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Vmware vConverter 4 Migration of Windows Servers
Summary: This document outlines the best practices and process for migrating Windows Server 2000 and higher physical servers and virtual machines to a Vmware Server 2, Vmware Infrastructure 3 and/or ESX/ESXi 3.5 or higher server host. These instructions are to help ensure a clean migration using VMware Converter 4 plugin and/or stand alone version. This document assumes that the user has the appropriate knowledge, access to perform the tasks required below, have the appropriate infrastructure currently in place, and software installed.
Pre Migration: 1. If the source is a Microsoft Exchange, SQL or other database server, or any other systems where data changes are made often, stop the services or application prior to conversion. This allows for a consistent copy of the data to the destination virtual machine. This can be done from vConverter 4 and using the “Synchronize source and destination” feature in the Advanced Options is also recommended. 2. Verify that you are using or have downloaded the latest version of VMware Converter. 3. Make sure that all firewalls are turned off on the source system to be migrated and the vConverter server. If security is an issue where you can't disable the firewall make sure the ports below are allowed. Communication Paths
Port
Converter Enterprise server to remote physical machine
TCP– 445, 139 UDP– 137, 138 443 443 443 902
Converter Enterprise server to VirtualCenter Server Converter Enterprise client to Converter Enterprise server Physical machine to VirtualCenter Server Physical Machine to ESX Server
4. Install VMware Converter 4 on a windows or linux host or add the plugin to a Virtual Center server that has the appropriate network and DNS setup to communicate with the source system to be converted and the destination. Also make sure that the source system to be converted and destination server (Vmware Server, Virtual Center, etc) can communicate back to the vConverter 4 server or host. 5. Confirm that the source has enough free disk space on its system volume to install the vconverter agent and to operate the disk snapshot features in Converter. TheHyperadvisor.com
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6. Run VMware Converter as a local administrator. Using a local administrator account removes any possible permissions issues. If you are performing a remote conversion, be sure to specify the login user as the Administrator account. 7. If the source is a virtual machine, choose the physical server conversion method. This can eliminates some issues seen with dissimilar virtualization format conversions. 8. If the destination is an ESX host: • • •
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Connect to the server using its IP address instead of DNS host name. Authenticate to the ESX host using the root account. If the source server contains a hard drive or partition larger than 256GB, ensure that the destination datastore's block size is 2MB, 4MB, or 8MB, and not the default 1MB size. The 1 MB default block size cannot accommodate a file larger than 256 GB. Confirm that you are providing a unique name for the target virtual machine. Use the Virtual Infrastructure (VI) client to confirm that the name is not already in use.
9. If you are encountering failures with Converter, reduce the the number of optional items as follows in the Conversion Wizard: • • • • •
Do not convert diagnostic partitions or unrecognized file systems. If you are experiencing cloning phase failures, do not choose to resize the partitions. Leave the default number of virtual network cards (NICs) unaltered. The number of virtual NICs can be changed after conversion has completed. Deselect the option to install VMware Tools. Deselect the option to perform Customization on the virtual machine.
10. If your doing a coldclone migration using the iso or cd note that this will be a block level migration and may take longer to do. This should be a last resort since every block will be copied on the disk whether it is has data or not extending your downtime window.
Post Migration: 1. Review the virtual hardware settings after the migration and make any necessary changes to the vm guest. • • • • •
Adjust the number of virtual NICs Configure the nics to use the correct vSwitch Change the host name and/or IP address Leave all NICs disconnected on power on. Remove any unnecessary devices such as USB controllers, serial ports, parrellel ports, COM ports, or floppy drives.
2. Start the virtual machine in Safe Mode. •
Click Start > Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs. Remove any unnecessary programs used to install or support device drivers, such a TheHyperadvisor.com
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RAID management tools, network teaming or management software, wireless card management software, and video and sound drivers. Do not restart if prompted by an uninstall program. Uninstall all third-party vendor software that was only usable by a physical system ie - hardware monitor agents.
3. Restart the virtual machine into Normal mode. •
• • • •
Remove any additional devices or device drivers that were used to support hardware on the physical server. Use either the Device Manager or Control Panel, depending on the version of Windows. Install VMware Tools and restart if prompted. It is recommended to use the Microsoft Sysprep utility to customize the virtual machine's identity if necessary. Configure all services and applications to start normally at start up. Test all previously migrated applications. Check the Event Logs for errors and warnings and fix them accordingly
4. Disable the pre-logon screensaver: • • •
Open Regedit HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop Change the value of “ScreenSaveActive” to 0.
5. Disable all visual effects – To do this properly you must use a GPO so that anyone logging in gets the settings. 6. Configure the page file to be managed by the system. 7. Disable mouse pointer shadow: Control Panel -> Mouse Click on the tab “pointers” and switch “enable pointer shadow” off.
References: Please make sure that you check the Vmware website for supported operating systems for installation and conversion. Release Notes for vConverter 4 Best practices for using and troubleshooting Vmware Conveter. KB Article:1004588 Virtualizing existing domain controllers. KB article: 1006996 Microsoft considerations for Active Directory domain controllers in virtualization. Article ID: 888794 Support policy for Microsoft SQL Server products. Article ID: 956893
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