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HyperV 2012 R2 Migration to AHV

  • 21 February 2017
  • 14 replies
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C
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  • CTI
  • Trailblazer
  • 15 replies
Hi,

We have a Windows 2012R2 HyperV host with about 8 Windows 2008R2 VMs.
These VMs are Gen1 using .vhdx as the file system.

I'm currently running Ntnx 4.7.4 and was wondering the following:
  1. Does the image service import .vhdx files or do I need to use qemu-image ?
  2. If I use something like Starwind V2V converter, it supports QCOW2 and RAW, is there a preferred Ntnx format ? (Image inserted below)
  3. Does the SMB version on the CVM have unique specifications ? I was trying to use Storagecraft Shadowprotect Recovery options (Linux based) but it would see the UNC?
Thanks in Advance,
G
  1. [img]https://uploads-us-west-2.insided.com/nutanix-us/attachment/2506iD6764FB6092E7F6F.png[/img]
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Best answer by CTI 21 February 2017, 19:25

Thanks for checking for me...

FYI- the only issue using raw is that the destination for the RAW file has to have enough space to to match the partition size. So a 1.5 TB Windows partition (with 20% used) will still need 1.5 TB.

If QCOW2/vmdk or some other format that will only copy only actual used space would be helpful.

I'm hoping to use the StarWind converter to get the images onto a Synolgy NAS with and SSD inside to help things move along.....

So I would be going HyperV-->Synology NAS-->AHV
G
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14 replies

aluciani
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Thanks for the post CTI

Anything you can share here artur_ka
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani
A
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Hi

1. Let me check if VHDX is supported by image services
2. Nutanix supports RAW format
3. We support SMB3, which means you have to be on Windows 2012R2 or Windows 8.1 or newer to access share on Nutanix. Not sute if Windows 2008R2 supports SMB3 or not
NOTE: do not forget add client system into container whitelist, other wise you will not be abble to access share from clinet server
Artur Krzywdzinskiblog: www.vmwaremine.comtwitter:[b]@artur_ka[/b]
A
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so, in current AOS release we do not support VHDX
Below, list of format supported by image services

raw, vhd, vmdk, vdi, iso, qcow2
Artur Krzywdzinskiblog: www.vmwaremine.comtwitter:[b]@artur_ka[/b]
C
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Thanks for checking for me...

FYI- the only issue using raw is that the destination for the RAW file has to have enough space to to match the partition size. So a 1.5 TB Windows partition (with 20% used) will still need 1.5 TB.

If QCOW2/vmdk or some other format that will only copy only actual used space would be helpful.

I'm hoping to use the StarWind converter to get the images onto a Synolgy NAS with and SSD inside to help things move along.....

So I would be going HyperV-->Synology NAS-->AHV
G
Jon
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Following up here CTI - this looks like its still outstanding. I did file a documentation update request to show that we support VHDX's in image service, but I'm positive that we have since ~4.1.3 or so.
Jon Kohler | Technical Director, Engineering, Nutanix | Nutanix NPX #003, VCDX #116 | @JonKohler | Please Kudos if useful!
C
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Jon,

Thanks for the follow up. I will try it in the next few weeks.

G
Jon
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Ok great CTI - if you run into anything else, just start a brand new thread and we'll track from there.
Jon Kohler | Technical Director, Engineering, Nutanix | Nutanix NPX #003, VCDX #116 | @JonKohler | Please Kudos if useful!
C
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Hi,

Just wanted to confirm that I was able to upload a vhdx via the image service. From there I was able to create the VMs.

Thanks,

G
A
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Traiblazer,

Did you have to do anything special to the image after upload? I tried this last night and the VM wouldn't boot.

Thanks.

-Andres
C
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Andres,

I did not have to do anything to get them to boot if I understand your question correctly.

A couple of things to note:
  1. The machines were Generation 1 not Generation 2
  2. I installed VM Mobility and rebooted the VM before shutting down and migrating to AHV.
  3. After they booted the first time in AHV and the "new" devices were detected. I rebooted the VM and removed all the hidden devices.
Hope this helps...

G
A
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Just got it to work... So for Gen2 VMs you need to:
- not attach the .vhdx to the VM but do create the empty VM (no disk)
- ssh into one of the CVMs
- launch acli (just type "acli")
- set uefi boot to true for the machine name (vm.update uefi_boot=true)
- back on prism attach the disk (clone from image services)
- power on and enjoy.

🙂 .. hope it helps somebody.

Thanks.
Alcanfa
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Is there any documentation available on how to perform this migration, from Server 2012 Hyper-V to AHV?
C
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There are some videos on "you tube" (search vmwaremine) and some documentation in the portal.

If you import the .vhd or vhdx into "Image Configuration" you should not have any issue creating a VM.

What I did, was create a few test servers with multiple volumes and partitions and converted them so I could figure out how AHV/Nutanix was "handling" them.

BTW - Ensure you install the Nutanix Guest tools before you "import" them to Image Manager!!!

Other things to watch out for are the registry changes in the VM that might need to be changed due to the way AHV handles time during boot up...that's all in the portal.

If you have different/multiple storage containers, then when you import, put them into the correct container, if not you will need to reimport again....don't ask me how I know this.....

Extra precautions I took was to get a screenshot of the Disk Managment inside the VM, just in case....

I used Chrome on the HyperV host to connect & import to the Nutanix console.

I had a few fair sized Windows guests VMs in both VMware and HyperV and after getting comfortable with the process, I'm sure it won't be an issue.....

G
J
Just got it to work... So for Gen2 VMs you need to:
- not attach the .vhdx to the VM but do create the empty VM (no disk)
- ssh into one of the CVMs
- launch acli (just type "acli")
- set uefi boot to true for the machine name (vm.update uefi_boot=true)
- back on prism attach the disk (clone from image services)
- power on and enjoy.

🙂 .. hope it helps somebody.

Thanks.

Thanks for this. Definitely helped me with some Gen2 vms.

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