Convert SQL server physical cluster (2 nodes) into VMs

[fasttrack]

System: ESXi 5.1

My system (Production System) includes ESXI 5.1 coupled with a Windows Server 2008 R2 physical Cluster with SQL Server 2008 R2 (2 instances Active - Active).

The cluster is Physical server 2 nodes.

Now the task is create a <test> environment replicating the production environment an other ESXi system (test environment) by importing the VMs. Here the problem:

I need to import the physical cluster as VMs.

QUESTION:

Is it possible to convert a Physical cluster (2 nodes) into a Virtualized Cluster (2 VMs as nodes)?

I am thinking a possible way: using the vCenter converter:

1) Cluster Down --> vCenter Converter to convert the 2 nodes into VM. May be feasable? The only problem is to create correctly the shared disks (in production resides in a dedicated SAN different from the Test storage).

Please, any advise will be very useful.

Thanks

[Boloo]

It will be possible,

You can make it on different ways. I don´t like P2V unless it´s essential so i suggest that you broke the cluster, create a virtual machine in your platforrm, atthach the shared disks to the new virtual machine and re- do the cluster.

After that if all is working fine, move all services to the virtual node and do the same with the second virtual machine. New VM, attach the disks and all ready.

[fasttrack]

Hi and many thanks.

Unfortunately, the physical environment is in production (business continuity is a constrain).

Break the cluster and rebuild as previously built and then re-configured could lead to error or different configuration affecting application functionality and possibly long down timing (break and rebuild).

So, I assume that the best way is to put down the cluster only for conversion: it means do not affect the physical cluster.

But before proceeding I would like to know if it is feasible the conversion and some guidance (docs, web references...) will be very appreciated.

Many thanks

[Boloo]

So maybe this old post can help you

Re: How to migrate SQL Cluster into Virtual SQL server or Virtual SQL Cluster