How to virtualize this (old-ish) Linux server to VMware?
Hi,
I've got an old-ish Linux server here that I want to virtualize. Unfortunately VMWare Standalone Converter is unable to convert it because the server has a SoftRAID on two of the three disks. I tried (and managed) to clone the boot disk and one of the RAID disks to a new virtual machine using dd, I can log on to it but there's of course all kinds of messed up stuff ...
So is there any other way to do this properly?
Here's the configuration of the old server:
- Gentoo Linux with a 2.6 Kernel
- a boot disk (20Gb) /dev/hda
- two more disks (120 Gb) /dev/hdc and /dev/hdd, mirrored using a SoftRAID
- some more disks but I don't know what they're for ... /dev/md0, /md1 and /md2 ... ah, wait those are the disks resulting from the RAID!? Maybe I need to clone those ... but would that work? Especially since Linux tells me that they don't contain valid partition tables and the new virtual machine doesn't have a SoftRAID (and doesn't need to)?
So is there a way to clone this SoftRAID server to a non-RAID virtual machine and have it work as before? ;)
Any help is appreciated! Thank you
Jerome
I've got an old-ish Linux server here that I want to virtualize. Unfortunately VMWare Standalone Converter is unable to convert it because the server has a SoftRAID on two of the three disks. I tried (and managed) to clone the boot disk and one of the RAID disks to a new virtual machine using dd, I can log on to it but there's of course all kinds of messed up stuff ...
So is there any other way to do this properly?
Here's the configuration of the old server:
- Gentoo Linux with a 2.6 Kernel
- a boot disk (20Gb) /dev/hda
- two more disks (120 Gb) /dev/hdc and /dev/hdd, mirrored using a SoftRAID
- some more disks but I don't know what they're for ... /dev/md0, /md1 and /md2 ... ah, wait those are the disks resulting from the RAID!? Maybe I need to clone those ... but would that work? Especially since Linux tells me that they don't contain valid partition tables and the new virtual machine doesn't have a SoftRAID (and doesn't need to)?
So is there a way to clone this SoftRAID server to a non-RAID virtual machine and have it work as before? ;)
Any help is appreciated! Thank you
Jerome
Last Comment
IanTh
have you tries using vmware's cold clone boot cd
ASKER
Ian:
I don't have that Cold Clone Boot CD and it seems like you can't download it from VMWare anymore ... also, I can't create it with my VMWare vSphere Essentials :(
I might have to look for it elsewhere then ... there are these dark corners of the internet ;)
But do you think that it could convert this RAID-based Linux server to a non-RAID virtual server?
I don't have that Cold Clone Boot CD and it seems like you can't download it from VMWare anymore ... also, I can't create it with my VMWare vSphere Essentials :(
I might have to look for it elsewhere then ... there are these dark corners of the internet ;)
But do you think that it could convert this RAID-based Linux server to a non-RAID virtual server?
I think your problem will be creating a softraid in a vm
see
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1682876
it discusses various ways multiple datastores acting like a raid 0 but how your going to migrate the linux into the datastore raid 0 thats going to be the issue imho
see
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1682876
it discusses various ways multiple datastores acting like a raid 0 but how your going to migrate the linux into the datastore raid 0 thats going to be the issue imho
I had a very similar issue trying to p2v a old linux server that had a 40gb hdd as boot but the real data was on another drive that the 40gb boot drive had access to so it was impossible as the actual data was not understandable to vmware convertor
actually I have just found this
http://www.mondorescue.org/
it seems to offere a lot of linux but you still will have a problem doing the raid so you might need to do it the other way and that's backup create the vm with two luns for the raid connect both to the vm and then you may be able to restore the backup
http://www.mondorescue.org/
it seems to offere a lot of linux but you still will have a problem doing the raid so you might need to do it the other way and that's backup create the vm with two luns for the raid connect both to the vm and then you may be able to restore the backup
ASKER
Ian:
Hm, thanks so far ... I'm not a Linux expert so a lot of this is Chinese to me ;)
But I can tell you what I've tried so far:
1. I found an old ColdClone CD after all! I had downloaded them at the time when it was still possible but it was hidden in a folder called 'old' ;) So I booted from it, the Converter software gets loaded and the WinPE started. But the system freezes when the 'do you want to configure the network settings' window appears :( Any ideas?
2. I've also booted from an Acronis BootCD but then the USB drive isn't recognized!? So I can't actually save the backups anywhere ...
3. I've booted into a miniXP and I'm currently doing 'Ghost' images of the drives ... although I'm not sure that'll help me do anything!? I would then have to convert the Ghost images into something I could import into VMware ...
Geez, this is hard ;)
Hm, thanks so far ... I'm not a Linux expert so a lot of this is Chinese to me ;)
But I can tell you what I've tried so far:
1. I found an old ColdClone CD after all! I had downloaded them at the time when it was still possible but it was hidden in a folder called 'old' ;) So I booted from it, the Converter software gets loaded and the WinPE started. But the system freezes when the 'do you want to configure the network settings' window appears :( Any ideas?
2. I've also booted from an Acronis BootCD but then the USB drive isn't recognized!? So I can't actually save the backups anywhere ...
3. I've booted into a miniXP and I'm currently doing 'Ghost' images of the drives ... although I'm not sure that'll help me do anything!? I would then have to convert the Ghost images into something I could import into VMware ...
Geez, this is hard ;)
I have been in vmware since 2008 and I agree its hard but I think it may work
try
http://www.mondorescue.org/
I found it on a forum called p2v old linux
try
http://www.mondorescue.org/
I found it on a forum called p2v old linux
ASKER
Thanks but there's no boot ISO for this, right? Only ebuild files ... ?
