5.4 Semi-Automated Workload Virtualization Using the X2P Workflow

Semi-automated refers to the process of workload virtualization in which a workload's target infrastructure is a virtual machine that PlateSpin Migrate regards as a physical machine. This applies to the following virtualization platforms:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V

  • Citrix XenServer 6.1

  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SUSE) 11 SP3 Xen (fully virtualized guest)

To migrate a workload to one of these platforms:

  1. Use the native interface of the required virtualization platform to create a virtual machine whose operating system profile matches that of your source workload.

  2. Begin booting the newly created virtual machine by using the appropriate PlateSpin boot ISO image, load the appropriate driver, if needed, then continue the boot process.

    This discovers and registers the target virtual machine as a PlateSpin Migrate physical machine target. This is similar to the process described in Discovering Target Physical Machines. However, instead of burning the ISO image to a CD to boot physical hardware, you save the image on the VM host and use it to boot the target VM.

  3. Use the PlateSpin Migrate Client to create and execute an X2P migration job.

  4. Upon completion of the migration job, install virtualization enhancement software specific to the target virtualization platform.

The following topics provide additional notes about migrating workloads to the specific virtualization platform involved.

5.4.1 Migrating a Workload to Microsoft Hyper-V

You can use Microsoft Hyper-V as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.

NOTE:Hyper-V 2012 and Hyper-V 2012 R2 automatic workload virtualization is also available.

Prerequisites:

Additional information:

This section includes the following topics:

Downloading and Saving the Boot ISO Image (Hyper-V)

  1. Download the appropriate boot ISO image for your workload.

  2. (Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters.

    See KB Article 7920832.

  3. Save the ISO image in a location that Hyper-V server can access. For example: c:\temp.

    This ensures that the boot ISO image is available to the target VM as a bootable CD-ROM image.

Creating and Configuring the Target Virtual Machine (Hyper-V)

  1. Use the Hyper-V Manager’s New Virtual Machine Wizard to create a new virtual machine with the following settings:

    • Name and Location: Specify a name for your new target and accept the default location.

    • Assign Memory: Assign at least 384 MB of RAM to the VM.

    • Connect Virtual Hard Disk: Ensure that the virtual disk size is equal to or greater than the system disk of your source workload.

    • Installation Options: Configure the VM to boot from an ISO image file, and point the wizard to the downloaded boot ISO image.

    • Summary: Configure the VM to not start upon creation (deselect the Start the virtual machine after it is created option).

  2. After creating the VM, remove the default NIC and replace it with a generic one, called Legacy Network Adapter.

    This is required because the New Virtual Machine Wizard creates a NIC of a custom Microsoft type, which is currently unsupported by PlateSpin Migrate.

  3. Connect the newly added NIC (Legacy Network Adapter) to the external virtual network.

Registering the Virtual Machine with PlateSpin Server (Hyper-V)

Complete these steps to register your target with PlateSpin Server when you are using an unmodified boot ISO image.

  1. At the command line in the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Connection Console, provide the required information at each individual prompt:

    • PlateSpin Server: Use the following format:

      http:// server_host /platespinmigrate

      Replace server_host with the actual PlateSpin Server host’s name or IP address.

    • Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the PlateSpin Server host, including the domain or machine name. For example: domain\username, or localhost\Administrator. Provide a valid password for the specified user.

    • Network Card: Select the network card that is active, then either enter a temporary static IP address for this card or press the Enter key to use a DHCP server.

    • Temporary hostname: Provide a temporary VM name for PlateSpin Migrate Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the migration job overwrites this name.

    • SSL encryption: If your PlateSpin Migrate is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.

    • PlateSpin Migrate Network: Unless you have defined your own PlateSpin Migrate Network in PlateSpin Migrate Client, press the Enter key. If you are working with a non-default PlateSpin Migrate Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.

      A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with PlateSpin Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a migration job.

    NOTE:If registration fails with an authorization error, you might need to synchronize the clocks of the source and the target, modify the LAN Manager Authentication Level on the target, or both. See Table E-1, Common Issues and Solutions Related to Discovery Operations.

