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VMWare - VMware Converter 3.0.2 Update 1 Enterprise - How do I get a license for this?

I need a license for this so that I can use the "Converter Boot CD for Local Cold Cloning" functionality.

Unfortunately all the people I've spoken to on the phone at VMware are clueless.

Any idea on how i get a license?

Thanks

aswigon

Do you currently have ESX server licensing?

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ASKER

Nope - I have no VMware licenses at all

I just want to use the one tool -- how much would I have to spend?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

npanno

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ASKER

Any way to get a trial version with the cold cloning? I don't even know if the product is right for me!

npanno

Have you tried out the free version? It does almost everything the same except it doesn't support the Cold Cloning, Multiple Simultaneous Migrations, or Imaging directly ESX. The boot cd is essentially the same interface on top of a winPE boot disk.

If it's the direct disk to virtual disk imaging you would like to try out, I've used some free tools/boot cds to image disks to a windows share and then image them back to the virtual machine. Like:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

The nice features, which you can test with a hot clone on the free version, is on the fly disk resizing, and it's only a one part process, as opposed to the free tools.

npanno

That was a little off topic, but you can evaluate VI3 which includes ESX, Virtual Center, and Consolodated Backup. It doesn't specifically say it has a trial of the Converter, but they have made it more of a plug-in to Virtual Center as oppoes to a separate install in Virtual Center 2.5 so it might be worth a shot.
Here's the Link to Evaluate VI3:
https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?eval=vi3

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ASKER

"I've used some free tools/boot cds to image disks to a windows share and then image them back to the virtual machine."

Noob Question: What is a windows share?

Thanks =)

npanno

Just a shared folder on a windows workstation (ie. \\server1\imagefolder\ ) or server to store the image file on. Some of those boot cd's, espically the linux based ones, will allow you to mount an FTP site as a storage volume as well to store the image files until you're ready to image them back to another computer/VM.