Question

Convert Windows 2003 server from physical to Virtual with Vmware Vcenter Converter

Answer 1

Introduction

VMware vCenter Converter can run on a wide variety of computers, and is compatible with the most widely used versions of the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. With this migration tool you can perform the following tasks:

• In a fast and reliable way convert local and remote physical machines into virtual machines

• Complete multiple conversions simultaneously with a centralized management console and an intuitive conversion wizard.

• Convert other virtual machine formats, such as Microsoft Hyper-V, Microsoft Virtual PC and Microsoft Virtual Server or backup images of physical machines.

Installing the VmWare VCenter Converter package

Taking into account that we already have the installation package, we will proceed with the execution of it. This tool can be installed on any computer that is within the LAN of our servers or it can be installed on the same server that we are going to virtualize, since we have the option to convert virtual as a Standalone.

On the Welcome screen, we will give you "NEXT"

On this screen we should read the licensing agreement; Once read, if we agree with the license agreement, we will give the option "I ACCEPT THE IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT" and then "NEXT"

In this screen you will indicate the installation path of the VmWare VCenter Converter. We give "NEXT"

Here we will simply choose the Local Installation, then "NEXT".

In this screen we will give you "INSTALL" , it will start with the installation process.

At the end of the installation we will give you "FINISH" and it will be executed.

Here we have the tool executed, ready to be used !!

Convert a physical server to virtual

To start the Conversion process we will give "CONVERT MACHINE". The following window will appear where we will choose in this case "POWERED ON MACHINE", then we will choose "A REMOTE MACHINE" and we will place the IP address of the Server to be virtualized, a user and password with the Administrator's powers of the Server. And we will give you "NEXT". Then connect to the computer and ask us if we want to automatically install the virtualization agent. We will give you "YES".

In this screen we will indicate the HOST where the virtualized server will be located. In this case I have a VCenter installed, and I place the IP of my CLUSTER. We complete this data and give "NEXT"

Here we will have the different configuration options of the equipment to be virtualized. If we go to "ADVANCED OPTIONS" , we will have post installation options. In this case we will choose the options that appear on the screen. We will give you "NEXT" .

In this screen I will stop a moment to explain to you the importance of the option "DATA TO COPY", It is about choosing which partitions you want to virtualize. You can keep its original size. Linux partitions are shown as "unknown". Once the option is chosen, we will give it "NEXT".

Here we will choose the HOST where we will want the Server and the DataStore to be hosted. We will give you "NEXT".

We will see the detail of everything we set up for virtualization. If everything is OK, we will give you "FINISH".

The task will appear in RUNNING, where we hope it will be 100% complete and we will have our physical server already virtualized.

This tool is very useful when it comes to the migration and implementation of our virtualized data center.

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