Migrate: moving VMs from VMware

Manager › Migrate moves virtual machines here from VMware. You can import from a vCenter or an ESXi host you connect, or from an OVA, OVF or disk image you upload. Each VM becomes a Velrix machine in the organisation or project you choose. Its disk is copied and converted, its network adapter keeps its MAC address, and it starts.

The original VM is never deleted. It is powered off only when you say so, and Roll back powers it on again.

Before you start

Velrix boots virtual machines with UEFI and virtio devices. Get each VM ready at its source first:

• UEFI, not BIOS. A VM that boots with BIOS is refused.
  • Windows: run mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS in the guest, then switch the VM’s firmware to EFI in vSphere.
  • Linux: add an EFI system partition and a UEFI boot loader (grub-efi or shim), then switch the firmware to EFI.
• virtio drivers.
  • Windows needs the virtio-win drivers (at least viostor and NetKVM) installed before it moves, or it cannot find its disk.
  • Linux needs virtio_blk and virtio_net in its initramfs. Most distributions have them. Rebuild a host-only initramfs with them.
• One disk, no snapshots. Consolidate or delete snapshots. A VM with more than one disk cannot be imported yet.
• The network. Only the first network adapter moves, onto the chosen project’s network, with its MAC address. Plan its IP address on that network.

You need the Move VMs here permission, and the right to make machines where the VM goes.

Connect a vCenter or ESXi

1. Open Manager › Migrate › Sources and choose Add › VMware vCenter or ESXi.
2. Enter the address, an account and its password, and your vCenter’s CA certificate if it is not publicly trusted.
3. Enable the source.

The account needs to read the inventory, power VMs on and off, and browse and read datastores. The password is sealed and never shown again.

Import a VM

1. On VMs, select Read inventory, then choose a VM.
2. Check what moving it takes: anything that blocks it is shown with what to do.
3. Name the machine, choose where it goes and its size (the smallest that fits is suggested).
4. For Windows, confirm that the virtio drivers are installed. For a running VM, allow it to be powered off at its source.
5. Select Import and follow it on Imports.

The VM is off while its disk is copied, so the pause lasts as long as the copy.

Import a file

Upload the OVA, OVF (with its VMDK beside it) or disk image (VMDK, qcow2, VHDX, VHD or raw) with Files. Then, on Upload, choose the volume and the path. The file must be in a volume that belongs to the organisation or person the machine is for.

A disk image says nothing about its firmware. Velrix checks the copied disk, and refuses one without an EFI system partition.

Roll back

On Imports, Roll back stops the machine here and keeps it, and powers the original on at its source.