Migrating Your Source Workload to the Target Virtual Machine (Hyper-V)

  1. Use PlateSpin Migrate Client to start an X2P migration job with your source workload being the job’s migration source and the target being the new VM on Hyper-V.

    See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).

  2. Monitor the migration job in PlateSpin Migrate Client‘s Jobs view.

    When the job reaches the Configure Target Machine step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the boot ISO image.

  3. Shut down the virtual machine and reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image.

  4. Power on the virtual machine.

    The migration job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.

Post-Migration Steps (Hyper-V)

Install Hyper-V Integration Services (virtualization enhancement software). For more information, see your Microsoft Hyper-V Getting Started Guide.

5.4.2 Migrating a Workload to Citrix XenServer

You can use Citrix XenServer as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.

Prerequisites:

Additional information:

This section includes the following topics:

Downloading and Saving the Boot ISO Image (Citrix XenServer)

  1. Download the appropriate PlateSpin boot ISO image.

  2. (Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters.

    See KB Article 7013485 .

  3. Save the downloaded image file in the following directory:

    /var/lib/xen/images

Creating and Configuring the Target Virtual Machine (Citrix XenServer)

  1. On Citrix XenServer, use the Virtual Machine Manager Wizard or the Create Virtual Machines program shortcut to create a new virtual machine and install an operating system that matches the profile of your source.

    Ensure that the new virtual machine is created with the following settings:

    • Virtualization method: Fully virtualized.

    • Memory: Assign at least 384 MB of RAM to the VM. This ensures that the VM has sufficient resources during the migration and improves transfer speed. If the virtual machine requires less memory after the migration, reduce the assigned memory after the migration completes.

    • Disks: Assign one or more disks, depending on the requirements of your source workload. The storage can be either a raw SAN LUN or a virtual disk. Also, create a Virtual CD-ROM assigned to the downloaded boot ISO image.

    • Operating System: Must match the operating system profile of your source workload.

  2. Ensure that the VM is configured to restart on reboot by exporting the VM’s settings from the xend database to a text file and making sure that the on_reboot parameter is set to restart. If not, shut down the VM, update the settings, and reimport them into the xend database.

    For detailed instructions, see the XenServer 6.1.0 Virtual Machine User's Guide.

  3. From the Virtual Machine Manager, launch the virtual machine console and monitor the boot process.

    When the virtual machine completes the boot process, it prompts you for parameters that control the registration of the machine and its profile with PlateSpin Migrate. If you are using the unattended registration process, the required parameters are read from an answer file.

Registering the Virtual Machine with PlateSpin Server (Citrix XenServer)

Complete these steps to register your target with PlateSpin Server when you are using an unmodified boot ISO image.

  1. At the command line, provide the required information at each individual prompt:

    • PlateSpin Server: Use the following format:

      http:// server_host /platespinmigrate

      Replace server_host with the actual PlateSpin Server host’s name or IP address.

    • Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the PlateSpin Server host, including the domain or machine name. For example: domain\username, or localhost\Administrator. Provide a valid password for the specified user.

    • Network Card: Select the network card that is active, then either enter a temporary static IP address for this card or press the Enter key to use a DHCP server.

    • Temporary hostname: Provide a temporary VM name for PlateSpin Migrate Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the migration job overwrites this name.

    • SSL encryption: If your PlateSpin Migrate is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.

    • PlateSpin Migrate Network: Unless you have defined your own PlateSpin Migrate Network in PlateSpin Migrate Client, press the Enter key. If you are working with a non-default PlateSpin Migrate Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.

      A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with PlateSpin Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a migration job.

Migrating Your Source Workload to the Target Virtual Machine (Citrix XenServer)

  1. Use PlateSpin Migrate Client to start an X2P migration job with your source workload being the job’s migration source and the target being the new VM on the Citrix XenServer hypervisor.

    See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).

