ESX Virtualization

VMware ESXi, vSphere, VMware Backup, Hyper-V... how-to, videos....

Nakivo Backup and Replication - #1 Backup solution for Virtual, physical, cloud, NAS and SaaS

Menu
  • Certification
      • VCP-DCV vSphere 8
          • vcp2024-125.
        • Close
    • Close
  • VMware
    • Configuration Maximums
    • vSphere
      • vSphere 8.0
      • vSphere 7.0
      • vSphere 6.7
      • vSphere 6.5
      • vSphere 6.0
      • Close
    • VMworld
      • VMware EXPLORE 2024
      • VMware EXPLORE 2023
      • VMware EXPLORE 2022
      • VMworld 2019
      • VMworld 2018
      • VMworld 2017
      • VMworld 2016
      • VMworld 2015
      • VMworld 2014
      • VMworld 2013
      • VMworld 2012
      • VMworld 2011
      • Close
    • Close
  • Microsoft
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2016
    • Windows Server 2019
    • Close
  • Categories
    • Tips – VMware, Microsoft and General IT tips and definitions, What is this?, How this works?
    • Server Virtualization – VMware ESXi, ESXi Free Hypervizor, VMware vSphere Server Virtualization, VMware Cloud and Datacenter Virtualization
    • Backup – Virtualization Backup Solutions, VMware vSphere Backup and ESXi backup solutions.
    • Desktop Virtualization – Desktop Virtualization, VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, VMware Horizon View, tips and tutorials
    • How To – ESXi Tutorials, IT and virtualization tutorials, VMware ESXi 4.x, ESXi 5.x and VMware vSphere. VMware Workstation and other IT tutorials.
    • Free – Free virtualization utilities, ESXi Free, Monitoring and free backup utilities for ESXi and Hyper-V. Free IT tools.
    • Videos – VMware Virtualization Videos, VMware ESXi Videos, ESXi 4.x, ESXi 5.x tips and videos.
    • Home Lab
    • Reviews – Virtualization Software and reviews, Disaster and backup recovery software reviews. Virtual infrastructure monitoring software review.
    • Close
  • Partners
    • NAKIVO
    • StarWind
    • Zerto
    • Xorux
    • Close
  • This Web
    • News
    • ESXi Lab
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Archives
    • Disclaimer
    • PDFs and Books
    • Close
  • Free
  • Privacy policy

VCP6.5-DCV Objective 10.4 – Consolidate Physical Workloads using VMware vCenter Converter

By Vladan SEGET | Last Updated: March 7, 2018

Shares

Today's objective is VCP6.5-DCV Objective 10.4 – Consolidate Physical Workloads using VMware vCenter Converter. HA, DRS and FT are core technologies of VMware clusters. It's important to master their requirements, configuration, and troubleshooting.

Check our VCP6.5-DCV Study Guide page which is almost complete, based on the exact topics from the Exam Preparation Guide (previously called Exam Blueprint). For the study, you should get the full vSphere 6.5 documentation set and the latest exam preparation guide (PDF), when preparing for the exam. I'm not linking directly in purpose as those PDFs can change URL, but you can find those easily through Google search.

You have a choice to study towards the VCP6-DCV – Exam Number: 2V0-621, ( it has 28 Objectives) or the latest one, VCP6.5-DCV (Exam Code: 2V0-622) which is few chapters longer (it has 32 Objectives). Both exams are valid for two years, then you have to renew. You can also go further and pass VCAP exam, then VCDX.

Note: VMware released new “bridge” upgrade path. Any VCP who is two versions of the most current available version in the same solution track can upgrade to the latest by only taking one exam. Previously, you would first have to earn the VCP6-DCV (and passing the delta exam) and then upgrade to the VCP6.5-DCV (again, through the delta exam.) Now you can go straight from VCP5 to VCP6.5.

Exam Price: $250 USD, there are 70 Questions (single and multiple answers), passing score 300, and you have 105 min to complete the test.

Check our VCP6.5-DCV Study Guide Page.

You can download your free copy via this link – Download Free VCP6.5-DCV Study Guide at Nakivo.

VCP6.5-DCV Study guide PDF

VCP6.5-DCV Objective 10.4 – Consolidate Physical Workloads using VMware vCenter Converter

  • Install vCenter Converter standalone instance
  • Convert physical workloads using vCenter Converter
  • Modify server resources during conversion
  • Interpret and correct errors during conversion
  • Deploy a physical host as a virtual machine using vCenter ConverteCollect diagnostic information during conversion operation
  • Resize partitions during the conversion process
  • Determine which virtual disk format to use

Install vCenter Converter standalone instance

VMware converter can be installed on Linux or Windows. You can chose from two installation type:

  • Local Installation – installs converter on this local computer. You'll be managing conversion tasks from this management machine.
  • Client-Server Installation – it installs as client-server environment. You'll have 3 components to install on different systems (server, client and agent).

VMware Converter Setup

System Requirements:

  • Windows – Windows XP Professional (32-bit and 64-bit) SP3 and higher, 2003 srv (x32 and x64) and up to 2012R2
  • Linux – RHEL 3.x – 6.x, SUSE 9.x – 11.x, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS – 13.04 …. both x32 and 64bit versions.

Convert physical workloads using vCenter Converter

he steps to convert a physical system can be resumed like this (but this is only one of the ways that’s possible. Other ways client-server are possible as well):

1. Install VMware converter on the Window/Linux server and click Convert Machine > Powered On machine > This local machine

2. Select Destination type > choose VMware infrastructure VM > enter vCenter credentials > Put some meaningful name for your VM

VMware Converter

3. Choose Cluster or host > Datastore > Virtual Machine Version > Click Next

4. Click the Advanced Link > chose the disk type of your choice (thick or thin). If you do not copy all disks and maintain layout the volume-based cloning is used. (at the block level).

