Vmware server to Esxi

[MiliShmili]

Hi, I'm using vmware server 1.5 and windows2003 64bit as host. It has on it 7 server running. what is the best way to upgrade in this caset to esxi?

Thanks!

[weinstein5]

Are you going to be bringing up ESXi on a different server? Of you are then I would suggest build the ESXi server and use vmware coverter to import the VMware server vms into the ESXi server -

[nick_couchman]

If you're not and you're using the same hardware, either back up your VMs or remove the hard drive that the VMs are located on and place it in another machine that can be accessed with VMware Converter. If you leave the drive in during the ESXi install there's a good chance ESXi will wipe it and create a datastore on it.

[MiliShmili]

I will be use the same hardware. Soo you are telling me to backup all the VM's and install the esxi ?

what about the vm's ? are there any issue with versions?

[nick_couchman]

Yes, you'll need to back them up, and you'll need to use something like VMware Converter to convert them to ESXi VMs.

[DannoXYZ]

Is this backup & restore process the same for ESX to ESXi? I've got about 25 VMs on local-storage and want to move to ESXi. If I install it, will it wipe out the VMs?

[nick_couchman]

No, the backup and restore process is different for ESXi due to the fact that ESXi has limited management capabilities on the service console. Backing them up from your VMware Server machine should be pretty straightforward - copy them somewhere else off the Linux or Windows machine you're currently using. To "restore" them to ESXi you'll probably want to use VMware Converter to convert them from the original Server format to the ESXi format.

Yes, if you install ESXi locally it will wipe out the VMs.

[jcware]

Hi from Belgium,

I need your help.

I would like to move a "virtual Window server 2003 64bits with exchange 2007″

coming from a VMWare server installed on a Centos linux 64 to an ESXi.

I copied Win2003 folder by ftp on a usb ntfs disk connected to a winXP.

The folder was read only. I corrected it.

I try to convert it with VMware converter 3.0.3

But I always have a message "Unable to determining Guest Operating System".

Can you help me ?

JC