Re: ESXi as a virtual machine

korba · ‎03-17-2009

I'm struggling on virtualising 3 Suse Linux servers with Informix on them. As far as i understood the VMWARE Converter Standalone can convert with just a few clicks as long as u have ESXi or other infrastructure offferings running. The problem is getting ESXi to work, so is there any possibility to run ESXi as a VM on VMWARE Server 2?! I have it running on Win 2003 and that's where the suse machines are intended to end up. So is there any way to get ESXi running on the Server just for the snaphotting process?

RDPetruska · ‎03-17-2009

No reason to do this. Just convert the computers as Standalone Virtual Machines, and then run them on your VMware Server host.

Robert

Lightbulb · ‎03-17-2009

No. you can run ESXi on Vmware workstation, but not Vmware server.

In theroy with Vmware Converter Standalone 4 you can convert a Live system to Vmware Server VM, although i have not tried it. Suse Linux is supported 8,9 and 10.

korba · ‎03-17-2009

Started the converter. Entered root and password. Connected successfully. But on the destination (unlike if i try to convert a windows machine) the only option i get is an ESX, ESXi server or vcenter server. Trying to connect to a Server 2.0 results in an error that such destination is not supported. No oprions to create a VMFS file.

korba · ‎03-17-2009

+No reason to do this. Just convert the computers as Standalone Virtual

Machines, and then run them on your VMware Server host.+

That's exactly what i'm tryingto do. But how? Without utilising an ESXi with the available free VMWare converter?

Lightbulb · ‎03-17-2009

As I said I have not tried live conversion of Linux system. Sorry to have misled you. just read this from the converter help:

Note

I suppose you will need to stand up an ESX/ESXi host. do you have a spare system you can use?

korba · ‎03-17-2009

[

|_Lightbulb][524569]

I suppose you will need to stand up an ESX/ESXi host. do you have a spare system you can use?

And if i say no? Any other option? I have a possibility to run VMWARE Workstation. But ESXi doesn't seem to work on it. Any other options?

Lightbulb · ‎03-17-2009

Check out these docs

http://knowledge.xtravirt.com/white-papers/esx-3x.html

There are a couple that might help you out.

ermockler · ‎03-17-2009

Yes, you can run esxi in a vm, but be prepared for some brain damage. look at www.xtravirt.com for instructions. You must have VT support enabled, I had to poke values into my sony laptop bios and risk bricking it to enable it. You also need workstation 6.5.

I found it to be work the brain damage.

wila · ‎03-17-2009

So is there any way to get ESXi running on the Server just for the snaphotting process?

You can run ESXi as a VM on Workstation 6.5, Vmware Server 2.0 and VMware Fusion 2.0, they all work and i'm sure as i just moved the VM around and it worked flawlessly on all of them. But using it for the snapshotting process? Umm i don't know if that's a route i would take, its going to be very slow for sure.

Can't you use VMware Server as the target server? Try it with attaching port 8333 instead of normal IP address, so 10.10.10.10:8333

(I now seem to have a vague recollection that i've tried that in the past without success... hmm...)

Otherwise install the VMware Workstation demo version on one of your hosts and use that to migrate the VM, it comes with converter included.

--

Wil

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| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
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korba · ‎03-18-2009

Today i've tried playing with the built in converter in VMWare Workstation 6..5.1 b 126130. It doesn't even support P2V of linux machines as far as i understood from the logs when tried to connect with no success.

ermockler · ‎03-18-2009

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wila · ‎03-18-2009

migrate a linux machine.. hmm.. sorry over read that bit.

It doesn't support it as well as converter 4 no. But you can P2V a linux machine using the converter by cloning the whole disk (do not use the resize disk option) and resize manually after the clone (if needed).

--

Wil