– Overview
IT departments are looking for ways to increase operational efficiencies by implementing Virtual Server 2005 in development and test environments, targeted production workloads, and legacy application scenarios. One of the key steps in a successful Virtual Server 2005 deployment strategy is simplifying the process of converting physical servers to virtual machines.
You can use VSMT to create images of physical computers and deploy them in virtual machines running on Virtual Server 2005. With VSMT, you can migrate source computers running the following operating systems to virtual machines in Virtual Server 2005:
• Windows NT 4.0 Server with Service Pack (SP) 6a, Standard and Enterprise Editions
• Windows 2000 Server SP 4 or later
• Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP 4 or later
• Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition
Note: VSMT is intended to be used by IT professionals and consultants and requires use of a combination of native and add-on tools for Windows Server 2003. Users of VSMT should have proficiency with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), PXE, and Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services (ADS). Additionally, you must have knowledge of the operating system that you are migrating, some scripting knowledge, and knowledge of the legacy hardware environment from which you are migrating
– System Requirements
To use VSMT, ADS 1.0 and Virtual Server 2005 must be deployed in the environment where the migration is to be performed.
In addition, the following are required:
• One x86-based computer to host VSMT, ADS 1.0, and Virtual Server 2005. Virtual Server 2005 can be running on a separate computer.
Note: ADS is not supported on the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition.
• 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.
Note: ADS is not supported on Itanium-based computers.
• English version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and installation CD.
• 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.
• For ADS 1.0, 512 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum (348 MB minimum supported, 32 GB maximum).
• VGA or higher-resolution monitor (Super VGA 800×600 or higher recommended), keyboard, and (optionally) a mouse or other pointing device.
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