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there is not really any method to speed up an Export or Import speed depends on<br />
<br />
speed of network<br />
datastore speed<br />
speed of workstation data drive<br />
<br />
but is this the same host?<br />
<br />
why not copy or clone at the console or remotely via ssh.<br />
<br />
problem with slowness in export is copy from host to computer via network and then import from pc to host new datastore<br />
<br />
login to host and get the host to copy move clone between datastores no network so much quicker!
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Unfortunately the are two different datastores/VM hosts.<br />
<br />
Does it do some sort of compression has well when exporting, theexported files seem to be smaller than than the drive sizes?<br />
<br />
So far the export has taken 2.5hrs to do 35% - fingers crossed midnight should be done and I can do the import.<br />
<br />
Will the import happen quicker since its on the same datastore?
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the export only exports the data used in the virtual machine disk<br />
<br />
imports are quicker.<br />
<br />
you may find VMware Converter or see my EE article are better faster methods<br />
<a href="https://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/VMWare/A_10718.html" rel="ugc">HOW TO: &quot;Live Migrate&quot; VMware Virtual Machines between ESX/ESXi hosts and/or datastores for FREE without licenses for vMotion or Storage vMotion</a>
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Im checking the event log of the server which is doing the export and I can see an error repeating through the day every 20 minutes or so which relates to the Volume Shadow Copy service entering into a running state the another stating its entered into a stop state. Would that have anything to do with the slow transfer rate of the export?
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What version/edition of VMware are you using?
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Version 5.5.0 on the existing VM Host and v6 on the new VH Host server
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Im wondering why it take such an age to push about 300gb across a 1gb lan to a new VM Host? The CPU is running about 20% and mem usage is only 1.5gb on the server which is doing the export. Must be some bottleneck or weighty processes slowing down the export?
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Are you using the free version or one of the paid versions? If its at least ESXi Essentials that may give you additional options. If you can tie the hosts to a vCenter install (even a trial) I believe you can get access to vmotion and vmotion storage. That way if the copy doesn't happen in your maintenance window you might be able to do it without downtime.
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I have Veeam Backup and Replicate, just reading and that look like it can move VMs between vCentres without any downtime - has anyone had any experience with that?
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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
Hi,<br />
<br />
Im exporting a VM (about 300Gb) over a 1gb network and its done 10% in 60 mins so probably going to take another 9hrs based on that estimation. <br />
<br />
Im exporting from one VM Host datastore to another brand new VM Host datastore. When I import the exported vm, the export will be present on the same new datastore so anticipate it to import way quicker than it exported, would I be right in thinking that?<br />
<br />
Thing is, Ive got a very small window to do the entire process (14hrs max) so Im just trying to work out how long its going to take and if there is anyway I could achieve the end result quicker?<br />
<br />
Thanks<br />
SycamoreIT
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Hi,

Im exporting a VM (about 300Gb) over a 1gb network and its done 10% in 60 mins so probably going to take another 9hrs based on that estimation. 

Im exporting from one VM Host datastore to another brand new VM Host datastore. When I import the exported vm, the export will be present on the same new datastore so anticipate it to import way quicker than it exported, would I be right in thinking that?

Thing is, Ive got a very small window to do the entire process (14hrs max) so Im just trying to work out how long its going to take and if there is anyway I could achieve the end result quicker?

Thanks
SycamoreIT

Fastest way to Export a VM

VMware, a software company founded in 1998,  was one of the first commercially successful companies to offer x86 virtualization. The storage company EMC purchased VMware in 1994. Dell Technologies acquired EMC in 2016. VMware’s parent company is now Dell Technologies.

VMware has many software products that run on desktops, Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS, which allows the virtualizing of the x86 architecture.  Its enterprise software hypervisor for servers, VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi), is a bare-metal hypervisor that runs directly on the server hardware and does not require an additional underlying operating system.

VMware

Virtualization is the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including (but not limited to) a virtual computer hardware platform, operating system (OS), storage device, or computer network resources. Virtualization is usually the creation of a system that executes separate from the underlying hardware resources, or the creation of an entire desktop for systems located elsewhere, similar to thin clients.