P2V
This is a checklist to aid in the initial stages of planning a server consolidation. It can be used to assess the current physical server for compatibility as a virtual machine. In some cases it may not be possible to convert the physical server due to certain conditions that exist, or the virtual environment may not be able to provide everything the application requires (possibly USB device access).
1. Check VMware Vcenter Converter 5.5 documentation and release notes for any related known issues to the hardware/software being converted.
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/converter_pubs.html
2. Decide on the clone method (Hot or Cold).
Note: If the source machine is a domain controller, database server, email server,or any other service with frequently changing data, a cold conversion must be performed.
Tip: For a domain controller the best way is to create a new virtual machine and promote it to a DC then decommission the old DC.
3. Does the physical machine use serial ports?
If yes, it is still possible to P2V, however that VM will need to be resticted to an individual ESX server with the physical serial device attached.
4. Does the physical machine use parallel ports?
If yes, it is still possible to P2V, however that VM will need to be resticted to an individual ESX server with the physical parallel device attached.
5. Does the physical machine use and USB devices?
If yes, you will need to look into using USBanywhere, which allows to use USB over the network.
6. Check there is enough storage space for the new VM. Take into the current data size plus growth.
Note: Disks can be resized upon conversion so if there is a large quantity of unused space on the physical this can be removed to by UniDeals” href=”#”> save space.
7. Check there is enough RAM available in the virtual environment to accomodate the new VMs needs.
8. Check there is enough CPU available in the virtual environment to accomodate the new VMs needs.
Note: Physical machines with multiple CPUs but only using single threaded applications should be set to 1vCPU. Adding extra CPUs would waste CPU time / cycles because the applications would not make use of it.
9. Check the network the physical machine is connected to, is available in the virtual environment.
10. Monitor the physical machine for the following utilization metrics:
Avg CPU usage (Mhz)
Max CPU usage (Mhz)
Avg RAM usage (Mb)
Max RAM usage (Mb)
Avg Disk IO Reads
Max Disk IO Reads
Avg Disk IO Writes
Max Disk IO Writes
Note: This performance information can be used to better specify the virtual machine reservations and limits. The longer this is monitored, the better the idea of its resource usage.
Server check list
- Servername
- OS type
- Server model
- Has Capacity Planner run for this server?
- # of CPU sockets
- # of CPU cores
- Amount of physical memory installed
- Physical disk capacity (C-drive, D-drive, etc.)
- Current CPU usage (preferably from cap. planner)
- Current memory usage (preferably from cap. planner)
- Current physical disk usage (C-drive, D-drive, etc.)
- # vCPU’s that should be assigned
- Amount of memory to be assigned to VM
- Sizes of vDisks after resizing (C-drive, D-drive, etc. – remember separate .vmdk’s for each logical volume)
- Total size of vDisks (then you can sum up total disk capacity needed and ask for storage up front)
- Local administrator credentials
- “Ipconfig /all” screendump attached to list (this is to ensure you have the right IP and mac address)?
- ILO-information (address, credentials) (if you have to do cold migration)
- Has server been defragmented
- Has server been checked for hardware dongles?
- Has VLAN been trunked?
- Do server application licenses have any binding to MAC or IP address?
- Remote access type (RDP, Netop)? (for stopping services up front)
- Physical server location
- Applications on server
- What services to stop on server before conversion
- OS tester contact info
- Application tester contact info (for pre- and post migration test)
- Server to be converted by (employee)
- Date for conversion
- Conversion progress/status (not begun, P2V begun, handed over to OS testing, released to production, etc.)
- Has physical server been shut down?
- Notes