vCenter Converter 4 Released

On Feb. 12, VMware released version 4 of the popular vCenter Converter tool. Among the important new features are Linux conversion support, Windows Server 2008 support, some post-conversion task features, as well as enhanced image and virtual format compatibility.

Many administrators take the P2V conversion for granted, but in fact this is more important than ever, since conversion tasks are growing in complexity and scope. One of the new features that can assist administrators in this regard is workflow automation. This allows an automatic shutdown of the source system and service management on the destination system, so that data in transit can be protected. These types of factors can make or break a successful conversion; to have it built into the free product is a big plus.

But along with these new features and platform support, be aware that vCenter Converter drops support for other platforms. Windows NT 4.0 as a hot clone source is no longer supported, and ESX 2.5 is no longer a supported destination. The previous version of vCenter Converter includes Vista support (supported in version 3.0.3) as well as NT hot cloning and ESX 2.5 server support, so it may be worth holding onto older versions to fill out the support matrix for your environment.

It is important to note that this release is only for the free, standalone starter edition of Converter. The enterprise edition, which integrates with vCenter Server, isn't out yet. The full release of the next release of VMware Infrastructure will likely incorporate some incarnation of vCenter Converter Enterprise Edition.

vCenter Converter has been a lifesaver for many virtual environments, and version 4 should continue this trend into the next generation of VMware virtualization. Give it a spin and tell me your thoughts on the version 4, especially if you use the Linux conversion functionality.

Posted by Rick Vanover on 02/18/2009 at 12:47 PM