  2. Monitor the migration job in the PlateSpin Migrate Client‘s Jobs view.

    When the job reaches the Configure Target Machine step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the boot ISO image.

  3. Shut down the virtual machine, reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image, and deselect the VS Tools Installed option.

  4. Power on the virtual machine.

    The migration job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.

5.4.3 Migrating a Workload to the SLES 11 SP3 Xen Hypervisor

You can use the Xen Hypervisor on SLES as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.

Prerequisites:

Additional information:

This section includes the following topics:

Downloading and Saving the Boot ISO Image (Xen on SLES)

  1. Download the appropriate boot ISO image for your workload.

    See Downloading the PlateSpin Boot ISO Images.

  2. (Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters.

    See KB Article 7920832.

  3. Save the downloaded image file in the following directory:

    /var/lib/xen/images

Creating and Configuring the Target Virtual Machine (Xen on SLES)

  1. On SLES 11, use the Virtual Machine Manager Wizard or the Create Virtual Machines program shortcut to create a new virtual machine and install an operating system that matches the profile of your source.

    Ensure that the new virtual machine is created with the following settings:

    • Virtualization method: Fully virtualized.

    • Memory: Assign at least 384 MB of RAM to the VM. This ensures that the VM has sufficient resources during the migration and improves transfer speed. If the virtual machine requires less memory after the migration, reduce the assigned memory after the migration completes.

    • Disks: Assign one or more disks, depending on the requirements of your source workload. The storage can be either a raw SAN LUN or a virtual disk. Also, create a Virtual CD-ROM assigned to the downloaded boot ISO image.

    • Operating System: Must match the operating system profile of your source workload.

  2. Ensure that the VM is configured to restart on reboot by exporting the VM’s settings from the xend database to a text file and making sure that the on_reboot parameter is set to restart. If not, shut down the VM, update the settings, and reimport them into the xend database.

    For detailed instructions, see your SLES 11 documentation.

  3. From the Virtual Machine Manager, launch the virtual machine console and monitor the boot process.

    When the virtual machine completes the boot process, it prompts you for parameters that control the registration of the machine and its profile with PlateSpin Migrate. If you are using the unattended registration process, the required parameters are read from an answer file.

Registering the Virtual Machine with PlateSpin Server (Xen on SLES)

Complete these steps to register your target with PlateSpin Server when you are using an unmodified boot ISO image. For information on how to modify the image for an unattended registration process, see KB Article 7920832.

  1. At the command line, provide the required information at each individual prompt:

    • PlateSpin Server: Use the following format:

      http:// server_host /platespinmigrate

      Replace server_host with the actual PlateSpin Server host’s name or IP address.

    • Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the PlateSpin Server host, including the domain or machine name. For example: domain\username, or localhost\Administrator. Provide a valid password for the specified user.

    • Network Card: Select the network card that is active, then either enter a temporary static IP address for this card or press the Enter key to use a DHCP server.

    • Temporary hostname: Provide a temporary VM name for PlateSpin Migrate Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the migration job overwrites this name.

    • SSL encryption: If your PlateSpin Migrate is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.

    • PlateSpin Migrate Network: Unless you have defined your own PlateSpin Migrate Network in PlateSpin Migrate Client, press they Enter key. If you are working with a non-default PlateSpin Migrate Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.

      A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with PlateSpin Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a migration job.

Migrating Your Source Workload to the Target Virtual Machine (Xen on SLES)

  1. Use PlateSpin Migrate Client to start an X2P migration job with your source workload being the job’s migration source and the target being the new VM on the Xen hypervisor.

    See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).

  2. Monitor the migration job in the PlateSpin Migrate Client‘s Jobs view.

    When the job reaches the Configure Target Machine step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the boot ISO image.

  3. Shut down the virtual machine, reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image, and deselect the VS Tools Installed option.

  4. Power on the virtual machine.

    The migration job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.

Post-Migration Steps (Xen on SLES)

Install SUSE Drivers for Xen (virtualization enhancement software). For more information, see the following online document:

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3 Virtualization with Xen