This week I was studying on all the different ways you can create disaster recovery for an ESX3 server. First I looked at VCB, it wasn't a big success because it only works with a FC San and the restore is a bit clumsy. Further on I looked at esxRanger but found it a bit pricey because you have to upgrade to the Pro version since that is the only version that can talk to ESX3. Then my eye felt on a new beta product from VMware called VMware Converter 3.0. I downloaded and installed the software on my VC2 server and thought lets give it a try and discover the possibilities. To my great surprise there is a way to create a "Hot Clone" from a running VM with no downtime. After that I did the restore and everything went perfect. The only disadvantage is that I was unable to find a way to schedule a job.
Saturday, 11 November 2006
Free Disaster Recovery, 2.5 to 3.0 Migrations, Backup and HA for ESX3.
To good to be true ? here is the deal.
Download the software from http://www.vmware.com/products/beta/converter/
Install the software on your VC2 server, (it can also be installed on another machine).
Create a share on the VC2 server, for instance with the name Backups.
Start the VMware Converter.
ets create the first import.
Choose the menu option File New Import.
Click <Next>. Click <Next>.
Choose "Physical computer".
I also try ed ESX server but your VM have to be powered of and we don't want downtime.
Click <Next>.
Supply the host name or IP address of your VM (this is the machine who is going to be cloned) also supply an administrator user name and password.
Click <Next>.
Check the disks Click <Next>.
Click <Next>. Click <Next>.
Give your Clone a name and fill in where the files are being placed, for instance \\SMBserver\Backups. This is the share you created earlier.
Choose the following type "Virtual Machine To Create" Workstation 5.x, VMware Server en Player.
Click <Next>.
Choose "Allocate all disk space for better performance".
Click <Next>.
Choose the number of Nics.
Click <Next>. Click <Next>. Click <Next>.
Now you have to wait for a while. Depending on you infrastructure you can roughly count 1 GB in two minutes. Lets take a look in the VM and discover a new agent that is being pushed there and is transferring all your data. After a while the job had finished and your share contain a new directory with three files, in my case:
hot clone.vmdk
hot clone.vmx
hot clone-flat.vmdk
You can put these files on a tape or burn them on a DVD whatever. 
The restore is just as simple as the back-up.
Choose the menu option File New Import.
Click <Next>. Click <Next>.
Choose "Stand alone virtual machine"
Click <Next>.
Browse to you back-up share and select the vmx file.
Click <Next>.
Choose "Import all disks end mountain sizes" and check the disks.
Click <Next>. Click <Next>.
Choose VMware ESX server.
Click <Next>.
Supply the host name of your VC2 server and an administrator user name and password.
Click <Next>.
Put in a new name for your VM and select an inventory
Click <Next>.
Select the host where the VM is going to run.
Click <Next>.
Choose a data store.
Click <Next>.
Select the wright number of NICs and choose the wright network.
Click <Next>.
Select one or both boxes and depending on your situation and give your VM a new host name to avoid duplicate names or IP addresses.
Click <Next>.
Check all settings and click Finish. you can also check "Power on the new virtual machine". Now lets wait for a while.
There is a possibility that VC2 pops up a question about a new ID, when that happens choose "Create".
After a while the restore is ready and you back-up is up and running.The only disadvantage is that you are not able to schedule a job. Maybe it will be there in the future. But think of all the possibilities.
You can set up a free "VMware server" with all you VM's powered of as a standby host.
Ps. Take al look at the hardware of your new VM, it even contains an USB device and the mouse is a lot quicker to.
I wish you much fun with your hot imports,
Eric Sloof
