Proxmox "VMware import wizard"

wankel

Most of you are probably aware, but as a heads-up for those who missed it: Proxmox introduced an import wizard for ESXi.

Any experiences? I'm not so fond of commercial software, so never gave VMware a spin and thus lack any testcase.

edit: I managed to botch the poll, have some patience with me....

georgedatacenter

We are moving from VMware to Virtualizor.

That option that proxmox has released looks interesting, but I haven't done any testing with it.

Neoon

@georgedatacenter said:
We are moving from VMware to Virtualizor.

That option that proxmox has released looks interesting, but I haven't done any testing with it.

Are you sure you want to move to Virtualizor?

georgedatacenter

The old nodes we have in VMware are already a headache, for now if it is the closest option we have.

Falzo

I wrote a bash script for that purpose a few months ago. Nice to see an integrated solution now, but have to read up on it, if and how it might handle IP remapping and such.

somik

Backup your data, scrap the VM and set it up anew in proxmox. You'll lose all the fat and none of the data.

wankel

in another time and place, @somik said: So people now a days require to be told that something is sarcasm? Just 15 years back, people would know how to properly use sarcasm and you dont have to tell/flag it so both you and the reader knows it is sarcasm.

Example:

@somik said:
Backup your data, scrap the VM and set it up anew in proxmox. You'll lose all the fat and none of the data.

(courtesy of @somik)

somik

@wankel said:

in another time and place, @somik said: So people now a days require to be told that something is sarcasm? Just 15 years back, people would know how to properly use sarcasm and you dont have to tell/flag it so both you and the reader knows it is sarcasm.

Example:

@somik said:
Backup your data, scrap the VM and set it up anew in proxmox. You'll lose all the fat and none of the data.

(courtesy of @somik)

This wasn't sarcasm though. It is a real advice I always follow. When it's time to change server, I always backup, wipe, reinstall proxmox, setup VM, and copy back all my data.

host_c

Hy @wankel

Before folowing our recomandation, take your time and read:

https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Migrate_to_Proxmox_VE

Migration from VMware to proxmox is pretty simple, this is option A:

1- do a backup of the VM in VMware , so if shit hits the fan, you won’t loose it

2- after the backup uninstall VMware guest agent, now this step is a must, and install QEMU-GUEST-AGENT

3- create the vm in proxmox node, same specs, emulation Q35 not FX440, disk type SATA for windows VM, SCSI for Linux and if you run centos 7 you have to use IDE

4- copy the VM drive file from VMware to proxmox, put in in /mnt/pve/tmp for example

5- ssh to proxmox and run :

qm disk import {target VMID} {vmdk file} {target storage}, for example

qm disk import 102 windows10.vmdk local-lvme

6 - go to GUI, and you will see an un-allocated disk image, atach it ( scsi, sata, ide )

Boot, now 80% of the cases this works, if not,

Option B: ( this worked best on sub windows 10 VM's and centos 7 )

This step requires that you have a 'lan' connection between proxmox and vmware!

1- do a backup of the VM in VMware , so if shit hits the fan, you won’t loose it

2- after the backup uninstall VMware guest agent, now this step is a must, and install QEMU-GUEST-AGENT

3- create the vm in proxmox node, same specs, emulation Q35 not FX440, disk tipe sata for windows VM, scsi for Linux and if you run centos 7 you have to use IDE

Boot CLONEZILA on both VM's

https://clonezilla.org/downloads/download.php?branch=stable

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=clonezila+network+cloning#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:01ac8a23,vid:8UGR_RLCptQ,st:0

3- select device to device cloning, the vmware vm is the surce, and on proxmox VM you select destination.

4- wait for things to finish,

We recommend you select a small VM and run some tests before you dive in the Production VM's.

wankel

Hi HC,

That's quite an in-depth howto,

@host_c said: Before folowing our recomandation, take your time and read:
https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Migrate_to_Proxmox_VE

thanks for the wiki-link as well!

host_c

@wankel

Sure thing, altho, option B always worked, well 99.9% of the time.

@host_c said: 3- select device to device cloning, the vmware vm is the surce, and on proxmox VM you select destination.

Watch out, not to mix the source and destination , you might end up with a "empty OS " . Do backup always on source.!

rsk

@georgedatacenter said:
The old nodes we have in VMware are already a headache, for now if it is the closest option we have.

Go for virtfusion and never look back! Forget about virtualizor. That’s my advice