I would have to install and start this on the live Linux server then?
I would have to install and start this on the live Linux server then?
ASKER
Ian:
I tried to clone it with the ColdClone boot CD but it hangs after having launched WindowsPE, when it's displaying the 'do you want to configure the network settings' window :(
I tried to clone it with the ColdClone boot CD but it hangs after having launched WindowsPE, when it's displaying the 'do you want to configure the network settings' window :(
I dont think cold clone will do it I have been trying to find forums that discuss it and got nowhere except
http://virtualaleph.blogspot.co.uk/2007/05/virtualize-linux-server-with-vmware.html
have you tried that
http://virtualaleph.blogspot.co.uk/2007/05/virtualize-linux-server-with-vmware.html
have you tried that
ASKER
Hm ... so the VMWare ConverterCD they are talking about there is not the VMWare ColdClone CD? Where do I get that ConverterCD from then? Thank you.
it should be on the vmware downloads
see
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/convsa_50_guide.pdf
look for the migrating linux its a bit different than windows
see
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/convsa_50_guide.pdf
look for the migrating linux its a bit different than windows
ASKER
I'm sorry if I'm dense ... I've got the Converter Stand-Alone installed on my PC and it works for a lot of machines. But not for this server since it got a SoftRAID.
And the article makes it look like it's a Converter Boot CD?
And the article makes it look like it's a Converter Boot CD?
COLDCLONE.iso is very old, and it's not been updated since about 3.0.3 of converter, have you tried building you own Coldclone.iso?
See MOA here
http://sanbarrow.com/moa.html
The SoftRAID function will be "cloned" as well, and will run SoftRAID in a VM, which may not be requried, but should not be an issue, if the converter software recognises the Linux OS.
See MOA here
http://sanbarrow.com/moa.html
The SoftRAID function will be "cloned" as well, and will run SoftRAID in a VM, which may not be requried, but should not be an issue, if the converter software recognises the Linux OS.
ASKER
No, I haven't tried building that. I'll do that then! Thank you
In building a new MOA cdrom, you will have the benefit of using the lastest converter.
also checkout my relevant EE Articles
HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0
speed up conversion by up to 60%
HOW TO: Improve the transfer rate of a Physical to Virtual (P2V), Virtual to Virtual Conversion (V2V) using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0
also checkout my relevant EE Articles
HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0
speed up conversion by up to 60%
HOW TO: Improve the transfer rate of a Physical to Virtual (P2V), Virtual to Virtual Conversion (V2V) using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0
ASKER
Thanks, hanccocka, I'll check those out as well!
ASKER
hanccocka: But as I've said before I can't just use the Stand Alone Converter just like that to convert that server. I'll get an error message because of the SoftRAID of the Linux server. That's the reason for all this hassle ;) But I'll try the MOA now!
ASKER
the MOA asks for Converter 3.0.3 though ... that's the same old converter, no?
I've now renamed the Converter 5.0 in order to fool MOA ... but I'm not sure if that's a good idea!? ;)
I've now renamed the Converter 5.0 in order to fool MOA ... but I'm not sure if that's a good idea!? ;)
ASKER
And something must have gone wrong ... my ISO is only 34 KB :(
coldclone.iso, was of a similar version to 3.0.
if you install/run converter 5.0 from Windows host, and complete a network conversion of Linux Server, do you get an error?
if you install/run converter 5.0 from Windows host, and complete a network conversion of Linux Server, do you get an error?
ASKER
hanccocka:
Yes, if I try to convert the Linux server using the Converter 5.0 from Windows I get an error message before the conversion has even started. The error is apparently due to the SoftRAID on the Gentoo Linux server.
Yes, if I try to convert the Linux server using the Converter 5.0 from Windows I get an error message before the conversion has even started. The error is apparently due to the SoftRAID on the Gentoo Linux server.
what is the error?
ASKER
'There's no /boot folder mounted on the source computer.'
What is on the Gentoo server? It may be easier to build a new Gentoo VM and copy the files/settings to the new server.
It may be easier than you think. For example if you are using the same Gentoo level you could selectively copy over the /etc/ directory in pieces, retaining the settings for services, and the program "rsync" could synchronize you data.
It may be easier than you think. For example if you are using the same Gentoo level you could selectively copy over the /etc/ directory in pieces, retaining the settings for services, and the program "rsync" could synchronize you data.
ASKER
JRoyse: there's an Apache and mySQL server on the Gentoo server, plus images and video files. I also thought about rebuilding it to a newer server ... it's just that I'm not a Linux expert but I've got someone here who could help me. Have to check with him. Simply converting the whole thing would have been easier though, if everything had worked as it was supposed to ;)
ASKER
hanccocka: any suggestion regarding that error message?
ASKER
one more question: what was the last Converter BootCD? Version 3 or 4?
if you are referring to the coldclone.iso, available from VMware.
Error Message - the Converter does not understand the OS.
Are you licesened for VMware vCenter Converter CLI for Linux Platform?
it does look like the coldclone.iso has been removed from My VMware.
Error Message - the Converter does not understand the OS.
Are you licesened for VMware vCenter Converter CLI for Linux Platform?
it does look like the coldclone.iso has been removed from My VMware.
coldclone was version 3 I think
Gentoo Linux wouldn't have been a supported source for vmware converter cold clone. I believe it was Redhat linux, and Suse for example. The cold clone will have trouble figuring out your software raid.
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Cloning wasn't an option after all
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