XenServer is an fast and easy product to setup, but one must always ask what is the reason for using the product. All the advantages of XenServer are spelled out in the previous blogs but this means nothing unless you apply some real life applications to the product.
XenServer will allow you to create new servers but what about the migration of all of those older servers that you just can't seem to get rid of, like that "Accounting application" that HR will not upgrade and requires outdated technology on that old hardware which of course is out of warranty. Hardware that has outlived it product lifecycle and will cost you the System Administrator your job if lost!
The answer is convert from a physical server to a virtual server "P2V" is the Solution!
XenServer does not provide a free Windows P2V converter, only a Linux P2V converter which is supplied on the Xenserver CD.
There of course are some 3rd party vendor supplying the P2V for Xenserver:
Leostream - http://www.leostream.com/
Platespin - http://www.platespin.com/
Platespin is the 3rd party that Xensource advises:
http://kb.xensource.com/entry.jspa?externalID=426&categoryID=18
There are some free trials from both however they have limits and PlateSpin requires that you have Xensource Enterprise License.
Leostream - http://www.leostream.com/productPVxen.html
Platespin - http://www.platespin.com/xsfreetrial/
There are always work arounds of course, mainly using a 3rd party imaging software and some manipulation.
http://forums.xensource.com/thread.jspa?threadID=631&tstart=1
Using the Leostream trial was fast and easy, filling out a simple form was all that was required.
- The P>V process requires this Agent to be installed on the destination XenSource Host machine.
- Before attempting a conversion, make sure the ports used by P>V are not blocked by a firewall. These ports are 8080 on the XenSource host itself, and 9400, 9401, and 9402 inside the virtual machine that will be created. To turn a XenSource Host's firewall off altogether, use the command:service iptables stopTo turn it back on, use the command:service iptables start
- This Agent will restart automatically if the XenSource host is rebooted.
We have an Agent available for older versions of XenServer. Please contact Leostream for more information.
Installation:
- Using the XenServer Administrator Console, log into the destination XenSource host by entering its root password in the Text Console tab.
- If upgrading an existing Agent, first stop the service:service leostream stop
- Download the Leostream Xen Agent RPM file using the command:wget http://www.leostream.com/download/lxa/lxa-current.rpm
- Install the RPM:rpm -Uhv lxa-current.rpm
Start the agent:service leostream start
Run the Leostream Wizard on the Windows OS following the directions to obtain your license key from the website to complete the wizard.
The results of this P2V case study process was around 3hrs for an 30gig IDE hard drive, results will vary with hardware.
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