Connection timeout while cloning vmdk file

[Jerry_03]

Trying to clone a very large 2TB VMDK file via ssh on esxi 5.5 using vmkfstools command. After about 68% completion (and 12+ hours), i get the error connection timed out. This happened twice already. Is there way to extend the timeout or disable it all together?

[DavoudTeimouri]

Do you use any third party application for copying that?

If not, you can test Veeam Backup&Replication (Free Edition) for copying that.

[Jerry_03]

im using the vmkfstools command because the vmdk file I am cloning was originally from vmware workstation. im cloning it to get it to work with esxi 5.5. does veeam clone workstation vmdks into esxi 5.5 compatible vmdks?

[admin]

workstation vmdk can be converter ted using the vmkfstools, and if your getting timed out i would check the logs and see if the storage is causing the time out.?

VMware KB: Cloning and converting virtual machine disks with vmkfstools

Also yes veeam clone does convert the vmdk to esxi which is compatible.

Thanks,

Avinash

[Jerry_03]

okay i installed veeam backup and replication free. can someone explain to me how to clone vmdk files with it? I just see the option to clone already existing VMs, but mines isnt a VM its just the vmdk file on my data store. im new to vmware and esxi, so sorry for the naive question.

[tomtom901]

Couldn't you just do a cp via SSH? If it's just a VMDK (raw single file), a cp could work also.

[Lord_Klaud]

The source and destination volumes are the same or different? Is it local or shared storage? The /var/log/vmkernel.log and the /var/log/hostd.log should log some helpful information about the reason for the timeout.

Cheers!!

[Jerry_03]

i dont think a cp would work cause as stated earlier, the original vmdk is a workstation version. i need it to be cloned into a esxi compatible version.

source and destination volumes are different. local storage. ill try taking a look at those log files, thanks.

again since i went through the trouble of installing veeam backup, would anyone who has experience with it guide me through how use it to clone a vmdk file thats on a local datastore volume?