How to migrate Virtual Machine with snapshots between datastores

Posted by on Apr 24, 2013 in Learning, Virtualization, VMware | 0 comments

Migration

As you probably know Virtual Machine snapshots is very useful feature in virtualized environment. I use it on daily basis and I love it. Without it so many changes and test will fail without possibility to recover – of course we have backups….. ;)

Now here comes “real life” scenario – I am still on VMware ESX / ESXi 4.1 and I would like to Storage vMotion virtual machine with snapshots from one datastore to another one located in different cluster.

Here is how should you do it:

  • Shutdown Virtual Machine
  • Remove it from inventory / unregister it from ESX / ESXi host vmware-cmd -s unregister
  • Go to Virtual Machine directory
  • Move Virtual Machine from source datastore to desired new datastore
  • Go to new Virtual Machine directory
  • I recommend first to get new datastore UUID with command ls -al /vmfs/volumes/ and then copy your datastore UUID
  • In Virtual Machine directory list all vmdk files – for example ls -al | grep vmdk
  • Now what you need to do is edit vmdk files – remember do not edit vmdk flat files
  • You should change UUID – for example:
    • from /vmfs/volumes/OLDUUID/VM01
    • to /vmfs/volumes/NEWUUID/VM01
  • After you change UUID in all vmdk files you should register virtual machine back using command vmware-cmd -s register
  • You can confirm that all disk and snapshots are present in Virtual Machine settings

You are done – maybe this is not easiest way how to do it but for sure it works. I hope it helps. If you have better or other ways how to do it feel free to comment.

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How to see hidden adapter IP settings in Windows

Posted by on Apr 16, 2013 in Hardware, Virtualization, VMware, Windows Client, Windows Server | 0 comments

Lost and found

Have you ever lost something and found it in last place where you expect to find it? Well it happened to me as well several times (I even tried to pray to Saint Anthony – patron of lost things) and it is true that some things are lost as well in IT world.

Few days ago I found out, that some of my VM’s are version 4 and they should be version 7. I powered them off quickly and then upgraded Virtual Machine hardware to version 7. Piece of cake – vCenter Server informed me that VMware Tools are outdated (I didn’t knew that they are from ESX 3.5) and I confirmed that I want to do upgrade. What could go wrong huh?

Well, VM’s started fine – no big deal. Next day ticket came to me that VM’s lost its IP configuration. Damn, I am busted – this is because of this HW upgrade. I thought no big deal – setting new IP is no big deal, and I thought I will remove flexible adapter with proper VMXNET3. That part was easy, but no one had old IP configuration of VM’s.

Microsoft KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315539 is helpful when you want to remove old network adapter (don’t do it yet) but it doesn’t say how to find old IP configuration.

Here is hint how you can find it.

Start regedit and then navigate to key located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces and find your Interface with configuration.

Then you can easily set your missing NIC IP settings.

 

 

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Servers memory configuration tool

Posted by on Apr 9, 2013 in Hardware | 0 comments

Did you ever have a problem with memory modules which are laying in you stock? Or perhaps you had requirement from customer to fill server with not standard amount of RAM? If yes you are lucky one because major server suppliers provide documentation and some useful tools. One of this tool (besides official documentation) is online memory configuration. It is very easy to use, you just need to follow steps explained in details and you will get what you need.

I was looking for information if it is possible to mix memory for HP Blade BL460c G6 and yes you can do it. My google skills are pretty much amazing so after several minutes I found what I was looking for.

Below you can find memory configuration tools for major brands:

All of those tools are pretty much the same. You can provide CPU count, desired RAM size, current memory configuration and so on. All of them will summarize server configuration with memory placement instruction which might be helpful for not so experienced administrators.

I suggest testing tools with “not standard” amount of RAM – for example 140GB. Results are pretty interesting.

Let me know what you think about those tools and if they helped you a bit.

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How to change synced folders in BlackBerry

Posted by on Apr 6, 2013 in Software | 0 comments

BlackBerry Logo

Recently I was really tired of new tickets notification delivered to my work mobile BlackBerry Bold 9790. My mobile has installed BlackBerry OS version 7.0.

I was looking for solution how to change synced folders from Exchange server but I wasn’t lucky and / or patient enough to find it.

So this is how you should do it:

  • Go to Messages
  • Hit BlackBerry button and then go to Email Preferences
  • Again BlackBerry button and then Folder Redirection

Now you are able to select from which folder you would like to receive emails. It sounds very easy and in reality it is easy, but to find it in Internet is other thing.

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VMware Tools and Hardware Version upgrade on Windows Server Core Domain Controller

Posted by on Mar 26, 2013 in VMware, Windows Server | 0 comments

Apple Core

Recently I was “playing” a bit with Windows Server 2008 R2 Core VMware Tools and Virtual Hardware upgrade from version 3.5 to 4.1. Migration went fine from one environment to another, but the rest went totally wrong. I got immediately BSOD – Blue Screen Of Death.

My patient was Windows Server 2008 R2 Core Active Directory domain controller with database on separate disk.

I was following solution described here http://www.totalnetsolutions.net/, but there is other way to do this.

The main problem is that, after virtual hardware upgrade from version 4 to 7 Windows doesn’t recognize disks where Active Directory database is located. In order to fix this issue you need to change SAN policy in diskpart.

Here are steps how you can do it:

  • Login to your server
  • Start diskpart
  • Type SAN to check what policy is set
  • If your policy is OfflineAll or OfflineShared- change it to OnlineAll by typing SAN POLICY=OnlineAll

Also to summarize I would like to guide you how you should perform VMware Tools and Virtual Hardware upgrade.

  1. Perform backup of server
  2. Migrate Virtual Machine to “new” environment
  3. Perform upgrade of VMware Tools
  4. Take a snapshot of VM
  5. Check current VMware tools version – go to VMware Tools directory and execute command vmware-toolbox-cmd -v. Then compare version to other VM’s in your new environment to check if upgrade was really done.
  6. Change SAN policy
  7. Power off Virtual Machine
  8. Upgrade Virtual Hardware
  9. Start Virtual Machine
  10. Reconfigure IP setting if they are missing
  11. SUCCESS!
  12. Change policy to original one + reboot
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