Cloning a production server

[mbsizer]

If you Clone to New Virtual Machine, does that remove the original server's SID on the newly cloned box?

Or do you need to run sysprep on the original box first, then clone?

Thanks

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Community - You can have vCenetr sysprep your new VM or you can do it manually - it is one of the options as you go through the clone wizard -

[mbsizer]

Do you know where that is listed as an option?  I don't recall seeing it.

[Virtualinfra]

Welcome to this community.

refer the below kb for sysprep detial

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100559...

For windows 2008 and later you dont need to run sysprep as its placed inside the os itself.

Award points for the helpful and correct answer by clicking the below tab

[UmeshAhuja · Accepted solution]

Hi,

No it does not remove SID from the cloned machine.

Every time you clone the machine you are require to do it with customize option to provide new SID for the new virtual machine

Method is as follow

How To Configure Guest Operating System Customization on a vCenter Server System

1. Log in to your vCenter Server system.

2. Find Windows Sysprep CAB file and right-click the file WindowsServer2003-KB892778-SP1-DeployTools-x86-ENU and select Open.

3. In Windows Explorer, open Sysprep tools installation folder.

4. Copy all files from CAB file to Sysprep tools installation folder. There will be a warning for each file whose publisher is not verified. Click Save for each file.

How to clone a running virtual machine.

1. Right-click your virtual machine and select Clone.

2. Do the following when prompted by the wizard:

3. Create a name for your new virtual machine.

4. Select a folder for Inventory Location.

5. Select your ESXi host (Host or Cluster on which to run this virtual machine).

6. Select a datastore.

7. Keep default Disk Format.

8. For Guest Customization, select Customize using an existing customization specification. Select your customization specification. Leave the Use the Customization Wizard temporarily adjust the specification before deployment check box unselected.

9. Select Power on this virtual machine after creation check box and click Finish.

[scowse]

This is a hoary old chestnut but every time i see a discussion on SIDs I paste this link to give a reality check to those who may be misled.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2009/11/03/3291024.aspx

Mr Russinovich is someone who actually knows something about SIDs

I have been cloning VMs for some years now without touching the SIDs - no sysprep, no NewSID, no problems with the notable exception of AD servers but hey...who in their right mind would be cloning one of them anyway?

[dhabbetichandra]

Yes I did somany clonings without touching SID but, when Exchange server/ AD comes into the picture you will be bump.

For more info about SID : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Identifier