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cme
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VMWare Converter : How to estimate how long P2V process will take to USB hard disk

Hi,

i've got 2 questions, hope you could help answer:

1. how do i go about estimating the length for the P2V process for planning purposes? Assuming that the server is a file share, and the storage space is

500GB, how long would it take please?

2. We're thinking of conducting a P2V to a usb harddisk, as the network bandwidth is insufficient,can p2v be done with VCenter Converter 4 to a USB disk?

thank you in advance

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olegarr
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CME,

I really do not think that you will be able to do it in 5-6 hours (as someone suggested)... I P2V drive with 300GB once and took long 8 hours... I would plan whole night for itL...

olegarr

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continuum
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Can't you simply plugin the USB-disk at the machine to be converted and then use ColdClone ? - skipping network completely ?

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cme
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hi,

thanks for response. vCenter 4 does not support cold clone?

i can consider that, but then again how long would it take to p2v cold clone for 500GB server please?

thanks

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continuum
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just a vague estimation of course ... I would think a ColdClone to a local USB disk would take maybe 3 - 4 hours for a 500 Gb disk. YMMV

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Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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cme
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hi Continuum,

thanks for the quick response.

i understand that vCenter 4.0.1 does not support coldCloning, and we need to use VMware Converter Enterprise for VirtualCenter 2.5 instead.

i see quite a number of issues in other threads about p2v Smiley Sad

thanks for the timing, i.e. 500GB withing 4 hours.

my initial calculation was that the external hdd is via usb 2 .

the effective transfer rate for usb2 is around 40mbps, and for 500GB just to transfer to usb would take around 26.5 hours.

so the p2v process may take longer?

sorry about the questions

+just a vague estimation of course ... I would think a ColdClone to a

local USB disk would take maybe 3 - 4 hours for a 500 Gb disk. YMMV+

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continuum
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is that disk full ?

___________________________________

VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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cme
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hi,

i'm just making an estimate, have not carried out the p2v process yet, as i'm trying to get the license key to carry out a cold conversion.

guess my assumptions are wrong? and the time to p2v to usb disk should be shorter?

thanks

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olegarr
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CME,

I really do not think that you will be able to do it in 5-6 hours (as someone suggested)... I P2V drive with 300GB once and took long 8 hours... I would plan whole night for itL...

olegarr

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cme
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Hi olegarr,

thanks for answering. For your conversion, did you use VMware Converter Enterprise for VirtualCenter 2.5, cold cloning to a local usb too?

or over a network?

thanks

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olegarr
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I used cold cloning from local drive (slow one) to SAN... My point is that such a big volumes will take a lot of time... I guess you have a reason to use USB drive (I would not do it), but why you cannot just simply copy data from you physical server to this USB drive and reattached USB drive to your VM later? Why do you need P2V it, if there is only data and no OS?

Thanks

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cme
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Hi,

good questions. the server is located at a remote location with 256kbps network connection.

P2V remotely will take ages, as such i was thinking of P2V the server (MS SQL Server) to usb, and then transfer the image back to my location.

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olegarr
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CME,

Of course it depends what server configuration do you have... I'm saying that if you have small OS drive and big drive(s) for data, you should be able just P2V OS drive, create blank additional drives for data and copy data (by using USB for example) to new created drives... I did a lot of P2V conversions servers with big data drives (SQL, File-servers, email) and just few times had to P2V data drives (I still think it was not smartest way)...

olegarr

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