Migration from VMware Workstations/Server to ESX 3.x

[kzr1k9]

A small development team (5 people) each use their own computer with either VMware Workstation 5.5 or VMware Server. Each developer have a copy of a base set of VMware guests (W2K3 DC+ W2K3 SMS 2003 + W2K3 IIS,SQL + XP,Vista clients). The guests uses VMnet 1-4.

The development team is headed for more developers and there is a possibility to buy a beefy server and install ESX.

Having no experience with VMware outside of the Workstation and Server products, I wonder if it is possible to migrate the developers to ESX and maintain complete isolation between the developers. If it is possible, how does ESX isolate the developers when each one of them have the same domain name, IP addresses and use the same VMnetx?

Thanks.

[oreeh]

There are several ways to migrate the VMs from WS/SRV to ESX.

If the VMs use virtual SCSI disks you can import them using vmkfstools.

If not use VMware Converter.

[TCronin]

Do you mean they run their VM's in a host only network on workstation? ESX can have virtual switches that have no external connections and so work like the Workstation host only mode.

You may want to look at Lab Manager though, it has a "fencing" feature where multiple machines with the same IP and hostname/domain membership can all participate on the same network. Think of it like NAT, but for names and domain memberships also.

Converting your existing machines to ESX is not difficult, upgrading to Workstation 6 would be the simplest, it has an import feature to convert between different virtual formats. If that's not an option the workstation files can be uploaded to ESX and converted at the command line.

[kzr1k9]

Thanks for the SCSI information part. But it is more the "complete isolation" part that puzzle me. If every developer have to share the same VMnetx, as you can imagine, it will not be possible to have 5 identical environments (same domain, IP, hostnames) on a shared set of VMnetx.

[oreeh]

You can use different VLANs for the different environments.

[Dave_Mishchenko · Accepted solution]

Take a look at the below thread. Basically you could create an isolated vSwitch for each set of VMs and those VMs could communicate with the other VMs on the same vSwitch, but no other VMs on different vSwitches.

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/106750

[oreeh]

But be aware that isolated switches have some drawbacks (for example no vMotion) as well.

[TCronin]

Unless you isolate the switches by providing them isolated vlans on 2 physical switches where the vlan never leaves that switch pair.

[oreeh]

That's why I mentioned the VLANs