User guide

vConverter Functional Overview 24
Features and Functions
Hot Conversions
Hot cloning is the process of taking a live source system and creating a complete copy
of it in the form of a VM. To yield a data-consistent image, the vConverter Consistency
Driver (VCD) and MS VSS assist in the process. VCD captures write requests from the
file system and retains the former state of the updated disk blocks. VCD is unaware of
running applications on the source and therefore cannot save associated data for backup.
This is where MS VSS steps in - telling databases and application servers to flush un-
cached data to disk so that backup can proceed.
Cold Conversions
There are two types of cold conversion - manual and automated. During manual cold
conversion, the source is manually booted to the vConverter VistaPE image, either via
PXE or using a boot CD. You manually create and control the conversion.
To perform an automated Remote Cold Cloning (RCC), you schedule a conversion.
When the job starts, a boot loader and boot image are sent to the source. At a time that
you designate, the source reboots in vConverter's boot environment. After the boot
image brings the source onto the network, the conversion monitor component connects
to vConverter. The conversion completes. You need not be present at the source
machine during conversion.
During the manual RCC process, you can boot the source using vConverter PXE
service. IN order to boot the source, the following conditions must be met:
• Source server should be configured to boot from the network.
• DHCP must be present.
• No UDP message (including broadcast) must be filtered between PXE service
and source server.
• vConverter PXE service must be run.
Remote Cold Cloning
When you select Remote Cold Cloning (RCC) as the conversion type, vConverter sends
a boot loader and its boot image over the network to a source. This source boots at a
time that you designate, and the conversion begins. RCC is a good option for converting
transactional systems such as database and email servers.
This is how the automated RCC process works: