The new Converter Standalone 5 lacks the Converter Boot CD. Fortunately you can still use the old version 4.1 Converter Boot CD, which is also compatible with vSphere 5! The Converter Boot CD is available for download on the VMware website, although you will need an Enterprise license.
I thought it would be good idead to create a short feature comparison between Converter Standalone 5 and the Boot CD. Things are summarized in the following table:
| Hot Clone Converter Standalone 5 |
Cold Clone Boot CD 4.1 |
|
| Windows | Block/File Level | Block/File Level |
| – Volume Resize | Yes (File Level Based) |
Yes (File Level Based) |
| – Synchronization | Yes (Block Based) |
No |
| – Install VMware Tools | Yes | Yes |
| – Customize OS | Yes | Yes |
| – Configure Services | Yes | No |
| – Reconfigure VM | Yes | No |
| Linux | File Level | Block |
| – Volume Resize | Yes | No |
| – Synchronization | No | No |
| – Install VMware Tools | No | No |
| – Customize OS | No | No |
| – Configure Services | No | No |
| – Reconfigure VM | Yes | No |
If you choose to resize your disks during the P2V conversion, the conversion will be file level based instead of block based. The new synchronization option will not work in this case, because it needs a block based conversion.
Note: Converter Standalone 5 can perform only Hot Clones P2V migrations!
Note 2: After a Cold Clone you can of course still reconfigure your VM; this will not be part of the actual P2V conversion.
3 Comments
Bjron
Unable to find ISO of Cold Clone Boot CD 4.1, Can you please share some links?
viktorious
I cannot find it anymore on the VMware portal. Maybe a support call would help you out?
Bjron
Thanks.