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GreyKeith
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Migrating from Virtual Raw Device Map drive to VMDK

Hello All,

I currently have 3 ESX 5.0.0 504890 hosts.  I have about 12 Guests that unfortunately have Raw Device Mapped drives.  I would like to convert them to VMDK on a datastore.  I have VMware Standard so I have vMotion and Storage vMotion at my disposal. 

I have tried migrating one of the guests that has a RDM hard drive.  Steps are as follows:

  1. Right Click on the Guest
  2. Select Migrate
  3. Select Change Datastore
  4. Click Advanced
  5. Select the datastore i want to move to.
  6. Select Thin Provision
  7. Click next

Once it is finished there is now a VMDK created in the datastore but when I go into Edit Settings on the Guest it still shows as RDM.  Am I doing something wrong here as the VMDK that was create shows it was last modified at the end of the procedure .

Thank you for taking the time to read/post on my question.

edit settings.JPG

datastore.JPG

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a_p_
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Just to confirm. Did you select different datastore to where you are going to migrate the VM?

André

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Paul11
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First you must change the RDM to virtual mode. This is only possible whan the VM is powered off.

Than you can do the migration online and the RDM gets a VMDK.

Also you can do the migration with a powered off VM, than you don't have to change the mode from physikal to virtual, but you have a longer down time.

Paul

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GreyKeith
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Thank you for the reply Paul but as I stated the RDM is already set to virtual.  It is creating the VMDK but not using/mounting it when it is done.  if you look at the screen shot of the guest Edit Settings it is still showing Raw Device Map after the migration has already taken place.

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Paul11
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Please look at the Compatibility Mode of the RDM:

in the Edit-Settings Menue klick on  Hard disk 1 and on the right sight of the window you will see the Compatibility Mode.

Look if it is really Virtual and not Physical

The file you see on the disk is only a dummy file of the same size as your RAW-Device and it is only used as a mapping file to the RAW-Lun.

Paul

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GreyKeith
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Please see the new screen shot with the Hard drive selected.

Edit Settings GC-AV1.JPG

As i said it is still showing as RDM and it is showing as virtual.

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Paul11
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You must change the virtual RDM to Independent - Persistent, than the RAW-device will be convertet during the Storage Vmotion.

The change is only possible, when the VM is powered off.

Paul

GreyKeith
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I have done this and run the storage migration again making it thin provisioned but it is still only showing that dummy file.

Any other suggestions?  I am at wits end here.  Might have to use a ticket with VMware on this...

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a_p_
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Just to confirm. Did you select different datastore to where you are going to migrate the VM?

André

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sparrowangelste
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a.p.  is right you are probably using the same datastore.

if you move it to the same vmfs the pointer is currently on, nothing will happen.

use this as an example: http://sparrowangelstechnology.blogspot.com/2012/08/storage-vmotion-completes-in-zero.html

--------------------- Sparrowangelstechnology : Vmware lover http://sparrowangelstechnology.blogspot.com
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GreyKeith
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Thanks everyone for the help.

After creating another temporary datastore and migrating to it the migration converted to VMDK thin so again Thank you very much for your help.

Wish i could give everyone here the correct answer reward.

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