Cold Cloning and the Converter Enterprise Boot CD

Cold Cloning and the Converter Enterprise Boot CD

Cold cloning, also called offline cloning, entails cloning the source machine when it is not running its operating system. In cold cloning the user reboots the source machine from a CD that has its own operating system (WinPE) and includes the standalone VMware Converter Enterprise application. Cold cloning leaves no footprint on the source machine

How do I change a forgotten root password on my ESX Server Host?

VMware ESX

Details

Occasionally, an administrator will ask about recovering the password to an ESX Server host: I do not know the root user's password on my ESX Server host. How can I reset the password? I have lost the root password to my ESX host, how can I recover it?

Solution

This article provides a solution to the problem of having a lost password for the root account on an ESX Server host. If you have forgotten or don't know the password for the root user on an ESX Server host, you can change it without reinstalling ESX Server. Warning: This can be used maliciously and should be safeguarded against through proper physical access to the host, authenticated remote console access, monitoring and protection against reboot procedures (e.g. grub password) and limited access to the management network. See http://www.vmware.com/resources/techresources/726 for more information on security best practices. Note: The procedure below performs a password reset, it "blindly" replaces the existing root password with a new one. This is not password recovery, it does not allow you to learn the original root password. VMware does not provide tools or methods to recover the original root password of an ESX host. To change the password for the root user, you must reboot the ESX Server host into service console only in single-user mode. To do this, follow the steps below appropriate for your version of ESX: ESX Server 3.x: Reboot the ESX Server host. When the GRUB screen appears, press the space bar to stop the server from automatically booting into VMware ESX Server. Use the arrow keys to select Service Console only (troubleshooting mode). Press the a key to modify the kernel arguments (boot options). On the line presented, type a space followed by the word single. Press Enter. The server continues to boot into single-user mode. When presented with a bash prompt such as sh-2.05b#, type the command passwd and press Enter. Follow the prompts to set a new root user password. When the password is changed successfully, reboot the host using the command reboot and allow VMware ESX Server to boot normally. ESX Server 2.x: Reboot the ESX Server Host. When the LILO screen appears hit the space bar to stop the server from automatically booting into VMware ESX Server. At the LILO prompt select "linux" adding the -s to the end of the line, it should read:linux -s Press Enter. The system begins to boot. The server continues to boot into single-user mode. When presented with a bash prompt such as sh-2.05b#, type the command passwd and press Enter. Follow the prompts to set a new root user password. When the password is changed successfully, reboot the host using the command reboot and allow VMware ESX Server to boot normally. When the system is finished booting up, you can log in as the root user using the new password.

Product Versions

VMware ESX 2.0.x VMware ESX 2.1.x VMware ESX 2.5.x VMware ESX 3.0.x VMware ESX 3.5.x

Resources and Tutorials on VMWare

Check out http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/ and http://blogs.virtualizationadmin.com/

P2V Info
http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vmware-esx-articles/p2v-v2v/performing-p2v-conversion-vmware-esx-server-converter-enterprise.html

Learning about Virtual Technologies 101

So I thought I would starting blogging on my experience's with Virtual Technology

First thought I would post some questions regarding small data centers who are thinking about 2 things. OS Conversions and Server Consolidations: Today many small to mid size companies are thinking about cost and cost savings. Bottom-line everyone is thinking about what they can do for less. Well this is where Virtualization can help reduce your over-head.

Virtualization 101 Basic Introduction (work in progress)



Understanding Difference in VM Converters-Simplified

What is the difference between the Starter and Enterprise edition of Converter?

The differences are Enterprise includes support, the ability to cold-clone with the boot CD, able to do multiple simultaneous conversions and perform remote conversions.

How do I get a Enterprise license for Converter?

VMware Converter Enterprise is available at no additional cost to existing and new VirtualCenter Management Server customers and P2V Assistant customers, with valid support and subscription contracts. First go to http://www.vmware.com/download/licensing.html and click on the Manage VMware Product Licenses link. If you are entitled to Converter licenses you will see Vmware Converter 3.0 Enterprise listed once you log in. Once you activate the license and download the license file you can go to http://www.vmware.com/download/converter/ and click on the Enterprise Edition link to download the ISO file for cold-cloning. The installation program for hot-cloning is the same for Starter and Enterprise editions. Once you select a license file in Converter it will unlock the Enterprise features. One thing to note is that the license file you download for Converter does not work with the License Manager server. Even though it is in the same format as the ESX licenses the License Server will not recognize it. To use your Converter license file simply copy it to the server that Converter is installed on and launch the Converter application and select Administration, Licensing Information and click Add License and browser and select your Converter license file.