Here is the process doc for Windows P2V’s.  This also includes migrating VMware Server/Worksation VM's running on top of Windows to our ESX cluster.  Please note the server must have 2 NIC’s.  For any that don’t, we’ll need to look at them on an case-by-case basis.

 

Connecting Server to Management Network

The first thing we need to do is get a 1 Gbps connection from the client server to our management network.

  1. From your workstation, ping 172.29.1.254 to make sure it's not in use.
  2. Assign 172.29.1.254/255.255.255.0 to an unused NIC on the client's server.  Leave DNS and the default gateway blank.
  3. Patch the NIC you configured in step 2 to the aus-accessA1-A OR aus-accessA1-B switches, port 21 or port 22 (4 ports total)
  4. Make sure you can ping 172.29.1.20 from the client's server
  5. You now have a gigabit link established between the client servers and vCenter/VMware nodes.

 

 

Perform the Virtualization

 

  1. Log into client's server and document all NIC settings, including secondary IP addresses.
  2. Disable ipMonitor
  3. Install VMware Converter Standalone.
  4. Launch VMware Converter
  5. Select "Convert Machine"
  6. On the Source System page, choose "This local machine" and hit Next.
  7. On the Destination System page, type in 172.29.1.20.  Enter Administrator and the vCenter password (in KeePass).  Hit Next.
  8. Ignore the certificate warning
  9. Type in a name for the server, in the format CLIENT SERVER_NAME (i.e. CustomsPoint SQL1)
  10. Leave "Webcore Austin" highlighted in the Inventory window and click Next.
  11. Select node1 at 172.29.1.21.  For datastore, choose nexenta-md3060e-A, or nexenta-md3060e-B (whichever has more free space).  Hit Next.
  12. On the details page, edit the Networks and place the VM on the proper VLAN.  Make sure "Connect at power-on" is not checked for now.  Remove the (second?) network adapter since that was added when we connected the current server to the management network for virtualization. 
    1. Hit Edit beside "Data to copy". 
    2. Click "Advanced...".
    3. Click "Destination Layout".
    4. Click "Add disk".
    5. Click on the second drive (i.e. E: drive) and click "Move Down".
    6. Repeat for each disk to ensure that each volume/partition resides on it's own VMDK disk.
    7. Make sure that the C: drive, E: drive, etc. are virtualized to separate vDisks.
    8. Make sure "Thin" is chosen for all disks.
    9. Change the size/capacity as needed (now is your time to resize the disk, if needed).
    10. Click Next
  13. Click Finish to start the conversion.

 

Example: A machine with about 30-35 GB of actual data took approximately 30-40 minutes to virtualize.  The transfer averaged 17-18 MB/s = 100 Mbps.

 

  1. When done, edit the VM settings.
    1. Remove the existing NIC.  Re-create a new NIC with type VMXNET3.  Make sure both "Connected" boxes are unchecked.  Make sure you place the NIC on the proper VLAN.
    2. Remove the USB controller
    3. Remove the floppy drive
    4. Add a new HD.  "Create a new virtual disk".  Leave at 8GB.  Choose "SCSI (1:0)". 
    5. Edit the new SCSI Controller that was added with your new HD.  Change type to VMware Paravirtual.
  2. Power on the VM.  Install VMware tools and let all detected devices finish installing.  Reboot when prompted.
  3. Remove non-present devices.  They will be greyed out in the Windows Device Manager.  If you try to delete some and cannot remove them, leave them there.  http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-11398
  4. Go to Add/Remove programs and remove any hardware specific programs i.e. Adaptec Storage Manager, MegaRAID Storage Manager, NIC utilities, etc.)
  5. Uninstall VMware Converter
  6. Edit the NIC settings ot match the old server exactly (including all secondary IP's).  It should be disconnected from the network.
  7. Shut down the VM. 
    1. Delete the 8GB HD you added
    2. Delete the SCSI controller 1 (the Paravirtual controller)
    3. Edit the SCSI Controller 0 and change to Paravirtual.
  8. Power on the VM to confirm it still boots and all looks good in in general (disks, files, no errors).
  9. Shut down the physical server.
  10. Attach the VM vNIC to the network when you confirm the old server is offline.
  11. Reboot the VM to get a clean start.
  12. Make sure all client services are responding properly and Internet connectivity works.
  13. Check Event Viewer to confirm clean start.
  14. Update the ipMonitor description, as needed.  If ping still times out to the new server, it may be because the switches need a while for the ARP cache to update.  Leave monitor disabled and notify tier 3 if ARP cache needs to be cleared.
  15. Remove the patch cable from the client's physical server and the aus-accessA1-A/aus-accessA1-B switches.  Remove the server from the rack.