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Ubuntu 12.04 P2V conversion using non-root user

Ubuntu P2V conversion is not as straight forward as other Linux machines with a root user. This is because we use a non-root user by default for managing Ubuntu machines and the root credentials are not known to us. So how do you convert a physical Ubuntu VM to virtual without the root credentials? Here are the steps

PS: please note the steps are for VMware vCenter standalone converter 5.5

1.Edit VMware configuration files converter-agent.xml and converter-worker.xml files present in C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone , update the useSudo flag from false to true

2. Reboot the VMware converter standalone agent service





3. On the Physical server that needs to be converted, edit the /etc/sudoers file and add the following entry

<username> ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

4.Ensure that the following entry is not present in /etc/sudoers

Defaults requiretty

5. You need to change the userid and group id of the non-root user to 0. Edit /etc/password and /etc/group file for this

For eg: in /etc/password, update as following for the user

test:x:0:0:test,,,:/home/test:/bin/bash

In /etc/group, update as follows

test::x:0:

6.In the /etc/ssh/sshd_config . allow root login through ssh

PermitRootLogin yes

7.Now you need to open your standalone convertor as administrator and start the conversion wizard

Networking considerations during the conversion

A helper VM will be created during the conversion process, which will either get an IP from DHCP or you should assign a static IP to you. It will be assigned by default  to the "VM network" port group, though there is option to change it . If your network doesnt have a dhcp, assign a static  IP  to the helper VM and make sure that VMs in the assigned  port group can communicate with the physical server being converted






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