P2vtool

[frantzcollini]

Hello,

i am studying vcb2pv2vxml.exe and pv2tool in order to import, nightly bu batch-command, a virtual machina backed up with VCB into another server.

It seems that this two comand does not permit to restore a machine backed up from an Esxi Server into another ESXi Server (in order to mantain the two machines up to dated for reundancy).

Is there a way to bypass this limit?

Thank you, cheers!

Francesco, from Italy

[nick_couchman]

Do you need to "back up" the machine (have a copy) or do you just need it to be available to more than one ESXi server?

[frantzcollini]

Hi Nick, i would like to have a copy and automatically import it into another ESXi Server, stopped, in order to start the vm if the primary Esxi Server fails!

Thank you,

Francesco

[nick_couchman]

Why not just use a NFS datastore or iSCSI datastore shared between the ESXi servers?

[frantzcollini]

Hi Nick,

i thought about: "Why not just use a NFS datastore or iSCSI datastore shared between the ESXi servers? "

I would like to transfer VM images from the First Esi Server to the backup ESXi Server; the problem is that i cannot shutdown the VM and copy to the second (by scp or some other commands...), and i think that make a hot VCBbackup and then a restore by vmconverter was the best...

Have you got another solution to replicate the VM into the second ESXi machine?

I have got no san, only local disk into physical machine

... thank you, cheers!

Francesco, from Italy

[ESXDevil]

Hi

You can clone the VM to your local storage and then copy the clone to the other ESXi Server.

Regards

ESXDevil

[frantzcollini]

This shold be right: "You can clone the VM to your local storage and then copy the clone to the other ESXi Server. "

Is it possible to do without stopping the VM?

Which command/procedure can i use?

Thank you, cheers!

Francesco, from Italy

[ESXDevil]

Hi Francesco

It is not possible without stopping the VM. If you have a Virtual Center then you can clone a VM when you shut down it and then right click on the VM and clone it.

It is also possible by creating a scheduled task (you need 3 of them): The first to shut down the VM. The second to clone the VM and the third to start the VM again.

Hope this helps

Regards

ESXDevil from Switzerland

[frantzcollini]

Ok, is cloning a verylong operation or it is quite fast in fast hardware?

Thank you, see ya!

Fra

[ESXDevil]

It's hard to say how much time it needs.

Normally it is done in a few minutes but it depends on how fast your local storage is (how much spindles, Ultra320 drives, 15k drives and so on) and especially on how big your VM is.

Regards

ESXDevil

[Zas]

Hi,

I want do the same but I don't have VirtualCenter.

Can I use "Browser DataStore" for copy the VM?

Thanks!

[frantzcollini]

Is there a command-line command to shutdown and clone a VM without using VirtualCenter?

[nick_couchman]

Yes and no - yes, there is a command to shut down VMs. This is available through the RCLI interface, which you can download for Windows or Linux, or as an appliance. This set of tools has the vmware-cmd interface, which lets you modify the state of VMs.

No, you cannot clone VMs without VirtualCenter - you must have VC for this functionality to work. You can do it manually by using vmkfstools (also available in the RCLI suite) to clone the disk and then create a new VM using that existing disk, but you do not have access to the automated clone functions without VC.

[frantzcollini]

Ok, so if i buy VCenter i can work with ESXi, right?

Actually, when i start from the VM infrastructure Client / Security Profiles, the VC Agent, it gives me an error; perhaps i have to buy the license?

[nick_couchman]

Yes, VC works with ESXi. And, yes, you do have to buy a license for it.