ESXi and Converter on different networks?

keninem · ‎03-26-2009

I have a dual NIC'd machine with two different networks on it...basically a local intranet with a few machines(including the esxi server) and the other nic is a link to our servers, which are the source of what I want to convert. Is it even possible to do this? I am worried when you say that you need network access from the helper VM(which is on the esxi server) to the source machine(which is on a different network) I thought that as long as the machine with VMware Converter on it could see both networks, I'd be able to do this.

If that's confusing, this is my basic setup -

I set the helper VM IP address up as a 192.168 address, and my machine with Converter on it sits at 1% and in the log highlights says "Connecting to the Converter helper service on the target virtual machine." It started at 5 hours remaining, and eventually gets up to 4 days and change before it eventually times out(HOURS later).... Meanwhile, my esxi machine has started the helper VM, but is now doing nothing at all...is it because of my 2 networks issue? And if so, is there a way around it(without putting the ESXi server on the other network).

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

RParker · ‎03-26-2009

Yes this is possible. The machines to be converted will have an agent. That agent needs to talk on 443 port. If that network can communicate back to the servers where they will be converted into VM, then that will work. Otherwise there isn't a problem using different networks.

keninem · ‎03-27-2009

Thank you for your response. I have a few questions though...

When you say that "if that network can communicate back to the servers where they will be converted into VM, then that will work", I'm not sure where "the server" that you're talking about is....does that mean that as long as it can touch the Windows box that I am running Converter on(it can reach this), or the server as in the actual ESXi server(it can NOT reach this)? There is no route from one network to the other, just a box inbetween that is connected to them both...and it's a Windows machine. If there's some way to have that Windows machine route traffic between networks, I'm not aware of it..I'm not a networking guy unfortunately.

My other question is, you say it has to communicate on port 443...that is only outgoing, right? The agent isn't trying to bind to local 443 on the machine is it? Reason I ask is because I have webservers that I am trying to convert as well, and they are already using port 443.

Thanks again for your help!

keninem · ‎03-31-2009

Just wondering if anyone else has tried to get this working in this setup on their network, I have still not had any luck.

chaugen · ‎06-02-2010

I was finally able to get a similar setup working in my environment.

In the end I had to create a new vSwitch using the NIC connected to my 2nd network.

Inside this vSwitch you have to create BOTH the Virtual Machine connection as well as the VMKernel connection.

You will have to specifiy an IP for the VMKernel connection which will allow the machines on the 2nd network to communicate with the VM Host server on your 1st Network.

Please let me know if this makes any sense.

Thank you

Curtis

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ESXi and Converter on different networks?