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Tipaza
Contributor
Contributor

Transfert Vmdk from LUN VMFS2 to LUN VMFS3

Hi,

i have to migrate a VM from an ESX 2.5 to an ESX 3.0

i want to proceed like below:

copy vmdk from LUN VMFS2 to LUN VMFS3

on ESX 3.0, create a new VM an attach the vmdk copied

that's correct ??

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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

ssh or putty to a host with access to both luns.

cd /vmfs/volumes/LUN2

mv /VM-NAME /vmfs/volumes/LUN3

This will MOVE the entire folder.

the better way to do it is to use vmkfstools

vmkfstools -c /vmfs/volumes/VM-NAME/VM-NAME-flat.vmdk /vmfs/volumes/VM-NAME-flat.vmdk. This will clone it, vmkfstools has the structure to move VMDK files around, if they aren't done correctly, you will have problems.

Then you can simply unregister the VM and register it, and you won't have to remove/readd the harddrive inside the VM.

Perhaps there is a more efficient method, but that's how I do it.

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Tipaza
Contributor
Contributor

hi and thanks for your reply,

the problem is the vmdk source is stored on file system VMFS 2

and the destination is a file system VMFS 3

for vmfs 2 you have only VMDK

but for vmfs 3 you have vmdk and VM-NAME-flat.vmdk

the command vmkfstools is ok for migrate the vmdk to a differente filesystem ?

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Tipaza
Contributor
Contributor

For your information,

in my case, VmWare Converter don't match

Details

Virtual Machines and System Images That Can Be Imported

VMware Converter can import virtual machines created with:

...

ESX Server 2.5.x (if the virtual machine is managed with VirtualCenter 2.x) => not really my case because my ESX is not managed with VC 2.X but with VC 1.X

...

Supported Destinations

VMware Converter can output virtual machines that are compatible with:

...

ESX Server 3.x => that's my case

....

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Tipaza
Contributor
Contributor

help please ?:|

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demz
Expert
Expert

Maybe VMware converter can't connect to VC 1.0 but it can convert vmdk located on VMFS 2... so connect your VMware Converter to the ESX not the VC.

You can also make a ghost of your server (sv2i so Ghost 9 or 10) and make a I2V.

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