Physical to Virtual Machine conversion

[sanjay_bajulag1]

Hi,

I am planning to convert some physical machines to VMs. while doing this, I am having two doubts as below:

1. Which OS on physical server will support to convert into VM? (I am having physical boxes with OS as Suse Linux and Linux)

2. Can I put the image of converted VM to LUN's assigned to ESX server? or should I keep it on physical server only having VI client installed?

Please advice.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Sanjay

[Troy_Clavell]

1. Linux is experimental and may or not not convert successfully.

http://www.vmware.com/support/converter/doc/releasenotes_conv302update1.html#guestos

2. I'm not quite sure I understand the question. But if you have LUNs attached to the ESX servers then just point the converter to Virtual Center, if you have VC, or a stand alone host. Either way will work.

[sanjay_bajulag1]

I got this Troy.

One more question.

I am trying to convert VM through hot process means not shutting down the physical machine.

So, after converting physical machine, can I use the physical machine? OS and data will present on the physical box? or it will vanish out?

Pleae advice as I am new to this converter.

[theanykey]

You can not convert an unsupported or experimental OSs hot. You need to use the coldclone iso/cd and select ALL partitions and do NOT resize any partitions.

For linux, you then you need to flush the drivers:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1002402

[Troy_Clavell]

So, after converting physical machine, can I use the physical machine? OS and data will present on the physical box? or it will vanish out?

Pleae advice as I am new to this converter.

Yes, the VMware Converter will not do anything to the existing server except make "clone", if you will, of the physical server. The physical server will remain the same and all data will still be present. Keep in mind, if you want to keep the physical server on-line, you should think about changing the HOST name of the VM as well as the IP address.

After P>V migrations we usually leave the physical box powered off for a couple of weeks just to ensure everything is fine on the VM. Once that period has passed we decommission the physical server.