Convert a physical or non-II system into an Intelligent Infrastructure virtual machine (P2V/V2V)

System conversion steps

1. On the system you wish to migrate, download and install the latest copy of the VMware vCenter Converter.
   Note:

   Unless otherwise indicated by the SAV team, select Local installation, not Client-Server.
2. Shut down all of your application services and any server services such as IIS and SQL Server.
3. Right-click the VMware vCenter Converter Standalone shortcut, select Run As, and specify local administrator. Ensure you are running as the primary built-in local administrator; even running as an ADS user who is an administrator on the system may cause issues.
4. To begin a conversion, click Convert machine.
   
5. Source system: Select the source system to convert.
6. Destination system:
   • Destination type: VMware Infrastructure virtual machine
   • Server: vc2.iu.edu
   • Username: ads\username
     Note:

     This user should be a member of the ADS admin group that you specified in the VM request who has access to perform the P2V.
   • Password: IU ADS passphrase
7. Destination virtual machine:
   • To help keep billing records in sync, be sure to name your machine with the identical name that you used in the virtual machine request form
   • If you are converting to the IU Indianapolis campus, select the ICTC P2V [color] folder.
   • If you are converting to the IU Bloomington campus, select the IUDC P2V [color] folder.
   
8. Destination location:
   1. Click the P2V resource pool.
      Note:

      This step is important to ensure that you have the permission to successfully perform the conversion.
      • For ICTC: IN-GAD03-0696-P2V
      • For IUDC: BL-GAD03-0595-P2V
   2. Datastore: Select the P2V datastore, not one of the isoimages.
   3. Host: You can leave the default host.
   4. Virtual machine version: Verify the newest (that is, highest number) version is selected.

      

9. Options:
   • If your physical hard disk is larger than the space you requested, reduce the size to what you requested:
     1. Click Edit next to "Data to copy".
     2. Next to the disk you want to reduce, under Destination size, choose Type size in GB to resize the VM hard disk down to the size you requested.
   • To give the VM the correct NIC type, number of NICs, and ensure that they are allocated to the correct VLANs:
     1. Click Edit next to "Networks".
     2. Adjust the number of NICs and what network they connect on (your VLAN) as necessary.
     3. Change the controller type for all NICs to VMXNET 3 for best performance, reliability, and supportability.
        
   • If you are converting a Windows system, you should be able to leave the rest of the settings on this screen as default.
   • If you are converting a powered-on Linux system, to ensure that the VM data copy takes place, do the following:
     1. Set network adapter 1 to a VLAN that can communicate back to the original source system.
        • See previous step on how to update NIC "Networks".
        • If this needs to be different than the eventual destination VLAN, proceed with the change. You can reset it to the proper VLAN once the conversion process is complete.
     2. Select Helper VM Network at the bottom of the "Options" list.
        
        • Since most II VLANs do not support DHCP, you will likely need to provide a static (unused) IP that is valid for the specified VLAN so the helper VM can communicate back to the source system and copy data.
        • Make sure that the source system's security and firewalls will allow SSH connections from the specified IP.
        • For more about the helper VM, see the VMware Converter User's Guide.
10. Summary: Verify settings and click Finish.
    Note:

    If you get an SSL error when trying to submit your job, attempt to resubmit the job, and it should go through. (See step 11 below.)
11. Once the conversion has completed, you should be able to log into vSphere and see your VM in the folder you converted it to.
    • If for any reason the VM conversion fails/errors, you will not be able to directly replace the first attempt. You will need to use a slightly different name (perhaps adding _2 at the end). SAV can then come in the next day, remove the erred VM, rename the successful one, and perform any other cleanup that needs to be done.
    • If you continue to have problems, see Support resources for IU Intelligent Infrastructure and storage and virtualization.
12. Install the VMware Tools: You will need to perform this step before you can see the network adapter. For details, refer to step 9 in Start an OS install on a virtual machine using Intelligent Infrastructure.
13. Respond to your ticket and let SAV know the conversion is complete.