScorpioJonesy]

I did a test using the cold clone vmware converter and it worked a treat. The total data drive space was around 450GB (over 3 VMKD's) but the actual used space was only about 200GB. Booted the VM up with the CD and cloned it to a temporary ESX server (managed by vCenter), which we used to transport it to the other site. Once there we were able to connect it via FC to the SAN and migrate it to the new host and datastores. It took about 1 hours 45 to copy to the temp server on local storage. At the new location it took 30 minutes to copy from the temp server to the SAN and new host. Using Fast SCP etc I was looking at 6 to 8 hours :smileyshocked:

[ChandanNuckched]

Wow - that's really good! From 6hrs to 2hrs15mins!

Cheers.