asked on

P2V Vmare vs Hyper-V - and Steps involved

This is a 2 part question:

I am looking to mirgrate some servers (2003 SBS and 2008 Server Std) from a physical to virtual server environment as their hardware is aging. These are for small businesses with small budgets!!!!!

Part 1: I was looking for advice on which is a better way to go: VMware or Hyper-V. I like Microsoft products but cost is the driving force here!

Part 2: How do I actually do this conversion? Simplicity is usually the best way :-)

Thanks Experts......

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

If you are wanting to P2V, and virtualise and spend NO MONEY, VMware is probably a little easier, using free tools that are available.

Part1

Both VMware ESXi and Hyper-V are FREE.

VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 4.1)
https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/index.php?p=free-esxi&lp=1

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd776191.aspx

Part 2

P2V for Free with VMware

HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0

HOW TO: Improve the transfer rate of a Physical to Virtual (P2V), Virtual to Virtual Conversion (V2V) using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0

P2V for free for Hyper-V
Use Disk2VHD

Source
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415

ESXi 5.0 and ESXi 5.1 are also now available, as well as Hyper 2012. Just be cautious of P2Ving, Servers that are OEM, because you will need new Retail Licenses, once you have moved them to a virtual server, because you cannot transfer an OEM license, it will require re-activation.

slakic

I would imagine that you want to implement High Availability with shared storage, if not, that VMWare is definitely a way to go, since you have ESXi for free, and you can do P2V conversion with VMWare converter, also free of charge.

trinle

ASKER

How about backup tools for both Hyper-V and VMare?

I came across Altaro which looks pretty good with 2 free VM backups included. http://www.altaro.com/hyper-v-backup/

I didn't find anything compariable for VMware....

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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trinle

ASKER

Thanks Hanccocka... This is good information!

Other than the OEM license gotcha, are there any other pitfalls I need to be made aware?

What about running the VM's on an external RAID box like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817576009

Do you see any problems with that configuration?

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

VMs on an external RAID array, will not cause any issues, providing the host can detect and use the external RAID array.

trinle

ASKER

This was most helpful.... Thank you!