Microsoft releases Virtual Server Migration Toolkit (VSMT) beta

UPDATE: VSMT was posted on Microsoft Download Center by mistake. Is now available only into relative beta program.

Quoting from Microsoft Download Center:

Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Migration Toolkit (VSMT) automates the migration of physical servers to virutal machines running in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005.

VSMT automates the migration of an operating system and installed applications from a physical server to a server running within a virtual machine that is provided and managed by Virtual Server 2005. Virtual Server allows multiple virtual machines running different operating systems and applications to run on the same physical computer.

The primary usage scenarios for VSMT are as follows:

? Windows NT 4.0 Server migration. Migrating servers running Windows NT 4.0 Server to Virtual Server 2005 is appropriate when an application designed to run on Windows NT 4.0 Server cannot easily be moved directly onto Windows Server 2003. Migrating the server application to new hardware running a member of the Windows Server 2003 family affords improved performance, reliability, and maintainability. The application environment is still maintained within the Windows NT 4.0 Server software, so changes to the application are not required to realize this benefit. For a complete description of planning and implementing a Windows NT 4.0 Server consolidation project, see the Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating LOB Applications, available on the Microsoft Web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=31616.

? Server consolidation. Migrating multiple physical servers onto a smaller number of physical servers is appropriate when the original physical servers are underutilized. This reduces the cost of supporting and maintaining servers. Each of the original physical servers runs in its own virtual machine to maintain application isolation, security, and operating system environment.

-) System Requirements

? Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003

? 1 to 3, x86-based computers to host the Controller service, Network Boot Services, and Image Distribution service. ADS is not supported on Itanium-based computers.

? One or more processors with a recommended minimum speed of 1 GHz. Processors from the Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processors are recommended.

? English version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and installation CD. ADS is not supported on the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition.

? A hard disk partition or volume with 2 gigabytes (GB) free space to accommodate the Setup process, plus enough extra free disk space for the images themselves.

? 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum (128 MB minimum supported, 32 GB maximum).

? Volume licensing (with a single product ID) for the software in the images you want to install on the devices is recommended.

? VGA or higher-resolution monitor (Super VGA 800×600 or higher recommended), keyboard, and (optionally) a mouse or other pointing device.