Semi-automated refers to the process of workload virtualization in which a workload's target infrastructure is a virtual machine that Portability Suite regards as a physical machine. This applies to the following virtualization platforms:
Microsoft Hyper-V
Xen Hypervisor on SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 10
Virtual Iron
To migrate a workload to one of these platforms:
Use the native interface of the required virtualization platform to create a virtual machine whose operating system profile matches that of your source workload.
Boot the newly created virtual machine by using the appropriate Novell® PlateSpin® Take Control ISO image.
This discovers and registers the target virtual machine as a Portability Suite physical machine target. This is similar to the process described in Discovering and Registering 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.
Use the Portability Suite Client to create and execute an X2P conversion job.
Upon completion of the conversion 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.
You can use Microsoft Hyper-V as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.
Prerequisites:
Your source workload is supported by Portability Suite and Hyper-V. See Supported Target Virtualization Platforms.
Additional information:
This section includes the following topics:
Download the appropriate Take Control ISO image for your workload. See Table 2-2.
(Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters. See Knowledge Base Article 20832.
Save the ISO image in a location that Hyper-V server can access. For example: c:\temp.
This ensures that the Take Control ISO image is available to the target VM as a bootable CD-ROM image.
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 Take Control ISO image.
Summary: Configure the VM to not start upon creation (deselect the option).
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 Portability Suite.
Connect the newly added NIC (Legacy Network Adapter) to the external virtual network.
Start the VM and use the Virtual Machine Connection Console to 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 Portability Suite. If you are using the unattended registration process, the required parameters are read from an answer file.
Complete these steps to register your target with Portability Suite Server when you are using an unmodified Take Control ISO image. For information on how to modify the image for an unattended registration process, see Knowledge Base Article 20832.
At the command line in the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Connection Console, provide the required information at each individual prompt:
Portability Suite Server: Use the following syntax:
http:// server_host /PortabilitySuite
Replace server_host with the actual Portability Suite Server host’s name or IP address.
Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the Portability Suite 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 Portability Suite Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the conversion job overwrites this name.
SSL encryption: If your Portability Suite is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.
Portability Suite Network: Unless you have defined your own Portability Suite Network in Portability Suite Client, press the Enter key. If you are working with a non-default Portability Suite Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.
A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with Portability Suite Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a conversion job.
Use Portability Suite Client to start an X2P conversion job with your source workload being the job’s conversion source and the target being the new VM on Hyper-V. See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).
Monitor the conversion job in Portability Suite Client‘s Jobs view.
When the job reaches the step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the Take Control ISO image.
Shut down the virtual machine, reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image, and deselect the option.
Power on the virtual machine.
The conversion job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.
Install Hyper-V Integration Services (virtualization enhancement software). For more information, see your Microsoft Hyper-V Getting Started Guide.
You can use the Xen Hypervisor on SLES as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.
Prerequisites:
Your target is a fully virtualized (not paravirtualized) virtual machine.
Your source workload is supported by Portability Suite and the Xen hypervisor. See Supported Target Virtualization Platforms.
Additional information:
This section includes the following topics:
Download the appropriate Take Control ISO image for your workload. See Table 2-2.
(Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters. See Knowledge Base Article 20832.
Save the downloaded image file in the following directory:
/var/lib/xen/images
On SLES 10, 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 conversion and improves transfer speed. If the virtual machine requires less memory after the conversion, reduce the assigned memory through after the conversion 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 Take Control ISO image.
Operating System: Must match the operating system profile of your source workload.
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 "Configuring a Virtual Machine by Modifying its xend Settings” in the SLES 10 documentation.
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 Portability Suite. If you are using the unattended registration process, the required parameters are read from an answer file.
Complete these steps to register your target with Portability Suite Server when you are using an unmodified Take Control ISO image. For information on how to modify the image for an unattended registration process, see Knowledge Base Article 20832
At the command line, provide the required information at each individual prompt:
Portability Suite Server: Use the following syntax:
http:// server_host /PortabilitySuite
Replace server_host with the actual Portability Suite Server host’s name or IP address.
Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the Portability Suite 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 Portability Suite Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the conversion job overwrites this name.
SSL encryption: If your Portability Suite is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.
Portability Suite Network: Unless you have defined your own Portability Suite Network in Portability Suite Client, press they Enter key. If you are working with a non-default Portability Suite Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.
A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with Portability Suite Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a conversion job.
Use Portability Suite Client to start an X2P conversion job with your source workload being the job’s conversion source and the target being the new VM on the Xen hypervisor. See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).
Monitor the conversion job in Portability Suite Client‘s Jobs view.
When the job reaches the step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the Take Control ISO image.
Shut down the virtual machine, reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image, and deselect the option.
Power on the virtual machine.
The conversion job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.
Install SUSE Drivers for Xen (virtualization enhancement software). For more information, see the following online document:
You can use Virtual Iron as the target virtualization platform in a semi-automated workload virtualization.
Prerequisites:
Your source workload is supported by Portability Suite and Virtual Iron. See Supported Target Virtualization Platforms.
Additional information:
Virtual Iron Administrator’s Guide
This section includes the following topics:
Download the appropriate Take Control ISO image for your workload. See Table 2-2.
(Optional) If you want to perform an unattended registration of your target, update the ISO image with the required registration parameters. See Knowledge Base Article 20832.
Save the ISO image in the appropriate directory:
For Linux Virtualization Manager: /opt/VirtualIron/nbd
For Windows Virtualization Manager: ..\Program Files\nbd
This ensures that the Take Control ISO image is available as a boot option for your target virtual machine.
Use the Virtual Iron Virtualization Manager to create a new Virtual Server with the following settings:
Storage: 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.
Virtual Memory: Assign at least 384 MB of RAM to the VM. This ensures that the VM has sufficient resources during the conversion and improves transfer speed. If the virtual machine requires less memory after the conversion, reduce the assigned memory through the Virtual Iron Virtualization Manager.
Operating System: Must match the operating system profile of your source workload.
VS Tools Installed: Make sure this options is deselected. You need to install virtualization enhancement software after completing the conversion.
Boot Options: Select the option, then select the *.iso image file you downloaded saved.
When the configuration is complete, commit the new virtual machine.
Launch the selected virtual machine’s console to 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 Portability Suite. If you are using the unattended registration process, the required parameters are read from an answer file.
Complete these steps to register your target with Portability Suite Server when you are using an unmodified Take Control ISO image. For information on how to modify the image for an unattended registration process, see Knowledge Base Article 20832.
At the command line, provide the required information at each individual prompt.
Portability Suite Server: Use the following syntax:
http:// server_host /PortabilitySuite
Replace server_host with the actual Portability Suite Server host’s name or IP address.
Credentials (User Name/Password): Enter the name of an admin-level user on the Portability Suite 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 Portability Suite Client to use to list the newly registered VM. The workload’s target hostname you select in the conversion job overwrites this name.
Number of processors: Enter the number of processors supported for your source workload as a guest on Virtual Iron.
SSL encryption: If your Portability Suite is installed on a host with SSL encryption enabled, enter Yes. If not, enter No.
Portability Suite Network: Unless you have defined your own Portability Suite Network in Portability Suite Client, press the Enter key. If you are working with a non-default Portability Suite Network, type its name, then press the Enter key.
A controller on your target virtual machine communicates with Portability Suite Server and registers the virtual machine as a physical target for a conversion job.
Use Portability Suite Client to start an X2P conversion job with your source workload being the job’s conversion source and the target being the new VM on Virtual Iron. See Converting a Workload to a Physical Machine (P2P, V2P).
Monitor the conversion job in Portability Suite Client‘s Jobs view.
When the job reaches the step step, the virtual machine’s console returns to the boot prompt of the Take Control ISO image.
Shut down the virtual machine, reconfigure it to boot from disk rather than from the boot image, and deselect the option.
Power on the virtual machine.
The conversion job resumes, reboots the target, and completes the workload configuration.
Install VSTools (virtualization enhancement software). You must install VSTools to the disk from which the guest operating system boots. For more information, see your Virtual Iron Administrator’s Guide.