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convert server to VM

LewisJSLewisJS Member Posts: 5 ■□□□□□□□□□
in Virtualization
Hi,

Is it possible to convert your current server set up into a vm and set up ESX or ESXi server and then install the vm of your server onto it and have the same equal set up but just virtualized?
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    bighornsheepbighornsheep Member Posts: 1,506
    Physical 2 virtual is what you need:

    Archives for VMware P2V Assistant - VMware
    Jack of all trades, master of none
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    undomielundomiel Member Posts: 2,818
    Those are rather old version, what you would want to look at is this one: How to Get VMware vCenter Converter - VMware
    Jumping on the IT blogging band wagon -- http://www.jefferyland.com/
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    chrisknightchrisknight Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
    LewisJS wrote: »
    Hi,

    Is it possible to convert your current server set up into a vm and set up ESX or ESXi server and then install the vm of your server onto it and have the same equal set up but just virtualized?

    1. Have your ESXI box running on the network.
    2. Install this on the physical server to be converted to VM:
    VMware vCenter Converter, Convert Physical Machines to Virtual Machines - VMware
    Its free...

    3. Run 'converter' on the physical server. Choose 'This local server' as the source, and then the IP address, root login & password for the ESXI box you want to send the vm to.

    Depending on the size of the physical server, it will take some time.
    The 'converter' program will run on the physical server and copy block by block the hard drive(s) over to the running ESXI on the network as a new VM within ESXI.

    4. After the conversion is done, Power off the physical server and log into ESXI & power on the new VM.
    Keep your old physical server around for a while just in case.

    You will have to re-activate windows as it now detects new hardware.
    Pull up the activation window and choose to activate by phone. Tell the person your talking to that you have just converted a physical machine to VM and you need to re-activate.
    They will give you a new key.
    Microsoft doesnt care if you remove a system from 1 machine and install on another, as long as your not over using your license.

    That said, I think you can use 1 license of 2003 server for 4 VM's.

    So if you install 2003 server on a physical machine, you can only do it 1 time. If your installing on a VM, you can use the same key 4 times.

    (Some one might chime in here if I'm off on licensing.)
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    astorrsastorrs Member Posts: 3,139 ■■■■■■□□□□
    chrisknight wrote: »
    Microsoft doesnt care if you remove a system from 1 machine and install on another, as long as your not over using your license.
    So long as it isn't an OEM license which cannot be moved between hardware.
    chrisknight wrote: »
    That said, I think you can use 1 license of 2003 server for 4 VM's.

    So if you install 2003 server on a physical machine, you can only do it 1 time. If your installing on a VM, you can use the same key 4 times.

    (Some one might chime in here if I'm off on licensing.)
    Microsoft Windows virtualization licensing rules (summed up very briefly) are as follows:

    Windows Server 2003/2008 Standard Ed. - 1 VMs licensed per physical server
    Windows Server 2003/2008 Enteprise Ed. - 4 VMs licensed per physical server
    Windows Server 2003/2008 Datacenter Ed. - unlimited VMs licensed per physical server (licensed per physical CPU socket on the host)

    And the usual downgrade rights apply.
    twitter: @astorrs
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