In previous versions of vCenter Converter you had the option to synchronize a P2V conversion to complete a hot migration. This meant that, after a initial full backup (or P2V) of the source system, a second run was initiated right away to save the last changes to the new virtual machine. Before this second run started, you had the option to stop certain services so the consistency of the disk was guaranteed. After this second run completed, your new VM was ready to go. Any additional changes in source server are not synced anymore, because the P2V process finished.
In Converter Standalone 5 there are two new options available:
- You can schedule this second run and….
- You can choose to perform a final synchronization
Both options are visible in the Converter interface:
The first option is pretty clear I think; now it’s possible to schedule the second run at a selected date/time. The final synchronization option determines if a sync is the final (and last) sync, or maybe you want to schedule one or more additional synchronization tasks between the source server and the destination VM. This means that your P2V’ed VM can stay in sync for a long time. You can start the final synchronization at a moment that is convenient for you. Hmmm, that’s pretty cool I think :).
Let’s see how this looks in vSphere, where I have a VM available that didn’t had a final synchronization:
As you can see, the VM (this is the P2V’ed virtual machine!) has two snapshots. One snapshot was created after the initial transfer, a second snapshot was created after the second synchronization run, although this was not the final synchronization.
So, let’s now go to vCenter Converter: Here I have the option to start an additional synchronization. This job will sync the latest changes from the original physical machine to the virtual machine:
Now the wizard pops-up again, in this case I am selection the final synchronization option:
Because I have selected “final synchronization” the new VM will be ready for use, after the final synchronization. Converter en vSphere will do some magic with snapshots, sync the last changes…and voila…your VM is ready to go!
Have fun!
11 Comments
Bouke Groenescheij
Nice article – thanks for sharing!
tom miller
In the previous version 5.0 you could perform a re-sync only if you did NOT resize the disk. Do you know if you can resize disk and perform a sync with v 5.01?
Neil R. Sherman
I performed a conversion of a physical server, mx38. Destination is named mx38-p2v. No synchronization was selected. p2v finished. if I right click the finished job, there is an option to syhchronize, but it is greyed out. Created new job, same source, named destination mx38-p2v-new. At final screen, I see where I can either select a “final” synchronization, or “schedule” a synchronization, but no where can I find where t set up “additionalsynchronizations”, as you mention in the article above. Can you help me figure that part out?
Thanks Sincerely,
Neil R. Sherman
viktorious
You can right click a running job and the click the “synchronize” option to get the P2V in sync. As long you’re not choosing to do a final synchronization, you can resync again and again…
Roy Griffiths
For me “Perform Final Synchronization” is ticked AND greyed out – I cannot stop it from doing the final sync. But I want to schedule nightly syncs – I’ve read and paid attention to the warnings not to resize FAT volumes / shrink NTFS volumes or change cluster size, but it seems to ignore me, regardless of other settings I try. How can I “un-grey” the “Schedule” and “Perform Final Synchronization” options?
Metalhead
The option for “Perform Final Synchronization” is greyed out because you are probably using Workstation, Fusion or an older version ESX as a destination. The destination VM should be ESX 4.0 and greater for this option to be be available for selection
Suleman Khalil
This is not workable on linux machines.
Please advice.
viktorious
Install Windows 😉
(It’s a Windows only feature)
Mike M.
Great little tidbit of information. Quick question though (and I realize that it completely depends on utilization since initial p2v was started): Assuming there would be a small number of changes, would this process complete rather quickly (as compared to the initial conversion?)
Sachin G
I have converted from XEN to VMware with the VMware converter.
I have not selected the final sync but powered on the VM in Vmware and made some changes.
Is it possible to resync the from source.
Im unable to do it as its getting failed at 1%.
Arthur Agustin
Hi, I am using Esxi 5.5. When I am doing the convertion wizard in the summary part the Syncronization tab does not exist, can it be the Esxi version that I am using?
Cheers