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esiebert7625
Immortal
Immortal

Vmware Converter Best Practices

Found this in the recently posted "Server Migrations with Vmware Converter" presentation from Vmware TSX....

http://www.vmware-tsx.com/download.php?asset_id=48

Converter Best Practices:

1. Agent Installation Location[/b]

 Locally: Install Converter and agent directly on source machine if converting directly into ESX Server

 Remotely: Connect to source machine over network to install agent

2. Agent Installation[/b]

 Use local administrator account

 Avoid domain accounts that have restrictive policies

 Allow reboot for Windows NT 4.0 and 2000 sources

3. Machine Preparation[/b]

 Do not deactivate services or harden security

> Workstation service

> Server service

> TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper service

> Volume Shadow Copy service (Windows 2003 or XP)

 Ensure sufficient free disk space (at least 200MB)

 Mirrored or striped volumes across multiple disks should be broken

 Dynamic disks with utility partitions should use cold cloning

 Disable Windows Simple File Sharing (Windows XP only)

 Disable anti-virus software

 Keep users off if possible

 Power off VM if not using hot cloning

 VCB VM exports need editing prior to import

 Edit virtual disk filenames inside .vmx

 Rename filenames for .vmdk files to match those listed in .vmx

 Edit index .vmdk file to change references to span files

4. Network Preparation[/b]

 Open TCP/UDP ports 139, 445, and 902

 Open network ports between source and destination

> Alternative is to create a VM visible to source, copy VM files to location visible to destination, and import VM

 Use FQDN to connect to both source and VI3

5. Converter Preparation[/b]

 Run on OS greater than or equal to source if source is

> VM and powered off, or

> Symantec Livestate System Image

6. Cloning[/b]

 Starter edition limitations and workarounds

> Cannot remote hot clone directly into VI3

\- Workaround 1: install Converter on source machine

\- Workaround 2: select standalone VM as destination, and then import VM to VI3 using two steps

> Cannot run multiple tasks concurrently

\- Workaround: run multiple copies of Converter

> Cannot cold clone

\- Workaround: create new VM, use third-party cloning application such as Ghost, and run Converter configure

 Do not resize volume for fastest clone speed (block-level copying)

 Resize volumes if source disks have inefficient utilization (resorts to file-level copying)

 Use cold-cloning disk-based cloning (not volume-based) for non-Windows systems

 Use hot cloning for Windows NT 4.0 systems to avoid NTFS upgrade

 Destination needs to be writeable

 Do not resize volume for fastest clone speed (block-level copying)

 Resize volumes if source disks have inefficient utilization (resorts to file-level copying)

 Use cold-cloning disk-based cloning (not volume-based) for non-Windows systems

 Use hot cloning for Windows NT 4.0 systems to avoid NTFS upgrade

 Destination needs to be writeable

7. Configure[/b]

 Avoid cloning utility partitions

 Check partition numbers in boot.ini

 Automatic “Install VMware Tools” option is only available for ESX Server VMs

8. Clean-Up Prior to Power On[/b]

 Edit VM settings according to desired goal

> Number of vCPUs

> USB devices

> Serial and parallel devices

> SCSI controller type (BusLogic vs. LSI Logic)

 OEM source may require license activation

> SMBIOS.reflectHost = “TRUE” in .vmx may avoid reactivation

> Requires destination host to have same hardware

9. Clean-Up After Power On[/b]

 Detect hardware

> VMware Tools installation may hang if hardware not detected

 Allow reboots to occur

> Detect hardware and VMware Tools installation

 Verify HAL and change if necessary

> Number of vCPUs

> USB devices

> Serial and parallel devices

> SCSI controller type (BusLogic vs. LSI Logic)

10. Guest Troubleshooting[/b]

 Blue screen after powering on

> Start Windows in Safe Mode and uninstall hardware-specific applications or services

> Attach VM to “Helper VM” to remove hardware-specific drivers

 No keyboard/mouse

> Select Workstation/Server VM instead of ESX Server, then import VM to ESX Server

> Use PS/2 keyboard/mouse on source

 Display problems

> Uninstall PC Anywhere prior to installing VMware Tools

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meistermn
Expert
Expert

0) Preparation

- Defrag the disks W2K3

- clean up c:\temp

- run chkdsk

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