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  • 1.  VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit = Cold Clone to ESX Host?

    Posted Aug 07, 2008 01:49 AM

    I bought the VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit which includes...

    • 3 Licenses of VMware Infrastructure Foundation

    • 1 License of VMware VirtualCenter Foundation

    What I'm trying to figure out now is whether or not I can perform a cold clone? Whenever I login and go to the Downloads section I am able to download VMWare Converter 3.0.3 (Standalone Enterprise Edition). I can download the EXE as well as the ISO for the cold clone CD. At this point, can I just burn the CD and perform a cold clone straight to my ESX server?

    I currently have only one host, so I do NOT have VirtualCenter installed anywhere. From what I've been able to dig up, if I want to use the VMWare Converter software I can do so as a plugin inside of VirtualCenter. Do I need to have VirtualCenter installed though in order to do a cold clone? Is a cold clone even possible with what I have? I read that you have to have VMWare Convert Enterprise (not Starter) in order to perform a cold clone.

    Please...show me the light...I'm lost.



  • 2.  RE: VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit = Cold Clone to ESX Host?

    Posted Aug 07, 2008 02:46 AM

    I've moved your post to the VMware Converter forum. You can use the cold clone CD to go directly to an ESX host - see page 48 - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/VMware_Converter_manual303.pdf.



  • 3.  RE: VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit = Cold Clone to ESX Host?

    Posted Aug 07, 2008 12:13 PM

    Thanks, that was my assumption. The only thing that confused me was that the Converter manual indicated you have to have Converter Enterprise in order to do a cold clone. I wasn't sure if Converter Enterprise was part of VirtualCenter Foundation or not.

    I'm guessing I do not have the ability to run Converter Enterprise as a standalone installation but that perhaps it is available as a plugin inside of VirtualCenter Foundation. I'm going to try and run a cold clone straight to my single ESX host without installing VirtualCenter. If for whatever reason that fails I'll then look into setting up VirtualCenter.

    Thanks for your help.



  • 4.  RE: VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit = Cold Clone to ESX Host?

    Posted Aug 07, 2008 01:59 PM

    The only thing that confused me was that the Converter manual indicated you have to have Converter Enterprise in order to do a cold clone. I wasn't sure if Converter Enterprise was part of VirtualCenter Foundation or not.

    Go to the download page for VirtualCenter, login, and see what files are there. As of VCMS 2.5, I think there is a version of the cold clone disc there.

    I'm guessing I do not have the ability to run Converter Enterprise as a standalone

    You can always use the free version. Only restriction is, if you want to send the VM to ESX from a Physical Host, that you MUST install the Converter Free version on the Physical Host you want to convert.



  • 5.  RE: VI3 Foundation Acceleration Kit = Cold Clone to ESX Host?
    Best Answer

    Posted Aug 07, 2008 12:13 PM

    WHOA, a post loaded with questions

    VMWare Converter 3.0.3 (Standalone Enterprise Edition)

    No, you do not need VirtualCenter to run the Converter StandAlone edition. It works completely independent of VCMS in either form (EXE or CD ISO).

    VMWare Converter software I can do so as a plugin inside of VirtualCenter

    This is an "additional" feature, but not quite as versatile since it can only hot clone from the plugin. It's also slightly older than the 3.0.3 standalone.

    Is a cold clone even possible with what I have?

    Yes. You don't even need ESX/VCMS to do a cold clone. If you create a cold clone disc, it also allows you to map a network drive (UNC Path) for you to write to as well. You can also use the more traditional destination of ESX or VirtualCenter

    I read that you have to have VMWare Convert Enterprise (not Starter) in order to perform a cold clone.

    Correct. You need a License for converter to have access to the Cold Clone ISO download. If you went to the free download page ( http://vmware.com/download/converter/ ), you would only get an EXE to download.