5.1

Table Of Contents
Introduction to
VMware vCenter Converter
Standalone 1
VMware
®
vCenter Converter Standalone is a product 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 Player
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Virtual machines running on an ESX or ESXi instance that vCenter Server manages can be both conversion
sources and conversion destinations.
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Virtual machines running on unmanaged ESX or ESXi hosts can be both conversion sources and conversion
destinations.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Migration with Converter Standalone,” on page 9
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“Converter Standalone Components,” on page 10
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“Cloning and System Configuration of Physical Machines,” on page 10
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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 15
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“System Settings Affected by Conversion,” on page 15
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“Changes to Virtual Hardware,” on page 16
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.
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Import virtual machines hosted by VMware Workstation or Microsoft Hyper-V Server to ESX/ESXi hosts
that vCenter Server manages.
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Import third-party backup or disk images to ESX/ESXi hosts that vCenter Server manages.
VMware, Inc.
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