How to turn a physical machine into virtual machine
| Published: | Oct 16, 2006 | |||
| Author: | Michael E, Callahan | |||
| Related OS: | CE | |||
VMware P2V Assistant
by Michael E. Callahan aka Dr. File Finder
Part of the editorial series on virtualization.
For a home user switching to a virtual machine is relatively easy.Simply create your base virtual machine, install the programs you use, and you're all set. It didn't take me long to switch all the machines in my office and that includes desktops and laptops.
The picture is a bit different, however, for large companies. They may have hundreds or even thousands of computers. Changing each physical machine into a virtual counterpart could be a bit challenging. For situations like this the people at VMware created VMware P2VAssistant.
VMware P2V Assistant lets you migrate a physical machine to the virtual world. That's right. The product creates an image of aphysical machine and that becomes a virtual machine. The program is amazingly fast and very reliable. It works with the Windows operating system and handles everything from NT 4.0 to Windows Server2003.
Coming Soon
VMware P2V Assistant is a free program available from VMware.Soon it's going replaced by a new program, Converter version 3.0.VMware Convert is currently in beta testing and will be available to the general public in the next few months.
Converter picks up where VMware P2V Assistant leaves off and adds a large number of new and improved features. Converter supports a wider range of hardware, supports 3rd party disk image formats, and is quite a bit faster. Converter can clone a server in real-time with no downtime for the server. Converter will also be able to create virtual machines from images created by applications like Norton Ghost.Products like VMware P2V Assistant make it easier for large companies to switch from physical machines to virtual machines.Converter will make that process even easier. When Converter is released we'll have a full review here on Tucows.
About Michael E, Callahan
Michael E. Callahan, known around the world by the trademarked name Dr. File Finder, is regarded as the world's leading expert on shareware. Dr. File Finder works with software programs and developers full-time, and in the average year he evaluates 10,000 programs. Since 1982 he has evaluated over 250,000 software and hardware products. Mr. Callahan began evaluating software online in 1982 and no one has been at it longer. He currently works doing online PR and marketing for software companies, and is the Senior Content Producer for Butterscotch.Com.
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