(need help)converting cluster under domain

[HermesArtez]

Hello all,

As stated, I need to p2v cluster which is under our company domain but this is my first time trying to convert a cluster. (so I am guessing it would be really different from just p2v-ing a single machine)

I have converted physical machine (not cluster) under the domain before but in my previous experience, I have noticed that this vConverter thing secretly rips off the machine from the domain during the process of conversion if the machine is under the domain. After conversion, domain account cannot access the machine anymore and the only solution is disconnecting the machine from the domain and putting it back on using the local admin account.

Best part is that domain setting of the source machine still states that it is under the domain so you do not know until your teammates start complaining that they can't login.

Now this 'past experience' was 4 month ago and I do not know if vmware team made some updates to vConverter or not.

But I don't want this to happen again with the cluster as other team is also running some codes and scripts on it.

*To sum up, I need some information on steps to virtualize cluster and whether there is a way to bypass this domain disconnection issue.*

Version of SQL and windows running in the server:

Windows 2003 server R2 Enterprise

SQL 2005 Standard

(Microsoft SQL Cluster Server with 2 nodes in active/passive configuration)

Any information, guide and links to good article/thread are all welcome and much appreciated.

Have a great day.

[mcasekar]

You can try by stopping all the database/application/antivirus services on the passive node of the sql cluster and start using the converter to convert physical to virtual (during conversion do not select the quorum disk and any other disks from SAN) why because you can simply present those luns to your esx and add on your converted VM as a disk (Use existing disk option). Before doing this if your sql server uses quorum disk, you need to ensure that the disk is accessible by the VM on your esx/esxi hosts.

Here I just shared my little knowledge, but you really need to study and work on this to do a successful migration.

All the best!!

[Nikhil_Patwa]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum

You can convert the nodes in the cluster but after the conversion there are configurations you would require to carry out

Check out the follwoing link for some ideas

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100266...

From my past experience you cannot convert fully a clustered environment without carrying out any setups. We had to redo the cluster setup after converting the nodes so be prepared for that as well.

VMware Converter does remove the system from domain and it's best to rejoin to domain all systems you are converting since your network settings change n many other factors.

Hope this information is useful

Nikhil

[admin]

Hi   Lasse_T,

Welcome to the communites.

Its really excellent comment given by mcasekar.

Hope its production server so you may need to analysis the impact and if wrong how early can do fail over  .

"Life is never easy for those who dream"