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Table Of Contents
Introduction to VMware vCenter
Converter Standalone 1
VMware
®
vCenter Converter Standalone is a scalable solution to convert virtual and physical machines to
VMware virtual machines. You can also configure existing virtual machines in your vCenter Server
environment.
Converter Standalone eases the exchange of virtual machines among the following products.
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VMware hosted products can be both conversion sources and conversion destinations.
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VMware Workstation
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VMware Fusion™
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VMware Server
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VMware Player
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Virtual machines running on an ESX instance that vCenter Server manages can be both conversion sources
and conversion destinations.
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Virtual machines running on unmanaged ESX hosts can be both conversion sources and conversion
destinations.
You can also use VMware Consolidated Backup (VCB) images to create VMware virtual machines.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Migration with Converter Standalone,” on page 7
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“Converter Standalone Components,” on page 8
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“Cloning and System Configuration of Physical Machines,” on page 8
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“Types of Data Cloning Operations,” on page 13
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“Using Converter Standalone with Virtual Machine Sources and System Images,” on page 16
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“System Settings Affected by Conversion,” on page 16
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“Changes to Virtual Hardware,” on page 17
Migration with Converter Standalone
Migration with Converter Standalone involves converting physical machines, virtual machines, and system
images for use in VMware hosted and managed products.
You can convert virtual machines that vCenter Server manages for use in other VMware products. You can
use Converter Standalone to perform a number of conversion tasks.
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Import running remote physical and virtual machines as virtual machines to standalone ESX/ESXi or to
ESX/ESXi hosts that vCenter Server manages.
VMware, Inc.
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