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jeffgetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

VMware Server Conversion to vSphere

Hey All,

We're are preparing for a project to move from VMware Server 1.0.10 to vSphere 4.1. We need to migrate approximately 700 VM's at 100 independent sites and I'm looking for thoughts on the best way to do that. We have done some initial testing with vCenter Converter, but we're stumbling on the fact that apparently you can't convert multiple VMware Server vmdks to a single vSphere compatible file. In our environment, our VM's have dozens of vmdk files. We tried to convert our multiple vmdks to a single Server vmdk and then convert that to vSphere, but it took about 10 hours. Is there a more efficient way to do it?

For the most part, each site runs identical application VM's, so we're almost resigned to the fact that we'll have to do a generic application conversion, roll that image out to each site and then reconfigure the new vSphere VM (IP's, etc.) and import the site-specific files/DB's. Any ideas??

Thanks,

Jeff

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khughes
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Is there a reason why you're trying to put all the VMDK files together? If they run fine now with them separate I don't see a reason why you should combine them. vCenter converter works pretty well, but there is also the free stand alone vConverter that does basically the same thing but slightly different approach.

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

-- Kyle "RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "
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jeffgetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks Kyle.

The main reason is that we were under the impression that the vSphere VM ran off of a single file (We haven't had any training on vSphere yet). So there's no reason that we can't have say 50 vSphere files? Do you know the max number of concurrent conversions that can run at one time? Isn't it something like 10? If that's the case, I'm thinking it would still make more sense to pre-convert and post-configure/import. Otherwise, it'll still take us probably 40 hours to convert each site (assuming my math is correct (~200 Server vmdks/site, with 10 concurrent conversion operations, which take 2 hours each)).

Initially, we were hoping that we could convert each VM concurrently, multiple vmdk -> multiple vSphere or multiple -> single, etc.

Thanks,

Jeff

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khughes
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

So there's no reason that we can't have say 50 vSphere files? Do you know the max number of concurrent conversions that can run at one time? Isn't it something like 10?

There is a limit on the amount of disks, it's just been a while since I've had to think about the max amount of adapters / disk that could be added to a single VM but I believe you can have upwards of 50 SCSI disks on a VM (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). The VMDK files are you hard disk images so you would just convert them and keep your disk separate. If you keep them separate it also saves you headaches in the future if you need to expand a disk size without having to worry about all the partitions inside.

While it might seem like a lot of time that is needed to convert them, hopefully no one told you it would be a fast painless process. I think you have a step up from those who had to convert your number of machines but they were all physical, not already virtual (yet old VM technology). The process does take some time and I don't know the max number of concurrent conversions, but then again you could probably have the standalone on multiple computers and converting non stop if you really wanted too.

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

-- Kyle "RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "
jeffgetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks again Kyle.

I can see benefits of both methods. I'm actually signed up for the vSphere Install, Configure, Manage class in early Dec, so this will definitely be something that I'll discuss with the instructor.

Nobody told us it would be painless, but I think I had a pipe-dream that it would be a simple A->B->C process. We'll see. Any way that it plays out, it's going to be a valuable learning opportunity.

Jeff

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