VMware Converter

You can also modify other resources which the VM do not need … like delete some unwanted NICs, Windows services, or adjust the number of vCPUs and Memory…

By default, Converter Standalone optimizes the disk partitions alignment. Optimizing the partitionalignment improves the performance of the destination virtual machine. (it’s basically says that the process will align the VM to the LUN). So leave the box checked…

Modify server resources during conversion

It's possible to adjust the converter server resources during conversion. For example:

  • Number of concurrent tasks – It’s possible to modify the number of concurrent tasks by going to Administration > Maximum concurrent tasks. (1 to 12 concurrent tasks) But the 12 is by default and if your Converter server lacks resources you might want to lower down a bit of number of tasks taking place at the same time.
  • Number of data connections per task – if you converting systems with multiple disks and volumes, it’s possible to decrease the conversion time by cloning multiple disks and volumes simultaneously. Each data transfer uses a separate TCP connection. Check Administration > Data connections per Task.

It’s possible to synchronize changes after the first conversion has finished. It’s because the source machine continues to generate data. So the delta changes can be synced and the shource VM powered down…

Synchronize Changes

Interpret and correct errors during conversion

You might encounter errors during conversion. Make sure that you have the necessary firewall ports open

There are quite a few VMware KB articles:

  • Troubleshooting when vCenter Converter fails to complete a conversion of a physical or virtual machine.
  • Testing port connectivity with Telnet (1003487)
  • Best practices for using and troubleshooting VMware Converter (1004588)
  • Troubleshooting a virtual machine converted with VMware Converter that fails to boot with the error: STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE (1006295)
  • Required VMware vCenter Converter 4.x/5.x ports (1010056)
  • Collecting diagnostic information for VMware Converter (1010633)
  • TCP and UDP Ports required to access VMware vCenter Server, VMware ESXi and ESX hosts, and other network components (1012382)
  • VMware vCenter Converter is unable to see the disks when converting Windows operating systems (1016992)
  • vCenter Standalone Converter errors when an ESXi 5.x host is selected as a destination: The access to the host resource settings is restricted. Use the management server as a destination (2012310)

Deploy a physical host as a virtual machine using vCenter Converter. Collect diagnostic information during conversion operation

Well, this basically asks us to do a conversion of a physical machine into a VM. I believe above and below topics gives you quite enough informations. Keep in mind to uninstall hardware oriented software (monitoring agents etc) before starting the conversion process and do the usual post-conversion tasks such as finding and deleting ghosted devices etc.

Resize partitions during the conversion process

You can resize partitions during the conversion process. For this, you must choose Select volumes to copy and go to the Advanced view.

Then you have an option to type the new size in order to resize the disk size.

Determine which virtual disk format to use

You have Thick or Thin as an option, when it comes for a choice for the destination VM.

Check our VCP6.5-DCV Study Guide Page.

More from ESX Virtualization

  • VCP6.5-DCV Study Guide
  • vSphere 6.5
  • Configuration Maximums
  • VMware Transparent Page Sharing (TPS) Explained
  • VMware Virtual Hardware Performance Optimization Tips
  • VCP6.5-DCV Objective 4.1 – Perform ESXi Host and Virtual Machine Upgrades

Stay tuned through RSS, and social media channels (Twitter, FB, YouTube)

Shares
Vote !

| Filed Under: Server Virtualization Tagged With: VCP6.5-DCV Objective 10.4

About Vladan SEGET

This website is maintained by Vladan SEGET. Vladan is as an Independent consultant, professional blogger, vExpert x16, Veeam Vanguard x9, VCAP-DCA/DCD, ESX Virtualization site has started as a simple bookmarking site, but quickly found a large following of readers and subscribers.

Connect on: Facebook. Feel free to network via Twitter @vladan.

Private Sponsors

Featured

  • Thinking about HCI? G2, an independent tech solutions peer review platform, has published its Winter 2023 Reports on Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Solutions.
  • Zerto: One Platform for Disaster Recovery, Backup & Cloud Mobility: Try FREE Hands-On Labs Today!
Click to Become a Sponsor

Most Recent

  • Nakivo Backup and Replication v11.1 BETA adds more Proxmox friendly features
  • Vulnerability in your VMs – VMware Tools Update
  • FREE version of StarWind VSAN vs Trial of Full version
  • Commvault’s Innovations at RSA Conference 2025 San Francisco
  • VMware ESXi FREE is FREE again!
  • Installation of StarWind VSAN Plugin for vSphere
  • Protect Mixed environments with Nakivo Physical Machine recovery (bare metal)
  • No more FREE licenses of VMware vSphere for vExperts – What’s your options?
  • Tails – Your Private OS on USB Stick
  • StarWind V2V Converter Now has CLI

Get new posts by email:

 

 

 

 

Support us on Ko-Fi

 

 

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Sponsors

Free Trials

  • DC Scope for VMware vSphere – optimization, capacity planning, and cost management. Download FREE Trial Here.
  • Augmented Inline Deduplication, Altaro VM Backup v9 For #VMware and #Hyper-V – Grab your copy now download TRIAL.

VMware Engineer Jobs

VMware Engineer Jobs

YouTube

…

Find us on Facebook

ESX Virtualization

…

Copyright © 2025 ·Dynamik-Gen · Genesis Framework · Log in