Advice on converting server to ESXi

[mike7645]

Hi all- I have a project I'm working on this weekend and was hoping for some input before I begin. I have an recently purchased dual core Xeon HP server that is currently running Windows Server 2003 installed directly on the hardware (no virtualization yet). I want to convert the server to VMWare running ESXi 4.0 and run the same OS on this hardware. Here's the tricky part. I want to run ESXi on the same hardware that Windows Server is running on right now. I understand that VMWare convertor exists for this, and it would be no problem if I had a 2nd server running ESXi that I could use as the destination for the new VM. But I only have 1 server. And the converter interface looks like it requires an ESXi host to connect to, when converting a physical machine to a VM. (please correct me if I am wrong)

My plan to accomplish this is:

1. Temporarily install ESXi on a separate computer

2. Use VMWare converter workstation to convert the physical OS to a VM running on the temp ESXi host

3. Thoroughly test new VM!!!

4. Download the VM files from the temp host to the converter workstation with vSphere client

5. Wipe hard drives on HP server, install ESXi

6. Upload VM files to HP server with vSphere client

7. Hopefully boot up new shiny VM with no issue

8. Go home and get some sleep!

If anyone has any input on this, known gotchas to avoid, or ways to make it go faster, please let me know!

[AndreTheGiant]

You can temporally convert to VMware Workstation/Server/Player format and save on a USB disk or network share.

Than you can convert this VM to ESX format (when the ESXi is ready).

Andre

[atbnet · Accepted solution]

To make it a bit easier (saving setting up ESXi twice) just use VMware workstation and VMware converter (even just a eval version will do). So...

1. Install VMware workstation and VMware converter on a decent existing computer (that has enough cpu/ram to support the windows server).

2. Use VMware converter to P2V the windows server into VMware workstation.

3. Test the virtual windows 2003 server works correctly

4. Install ESXi on the HP server and configure it.

5. Use converter once again to pull the VM across from workstation into an ESXi hardware version 7 VM format.

Andy BSc (Hons)

VCP 3/4 / vExpert / MCP / MCTS / TCSP

Help, Guides and Info http://www.VMadmin.co.uk

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[milo2009]

One thing you need to also do is remove all HP Drivers and software (raid and etc)

I have used HP Proliant Support Pack Cleaner you can get it here below:

http://ctxadmtools.musumeci.com.ar/HPPSPCleaner/HPPSPCleanerDownload.html

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[mike7645]

Thanks for the reply, this was helpful. This is the process that I followed and the P2V conversion went well. I used VMWare Player 'cause I don't have a license for Workstation. After converting to vmware player I booted the VM and had to remove all the HP server software from the OS. Once this was done, and I configured the new NIC with the proper IP address, everything worked perfectly.

It also helped that I had a well equipped server to work on. It has 3 hard drives, 2 mirrored and 1 hot spare. So I took out the 2 mirrored drives and put the 1 hot space in its place, and installed ESXi on that disk. Once I was convinced that the new VM was working OK, I added one of the disks to the new mirror set. If anything does go horribly wrong, I still have one of the disks from the original mirror set that I can boot from. I doubt this will be necassary but it's good insurance to have. Also having some type of disk image based backup of the original server config would have been nice but I didn't have any software capable of doing this.

[mike7645]

This is a nice addition to the toolbag. Worked great.